Are you anything like me? I mean the part of me who is nowhere near ready for Christmas? The part who doesn’t want to hear any carols or see trees or buy stuff?
I do have a bit of Grinch in me, but right now, I want to keep it slow and just enjoy autumn and the approaching Thanksgiving holiday.
Is that so wrong?
This year, our Thanksgiving table will be smaller — just three of us — and that feels just right. Rather than pulling out all the stops, I wanted to create something simple, warm, and meaningful. A table that feels intentional without being fussy.
And though it is still early to be creating a Thanksgiving table, I put a little something together to see what will be simple and still special.
Oh, and one other thing. We will be leaving early the next morning for a two-week trip. So not a lot of time for much more than cooking and a bit of clean up!
More on the trip coming up soon.
Here are my plans for the table.
Where it Started
Since it will just be the three of us with a simple meal, we plan to eat the in kitchen.
The everyday kitchen table has a small tablecloth and a lazy Susan. I love using that for the necessities like salt & pepper, napkins, and a seasonal centerpiece.
I rotate tablecloths and put them on the table right out of the dryer. No ironing. It’s a little messy, but I don’t mind.
But for this special occasion, I ironed a fresh tablecloth and here is what I did next.
Start with a Neutral Base
I used a soft linen-colored tablecloth and layered neutral placemats. These placemats are from Amazon and are my most frequently used ones.
They are soft, thin and are the perfect size to serve as a charger under my large white dishes.
A few cloth napkins and my everyday dishes worked perfectly — no need for a fancy set.
To sparkle up the everyday flatware and crystal, I gave everything a shine with a microfiber cloth. My secret super weapon.
The champagne glasses are a bit fancy. No holiday is perfect without a glass of champagne. Hub and Ryan usually opt for Martinelli’s. Which leaves more of the good stuff for me.
Napkins were placed on top of each plate and a mini pumpkin went on top.
Add a Touch of Seasonal Warmth
Keeping with a neutral theme, I opted for white mini pumpkins. Oh, yeah, and because I already have those.
To add a bit of warmth, I used a handful of pinecones and dried orange slices.
The small Minka vase (which Anthopologie no longer sells, but is now duped everywhere) is low and neutral so it fits with the theme. I added a few faux dahlia stems which softened up the look.
I placed it all on top of the lazy Susan and voila! An instant centerpiece.
If you prefer something even simpler, a single vase with branches or eucalyptus sprigs adds just enough fall texture.
Candles Make It Special
Even with just three people, candles make the meal feel like an occasion. I used a couple small battery pillar candles — nothing too tall to block conversation. The flicker of candlelight brings so much coziness to a small table.
Wrap Up
A neutral, cozy, simple and pretty table is what I was going for. Of course, not making a trip to the store was also top of my list.
And by the way, if I would have bought all new stuff, I guarantee you neither Ryan nor John would have noticed.
And there is still plenty of room on the table for food.
What are your plans for Thanksgiving? I am hoping we can do the annual Turkey Trot, but it looks like I’ll be doing last minute packing.
Thanks for spending a bit of your fall with me. Unless you are too busy out Christmas shopping!