A Beautiful Thanksgiving Table
Updated: 5 days ago
Thanksgiving is the one dinner of the year when everyone comes to the table at the same time and stays there. The food matters, of course, but what people remember is the feeling of sitting down together. A well-set table helps with that. It tells your family and friends that you were expecting them and that tonight is a little different.
You don't need to spend a lot to set a beautiful Thanksgiving table. My formula is simple: one soft color, one warm metal, and plenty of candles. I use ivory linen for the napkins and runner, brass for the candlesticks and small details, and amber glasses, which make the whole table glow once the candles are lit. Keep the flowers low so guests can see each other, and set everything the night before. On the day, your time belongs to the kitchen and to your guests.
Below you'll find everything I use on my table this year, from the napkins to the gravy boat, plus the herb-butter turkey I make every November. It's simple, it's reliable and it always comes out juicy.
The Turkey
My go-to is a simple herb-butter roast. No fuss, always juicy.
The night before: salt the turkey all over with kosher salt and leave it uncovered in the fridge.
Herb butter: soften a stick of butter with chopped sage, thyme, rosemary and lemon zest. Push it under the skin.
Inside: a lemon, an onion, a head of garlic and a handful of herbs.
Roast: 425°F for 30 minutes, then 350°F until the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°F.
Rest: 30 minutes before carving. This is the step people skip.
If you want the classic, Martha Stewart's Perfect Roast Turkey (the cheesecloth method) is the one everyone swears by, and her Perfect Turkey Gravy is worth the extra pot.
Which one is on your table this year, herb butter or Martha's cheesecloth? Tell me in the comments.
The Table
Candles low and many, linen instead of plastic, one warm color (amber) and one metal (brass and gold). That's the whole formula.
Ivory hemstitch napkins — Soft cotton with a hand-finished edge. They are the first thing that makes a table look finished, and they wash beautifully.
Natural linen table runner — Leave it a little rumpled. It softens the table and lets the wood show at the edges.
Brass candlesticks — Mix the heights and run them down the center. With enough of them lit, you barely need flowers.
Ivory taper candles — Unscented, always. Nothing should compete with the smell of dinner.
Amber wine glasses — They catch the candlelight and make even water look festive.
Gold flatware — Matte gold in 18/10 stainless steel, and it goes in the dishwasher, which matters on Thanksgiving night.
Gold napkin rings — A small detail that makes a simple napkin look considered.
Brass place card holders — Write the names by hand. Guests love finding their seat, and many take the card home.
Champagne velvet pumpkins — All the feeling of fall without the bright orange. They last for years.
Dried wheat stalks — Tuck two or three into each napkin. It costs almost nothing and looks lovely.
Gravy boat with saucer — Classic white porcelain with a saucer to catch the drips. You'll use it every holiday.
Stoneware dinner plates — Simple cream plates let the food and the table shine.
Shop the whole table and more on my Amazon storefront.
For the Kids' Table
Keep the little ones busy while the turkey rests. Our Thanksgiving activity printables are in the Tiger Eleven Studio shop. Print, set them at each little seat with a few crayons, and enjoy your dinner.
Happy Thanksgiving, from my table to yours.
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