Normally we celebrate Thanksgiving with Mike’s family . So none of these tables are at my house, but at my in-laws. They have the most fantastic table to do really over the top centerpieces–and I love that! Here are some of them:
In 2016, we went for a more sophisticated look using mercury glass vases full of deep purple and red flowers along with some silver dollar eucalyptus and hazel nut picks. Our table runners were covered with small silver leaves and we used two of them across the table, instead of lengthwise. We had lots of candles in mercury glass holders to create a cozy ambiance. We topped it all off with silver chargers, white plates and white napkins.
In 2017, we borrowed a really large dough bowl and filled it with seeded eucalyptus, small Cinderella pumpkins, green gourds, and tiny white pumpkins. We coupled this with a beautiful pumpkin colored hemstitched linen table runner and copper colored chargers and sage green napkins.
In 2018, my husband and I built a large pine tray–it was huge–like 14″ x 50″. We filled it with white, green and tan Cinderella pumpkins, butternut squash, acorn squash, tiny white pumpkins, green gourds, and some antlers. Each person was greeted by a small jar of Cranberry-Raspberry-Orange sauce at their places. We reused the copper colored chargers and sage green napkins.
The arrangement for 2019 was really similar to what we did in 2018, except that we added some nandina greenery and berries out of my sister in law’s garden. We did fun “placecards” that were a cellophane bags of seasonal shaped chocolates with kraft nametags on them. We brought out the wood look turkeys that we had used several Thanksgivings ago. This was the last year for the huge wooden tray. It took so much produce that we decided we needed to do something else–we didn’t know that the something else would involve a COVID friendly celebration in 2020.
The giant pine tray that we used in 2018 and 2019 was converted into a console table with the addition of some tall hairpin legs. It was donated to a charity auction in August of 2020 and sold to raise money for arts education in the local schools.
in 2021, we went with a limited color palette and more rustic than some years. We had three log slices that we set rustic low metal bowls and a copper bowl on. We filled the bowls with pomegranates, apples, bosc pears, and red grapes. (We sent most of the fruit back to school with our youngest.) Then, we set white candles on wooden coasters. We sprinkled leaves around all of that. We used my copper look chargers, white plates and brown and russet napkins in wooden napkin rings. My son made some improvised place card holders by slicing up a branch and cutting slits in each one to hold the place card.
To make the leaves, I gathered leaves when they still had a lot of color and were still pliable. I removed the stems and pressed them for a few days. I then sprayed them with shellac. This helps to preserve their color and keep them flatter than they might if left uncoated. It also accentuates their colors and patterns. My original plan had been to use them for place cards, but that didn’t work out.
Here are photos from our 2022 family Thanksgiving table. We used white Johnson Brothers plates, silver napkin rings, white cloth, mercury glass candle holders and vase, and some decorative pumpkins of various materials. We also had some silver plate candy dishes with coordinating foil wrapped candies and mexican hot chocolate pumpkins for place cards.
The flowers came from Costco and Aldi. We wanted to go with a lighter palate since it’s been a darker palate the last few years. I wasn’t excited about the flowers when I bought them, because I had hoped to get to Trader Joe’s, but that didn’t happen. It was a combination of spider mums, pinkish carnations, gorgeous apricot/pink roses, lotus pods, and greeenery. I was really happy with how they turned out–I left out all the bright yellow flowers, which worked out for the best.
It’s not too early to start thinking about what you want to do for this year’s table…..I have some ideas!
Cathy At Home on the River 
They were all beautiful!
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Thanks! You know how much I love to do a pretty table!
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