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Setting an Elegant Thanksgiving Table

The Holidays are such an exciting time for entertaining and gathering good friends and family together. It is also the ideal time to let your creative side play a role in how to present the perfectly set dinner table. Why not let this be the year when you allow your flair for creating the elegant and the sumptuous to go to town at Thanksgiving? Since Thanksgiving officially heralds the start of the special holiday weeks to follow, it can set the tone for a theme to use throughout your entertaining calendar.

To help lay the groundwork for all that is to follow, your choice of a table cloth will play an extra important role. Nothing says elegance and class more than a crisp and starched white linen or heavy cotton table cloth. White is de rigueur for highlighting all that is to be layered on afterwards. Walking into a classy five star restaurant, a customer is always greeted by the graceful and luxurious look of white cloths draping the table tops. If your plan is to dazzle with a look that says well-appointed, you will never go wrong with selecting white.

The next step to take is to plan your centerpiece. If you are planning to serve from a sideboard or buffet and the turkey will not be the center of attention, then you will want to go with something that is either live, fresh flowers or seasonal accents such as pumpkins, squash, nuts and fall foliage. Either of these choices can be fashioned into an elegant table focal point, especially if you select a container that is going to compliment your theme, such as silver, crystal or fine china.

Plan to use your best china or dishes that have been washed and buffed to a glossy sheen. The same goes for silverware. If you have sterling silver, make sure that it is polished to reflect the glow of the candles that will be lit from either side of the centerpiece. Crisp napkins should also be inserted in the place setting and the color can be white to match the table cloth, or it is also appropriate to go for a splash of color that will add a bit of pop to the table top decor. As a final touch of elegance to your beautifully set table, position an elegantly written place card at the top of each plate that signifies who will be joining you at this special and lavish table!

Learn more about this author, Mary Starr.
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