Hosting Thanksgiving dinner may seem like a daunting task to some but to me, it is a chance to share a great meal and relax with my family as well as good friends.  This year I asked everyone to bring a local dish.  My thinking is the more people I invite, (big sheepish grin) the less work I have to do.  We had everything from homemade apple pie to a Preppy Pig smoked turkey.  I don’t really like to host a party AND do the cooking so I stick to what I like best, setting the stage for a good time.

I am lucky to have a dining room but lately it has become the craft/playroom for my kids.  So, I cleared it out and set up two long tables down the middle to seat 8 adults.  Mis-matched chairs make their way around the table and painters drop cloth is the perfect length to run the table (plus I don’t have to worry about stains).  I didn’t prep very well so in order to throw together a nice table-scape in a short amount of time, I used white linens.  This way the china and centerpieces stood out.  

Thankfully I still have some color growing in my yard.  The pink roses and red bittersweet looked great in my antique lemonade pitcher (purchased from a local estate sale years ago).  My kids loved helping me set the table and insisted we put gold chargers under their enamel bunny plates.  With a sweet drawing, created by one of the children, the room was cheerful and inviting.

Keeping the decor simple and relaxed allowed me to spend time with my guests and enjoy the day.  That is something I am certainly Thankful for.