Double-Duty Thanksgiving Table Centerpiece

Have you ever spent time creating a beautiful Thanksgiving dinner table centerpiece, only to find yourself juggling platters of turkey and bowls of mashed potatoes, wondering where on earth to move it once dinner is served?

I’ve been there, every single year. By the time everyone gathers around the table, that lovely display suddenly becomes one more thing taking up valuable space.

This year, I decided to take a simpler approach. Instead of fussing over an elaborate arrangement, I found a way to make the table look festive and inviting without anything getting in the way of the food or the fun.

Creating or buying a Thanksgiving table centerpiece is a classic, as-old-as-time way to make any dining table look inviting.

Just do an online search for “Thanksgiving table settings or Thanksgiving table centerpieces” and you will see dozens and dozens of beautiful and sometimes elaborate dining table centerpiece ideas to inspire you.

Quite by accident, this year I came up with a better idea for a Thanksgiving dinner table centerpiece – one that will not only keep my the holiday prep simpler, but saves time and money at the same time.

When I was thinking about how I wanted to set my dinner table for Thanksgiving this year, I focused on how to best focus on the Autumn Wreath paper placemats I recently found to use on the table.

I found them at the Hester & Cook store when Ed and I took a trip earlier this fall to the charming town of Franklin, TN.

I loved them as soon as I saw them in the store and bought a set of 12 without hesitation. If you are not familiar with Hester & Cook, they sell a line of decorative paper and party goods.

I first came across the brand last Christmas when I found Santa face placemats I set my Christmas table with last year.

My kitchen table that I made a new larger top for is the only dining table in my house, so I have to make the best of it when wanting to elevate the look for the holidays and family celebrations.

For Thanksgiving I always like a more rustic look for the table. I took the time to play around with all the different dinner plates I have collected over the years to see what looked the best with the placemats.

I found I liked the way the glass plates I have looked the best since you can see through them to view the whole placemat.

Then I added a salad plate and a fall colored plaid napkin to each place setting. I found the napkins at Hobby Lobby for 50% off. 4 cloth napkins for $5. I couldn’t make cloth napkins less expensive than this.

I was quite pleased with my efforts, but then I realized I still had to come up with a centerpiece for the table.

I didn’t want to spend a lot of time to make a dinner table centerpiece as I have done many times in the past or spend money to buy something that always gets moved off the table anyway to free up space for the food.

I also knew the centerpiece didn’t require candles since I always like to add a votive candle at each place setting as I think it makes a dining table look cozier and extra-special for each guest sitting around the table.

My Fall Floral Arrangement Does Double-Duty

I came up with my double-duty dinner table centerpiece quite by accident. As I was thinking of what I could use make to create a centerpiece from scratch using items from my decor and craft supplies is when I looked into my living room and saw this faux fall floral arrangement on the wicker basket side table. Hmmm, I thought, “that would make a great Thanksgiving table centerpiece”.

and presto… I had a centerpiece for my Thanksgiving dinner table.

And best of all… when it comes time to place the turkey platter and serving bowls on the table, I can simply remove the centerpiece and place it right back on the living room side table where it looks very nice and will stay. No fuss, no excess decor or money spent.

So if you are hosting Thanksgiving at your house this year and want to save yourself, time and money, then take a look around your fall decor items you have placed around your home and try them on your dining table to see how each will look.

It doesn’t even have to be a floral arrangement. It can be one or more pumpkins, a bowl of pinecones with a candle placed in the middle or just about anything with a fall vibe.

Whatever you decide on using, the more you style it to fit your personal style, the more you will like it and so will your guests as it will be unique. And don’t forget, no need to stress about it, just enjoy the process and have fun coming up with new ways to use what you already own.

My Table Setting Resources

• Hester & Cook Paper Placemats are sold out on the Hester & Cook site, but I found them here: Autumn Wreath Placemats

• Hester & Cook also sells other Thanksgiving placemats from turkeys to leaves. You can also find some of their fall related items on Amazon.

• Glass 10″ dinner plates

• Raised dot rimmed ceramic salad plates – they also come in dinner plate size.

• Bubble/Seed glass drinking glasses used a votive holders

• Small wood slice coasters used under votives

• Fall colored plaid napkins – Hobby Lobby

More Thanksgiving Table Setting Ideas You May Like

• 25 Thanksgiving Table Setting Ideas
• Easy Thanksgiving Table Place Setting Styling Ideas