How To Decorate Your Thanksgiving Table

TL;DR: Elevate your Thanksgiving table with thoughtful decorations to create a warm and inviting atmosphere for your guests. Start with quality linens, add an eye-catching centerpiece, incorporate creative place cards, and coordinate tableware for a cohesive look.

Main Points:

• Use high-quality linens in warm autumnal hues or classic white.
• Choose an inviting centerpiece that ties in with your theme.
• Decorate with creative and personalized place cards.
• Coordinate tableware to complement your décor and highlight your feast.

For most Americans, Thanksgiving is an event. Whether you’re hosting a small gathering, a cozy Friendsgiving, or a large, extended family, ambiance matters. The way you decorate the Thanksgiving table can instantly elevate a simple space.

If you’re preparing a feast for your guests, why not transform your dining table into a feast for the eyes?

In this guide, we’ll share our tips for creating a Thanksgiving dinner table that’s elegant and inviting. Read on to discover how to set the scene for a warm gathering where your loved ones feel welcome, comfortable, and loved.

Set the Stage with Linens

The way you decorate your Thanksgiving table sets the scene for the holiday. It instantly sets expectations and elevates your guests’ experience.

The easiest way to add a touch of elegance is to begin with table linens. That should include a quality tablecloth and cloth napkins. They allow you to incorporate the warm hues of Autumn seamlessly.

Consider linens in warm browns, rich oranges, golden yellows, cheerful reds, and deep greens. We also love the look of a crisp white tablecloth with colored cloth napkins. The napkins add an eye-catching pop of color to a clean, classic spread.

Metallics can add depth, too. Choose coordinating napkin rings or cutlery to ensure those Fall hues pop. Even a simple spread becomes an event with small, stunning touches that suggest thought and care.

Choose an Inviting Centerpiece

Your choice of centerpiece can anchor your table and help create a unifying theme for your décor. Consider classic Autumnal imagery. We love decorating with cornucopias, pumpkins and gourds, greenery, pinecones, and turkeys.

Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• A traditional floral centerpiece with blooms in autumnal hues, including cut orange roses and lilies.
• Fill a clear vase with brilliant red, cost-effective raw cranberries for a seasonal, festive pop of color.
• Curate an edible centerpiece featuring charcuterie staples like full, round grapes, golden cheese, and colorful autumn pears.
• Fill a simple bowl or basket with mini pumpkins, gourds, Fall fruits, and touches of greenery. Use it to craft a contemporary cornucopia.
• Concoct a spare centerpiece featuring bare branches in an earthen vase.
• Use a pumpkin as a base for a fresh floral centerpiece in your event’s color scheme.
• Feature pinecones or other dried elements like lotus pods and cinnamon sticks in a bowl, basket, or clear glass vase.
• Show off your favorite turkey statuette.

Whatever you choose, ensure you tie in the colors of your linens. It’s a simple way to create the most cohesive decorations for your Thanksgiving table.

A brighter, more eye-catching centerpiece may pair best with neutral or subtler linens. In contrast, a tasteful, understated centerpiece will shine with a brightly colored tablecloth!

Decorate with Place Cards

No matter the size of your Thanksgiving guest list, place cards help guests feel welcome. They’re also a great way to determine seating arrangements in advance. That can help keep gobbling and squabbling to a minimum and ensure a harmonious gathering!

They don’t need to be an afterthought. You can make your place cards part of your Thanksgiving table décor. Consider buying or making place cards that coordinate with your linens and centerpieces. You can also choose place cards that double as favors, adding a fun, interactive element to your décor!

Here are some unique place card ideas that can elevate your table:

• Buy a mini pumpkin for every guest and tie a tag with their name on it to the stem. Set the pumpkins at every place setting for a pumpkin patch feel.
• Make your place cards interactive by leaving space for guests to write what they’re thankful for upon arrival. You can even provide a decorative pen for each guest to take home at the end of the feast.
• Consider a place card that young (or older!) guests can color on while they wait for their meal. It helps keep hands busy and adds some extra color and excitement.
• Consider a rustic clothespin turkey craft labeled with each guest’s name to welcome them to the feast.
• Set each place with an aesthetically pleasing gift, like a small glass jar of autumnal loose-leaf tea, a candle, or a floral brooch.
• If you’re crafty, sew or crochet a small pumpkin to add a cozy touch to your Thanksgiving spread.

Whatever you choose, you’ll elevate the look of your table and ensure every guest feels welcome.

Be Thoughtful About Tableware

Remember, the thing that takes up the most space when you decorate a table for Thanksgiving is your tableware. You’ll very likely be setting a place for each guest at your feast. Thus, coordinating your dishes and cutlery with your linens, centerpieces, and place cards is crucial.

Neutral colors tend to complement food without competing with it. That allows the bright cranberries and rich sweet potatoes to pop off the plate. A classic, understated pattern or decorative chargers can add visual interest without adding visual clutter.

Thanksgiving is a great time to bust out the family silver, though stainless steel flatware goes with most table settings. You can also wrap your silverware in your cloth napkins to keep things cohesive and uncluttered.

Decorate a Thanksgiving Dinner Table Like a Pro

Every elegant Thanksgiving dinner table begins with high-quality linens. Check out our selection of tablecloth rentals for your next event!