A Thanksgiving Table with Natural Elements + Sentimental Details

Set a fall table featuring plenty of natural fall foliage so that you can bring the outdoors into the home. For a Thanksgiving Table, add a few sentimental touches. 

Thanksgiving is only 2 weeks away {crazy, right?}. We had snow here on Tuesday and I’ve started working on some Christmas gifts. This whole living in transition, half of the house is packed, the other half is a mess thing has been a tad tough on me. We didn’t decorate for Halloween and most of my crafting supplies are packed up and ready to move — but I just wanted to create, decorate, tinker with something and be creative for a while.

Since we will be celebrating Thanksgiving with our families out of town, I thought I’d play around with some table setting ideas and then volunteer to decorate the table at my mom’s house. Hopefully it will (1) make the day a bit easier for her and (2) get out some of my creative energy.

Setting a Thanksgiving Table

The table was covered in a solid cream tablecloth with a crocheted lace tablecloth laid over top. Each place setting sat atop a burlap place mat.

Mike and my little guy picked up a Gerbera Daisy for me a couple weeks ago and the rest of the centerpiece came out of my backyard. The sage adds a sweet scent to the tabletop and the colorful leaves bring in beautiful autumn reds and golds.

I sprinkled some of the smaller leaves across the tabletop too. It has a simple, casual feel but brings in all the colors.

A few weeks ago Erica shared some Thankful Place Card printables, and I loved that idea. Last winter I created a perpetual calendar that we use each day to record memories of our little one and other life events. It seemed fitting to use the card dated November 28 to document the things for which we are thankful. Also, since we’ll be sharing the meal with loved ones, I thought it would be special to include their “Thankful Thoughts” too.

The crocheted tablecloth and perpetual calendar both have a vintage vibe, so I brought in a vintage globe from our living room as well. It also feels “Thanksgiving-y” to me, because it’s a reminder of how blessed I am and all that we should be thankful for — as well as how important it is to give to those in need across this big world. I’ll be back next week with how I made that Give Thanks banner {and I’ll share the printable too! update: get it here}.

Each place setting includes a silver charger, blue dishes, a sage cloth napkin, and silverware topped with a fallen leaf. I like that it’s a little dressy — with the charger — but still casual with only three utensils and simple dishes.

I did go a little more formal with the head of the table, by bringing in a “captain’s chair” per-se. It’s actually a wingback chair from our living room, and I love the presence it gives for the person blessing the food and carving the turkey.

I’m in the mood for some holiday celebrating now, aren’t you? I can’t take all this with me to mom’s house, but my creative juices are flowing!

If you are in the mood for more tablescapes… or just want to see how else I’ve used some of these items for a very summery table, head over here.

How about you? Will you be setting a special table this year? What will you decorate it with?