This year I get to host both sides of my family at my home for the Thanksgiving holiday so I have been in full planning mode over the last couple of weeks. As a hostess, I know that often our time is more focused on the food than the decorations, but you need not spend oodles of your time crafting or purchasing a lot to make your table beautiful. In fact, this post shows you that that by shopping your very own home and adding a few inexpensive items from Goodwill, you are just minutes away from the perfect Thanksgiving table.
Here are six great last minute Thanksgiving ideas to pull together a beautiful time for your holiday feast.
Add Thoughtful Layering
I am seeing so many beautiful layers this year for Thanksgiving decor. Holly Mathis Interiors shows you a beautiful table that you can achieve easily by layering items from around your house or from Goodwill.A couple of items to note in this shot, you can add backyard leaf branches in glass jars from Goodwill to add a rustic element, flannel throws add warmth to the table without a more formal tablecloth, pumpkins add another natural element, and you can mix and match your chairs or mix in chairs found from the store to create that homey detail that I love. How pretty is that?
Add Unexpected Textures
Once again, I am seeing that people are pulling away from the traditional tablecloth and going for the unexpected texture on table. In Home Stories A to Z, she has used a beautiful cabled throw to add warmth and texture to the table. White linens can be stamped with gold (I love my friend Michael's easy gold foil napkins tutorial for this!)Check Goodwill for pretty knit blanket throws or white linens for stamping. You never know what treasures you can find in housewares until you go browse!
Additional details like pretty ribbon, personalized tags, and a few well-placed feathers never hurt either, do they?
Make Your Guests Feel Cozy
If I was going to design my perfect Thanksgiving table, it would look just like this. Gatherings of friends in the crisp fall air with cozy blankets are such a beautiful and lovely way to celebrate the season.
Once again, we see how cozy the mismatched look can be. From mismatched pillows to blankets to chairs, it all comes together beautifully when placed around a table. A glass vase can hold a rustic bouquet from the backyard and pumpkins offer a beautiful detail leading up to the barn.
This is definitely my dream tablescape and can be achieved just by bringing a few of the items you have from inside your house to the great outdoors. (image source: Lexington Company)
Personalize It
When something has my name on it, it immediately feels special to me. I love this idea for taking a simple Plexiglas circle and adding a little calligraphy to it to personalize each table setting for your guests.
Is your handwriting as terrible as mine? I sure hope not! If it is though, Almost Makes Perfect provides the template you need to create your names and simply trace them, making this a beautiful and painless craft for the table.
Add a 5-Minute Detail
Centerpieces can be pricey and feel tricky to pull together especially if you lack that designer instinct. I have found that the simpler the centerpiece though, the easier it is to see and chat with my dinner guests.
My sweet friend, Julie Blanner, is the queen of beautiful and simple decor and she shares her easy 5-minute centerpiece for the holidays on her blog. With a quick trip to the grocery store and a stop at Goodwill for a platter, you can add a little natural beauty in no time flat!
I also love these give thanks printables to tuck in your cutlery from Craftaholics Anonymous. That is another 5-minute detail I feel confident that I could execute!
Put the Leftover Herbs to Work
My kitchen is filled with sage for our favorite stuffing and herbed turkey that I have loved to serve over the years. If you have any leftover, it can add a beautiful detail to your table. Simply place the herbs in a glass jar from Goodwill and tie with a simple satin ribbon to finish. Not only is this pretty to look at, but it also smells so good too! (image source: Buzzfeed)