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Thanksgiving Table Dressing

Table Dressing Ideas

Thanksgiving is the perfect holiday. It's reliable. It's always on a Thursday no matter what year it is. You can count on exactly one day of gorging out. There's no month-long buildup to drive us crazy, and besides preparing the meal, there really is only one other thing to do and that's dress the table. Think about it before you're knee deep in cranberry sauce.

Rich With Tapestry

Tapestry is the most wonderful texture for a Thanksgiving tablecover. The earth tones make a rich background for the holiday food. If you can't find one you can afford, or one that is large enough to fit your table, buy a smaller one to place over the center of a larger tablecloth. You can also make your own. Buy the tapestry in a shop that sells upholstery fabric. It comes wider than most cottons and polyesters. Cut the cloth so that it fits the top of your table with a few inches hanging down. Finish the edges with a pretty braid or wide decorative ribbon border all around.

7 Quick and Easy Centerpieces

l. Fill a basket with fruits and nuts and scatter some of the nuts around the basket on the table.

2. Make an arrangement of different sized pumpkins, gourds and squash. Scatter a few leaves around the centerpiece and add orange, brown or dark green candles.

3. Cut the tops of small pumpkins and scoop out the centers. Place votive candles inside and make a grouping.

4. Make a bed of pine needles in the center of the table. Fill a basket with pinecones and tie a brown plaid taffeta bow on the handle.

5. Floating walnut candles: Scoop out the meat from walnuts and set aside the shells. Melt the stub of old candles in a coffee can set in a pan of water on the stove. If you place the shells in a pan of sand it will be easy to fill each one without dripping wax on your hand. Use a short wick and hold upright in the center of each shell as you fill it with the melted wax. Float the candles in a pretty bowl filled with water.

6. Fill a bowl with water and float the tops of flowers like chrysanthemums or marigolds. Surround with candles in fall colors.

7. Instead of a centerpiece, create a tiny arrangement of fall flowers in little vases, cups or glasses at each person's place. Use fall colored calico napkins and tie each one with a ribbon. Tuck a flower under each ribbon bow.

Copyright Leslie Linsley, author Reprinted with permission, HouseNet, Inc.

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