Creating a Special Day
Imagine the wonderful feeling of walking into your family member’s dining room, and seeing the most beautiful and festive table that commemorates the holiday everyone is being gathered to celebrate. Seeing the attention to detail and knowing how much work they put into making this a special day – it will put into perspective how much this host cares about every single person in attendance. With a special day like Thanksgiving, it is more important than ever to show guests how much they mean to you. This entire list is filled with Thanksgiving table setting ideas that will bring joy and long lasting memories, just like the beautiful and festive dining table mentioned above.
15 Inspiring Thanksgiving Table Setting Ideas
1. Remembered and Special
Seeing that a host has already gone the extra length to create and place name cards on the table shows just how much they truly care about the night. Seeing your name beautifully spelled out on a gorgeous leaf name card like this creates a sense of happiness – while also taking away the obstacle of finding a good place to sit at the table. Now your stress of finding a seat can melt away and you can focus on what truly matters: all those you are surrounded by.
2. A Blessed Meal
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/155303887692933118/
This is a stunning tablescape that boasts matching color elements. This effort tells guests the host went out of their way to make a very aesthetic dining table. What pushes this table past all expectations is the carefully placed cutout signs on each guest’s plate. The extra step is what creates the special moment. In your own home, take a chance and make each plate a different word that you think is synonymous with Thanksgiving, or take the idea from this photo – either way you decide, guests will never forget this fantastic meal!
3. What Are You Grateful For?
Breaking the ice, whether it’s family or friends, is a great idea for any dinner party. Sometimes it is easy to stay in your shell, even if you know every person in the room – so let’s change that! Getting the ball rolling will be a no brainer with this fun and easy exercise of going around the table and getting answers for who is grateful for what. The fun or serious memories of this can help Thanksgiving be that much more memorable. Besides, who doesn’t love the color scheme and look of this printable game?!
Related: 20 Stylish Thanksgiving Table Runners
4. Bringing the Guests Closer
If you’re still looking for a fabulous conversation starter, try this idea! This customized conversation starter will guide the night’s dialogue by bringing up fun memories, sharing unique facts and asking interesting questions you never before would have thought to ask. These printable dinner plate cards will make this Thanksgiving a breeze! The entire table will be fully engaged when they sit down and see this beautiful and fun game in a festive leaf shape!
5. Pre-Food Festivities
If your friends and family are the creative type, this is going to be the most amazing addition to your Thanksgiving (you can thank us later). A unique take that probably none of your guests have seen previously with other Thanksgiving table setting ideas – this coloring setup is going to be a great way to waste some time as the turkey cooks and the bread rises. Print out Thanksgiving coloring book pages and have the guests circle around and color the Thanksgiving decals. While this will be a great time among the adults, this is friendly for all ages and will be a great addition to any kids table you may have as well!
6. Going the Extra Mile
This idea is an easy way to show those in your life how special they are to you with a simple gesture. This year, let’s tell our family and friends how important they are in our lives with these utensil tag wraps! Rolling up silverware, creating a beautiful tag and finishing it off with twine is the perfect way to sneak in extra touches that make each guest feel important. If you’d like to step it up a notch, try tying some fresh, in season herbs or a small bag of treats to the cutlery as well!
7. Showing Kindness in Small Ways
It can be slightly frustrating being in the middle of a great conversation to then look down and try to decipher which wine glass was yours in the sea of glasses. Take away the burden from your guests of having to be vigilant and attentive to their glasses, by placing these wonderfully festive name tags on the base of each wine glass. This is an extremely courteous gesture that elevates the night – while making less dishes for you later on! Now, everyone can focus on conversation and not their glass!
8. The Kid’s Table
Memorable Thanksgiving table setting ideas don’t just happen at the adult table, they happen at the kid’s table as well. Setting the bar high to decorate the tots’ table will go down in infamy – but they don’t have to know how simple the task can be! The personalized notes on the straws, as well as the name cards will make each child feel appreciated for this happy holiday. Each child’s plate should have a pencil and game as well, just as the adults do, so they can also share what they are grateful for if their age permits!
Related: 20 Mouthwatering Thanksgiving Appetizer Ideas To Make This Year
9. The Way to a Guest’s Heart
Sometimes, the best way to make people feel special is to have them feel included. The simple act really hits home with guests. That is why this is a great way to elevate your Thanksgiving table by adding a game or two this year. Whether it is Friendsgiving or Thanksgiving, the goal is all the same – to make your guests feel at home and important. Giving those closest to you a happy time is a gift that keeps giving, so bring the table together this year! Try it before dessert if the conversation starts to wind down. Bonus points for laminating and getting a dry erase marker!
10. Heartwarming Moments
When a person thinks about what they are grateful for, there can never be hate coming from within them. Remembering wonderful times keeps the moments friendly. Continue these feelings with this table exercise. Whether guests want to share their answers or not – this is an activity that brings peace and happiness to people’s hearts. Guests will leave the night, ready to go home, all with a smile on their face from the kindness this game brought them as well as how special you made the night.
11. Showing Kindness
This is a very chic way to let guests understand just how much they mean to you. This customized note and festive pumpkin express how you truly are blessed to have each table member in your life. All year long, the people closest to you are your anchor to happiness and will never let you stray too far from what is best for you. On top of it all, these kind souls are always a phone call away, always there to listen and always be by your side. Make them feel important from the bottom of your heart with these Thanksgiving table setting ideas.
12. An Activity for the Books
Bingo! You’ve found the perfect table activity for your Thanksgiving dinner party. Winning this could be better than getting the turkey’s wishbone, because the entire table will be invested on who is going to win. This game also discloses fun details you might have never known about a person you’ve known your whole life! The prize? The first in line at the turkey carving station.
13. A Tag of Kindness
Attach these cards to drinking glasses, napkin holders or chair backs to emphasize how much you care about each person that is taking a seat at your table this season. As a host, there can be an overflow of Thanksgiving table setting ideas to choose from, but out of all of the options, these are an effective way to simply show guests the meaning of their presence and how much you care about each table member!
14. A Special Touch
Who knew forks and knives could be such a focal point? With this idea, utilizing everything on the table is going to be the key to successfully pulling off one of the best Thanksgiving dinners any of you friends and family have been to. It’s not common to attend a dinner party and see your name waiting for you at the table. This easily warms hearts and heightens the atmosphere. This extra touch will be a picture perfect addition to your beautiful Thanksgiving table setting.
15. Pass the Pumpkin
Could this be the newest tradition for your family’s Thanksgiving? As we know, this special holiday calls for bringing family and friends together – will this be your newest addition to the festivities? This entertaining activity of passing a pumpkin down the table for all to write their happiest memories and most grateful moments down is going to be hard one to beat. The best part? The pumpkin will be an heirloom of the night. The table will transform an everyday pumpkin into the most prized possession of the night.
Related: 15 Insanely Fun and Healthy Edible Thanksgiving Centerpieces
A Table of Important Guests
There are many routes for reminding your loved ones how much you love them this Thanksgiving season. It is a time for reflection and taking time to think about the year that is to come, the year that has nearly gone by, and those who have been by your side in the midst of all of it. Remaining grateful for friends and family is at the heart of this holiday. That is why adding any of these Thanksgiving table setting ideas will make each and every one of your invited guests feel extremely special and loved. These simple additions are easy, but effective in touching each guest’s heart and spreading cheer across friends and family!
