Create a Beautiful Thanksgiving Table Without Going Any Further Than the Grocery Store

Thanksgiving is just a week away and in past years I would have already shared my Thanksgiving table and I might even have started decorating for Christmas. Not so much this year – life has been busy and all grand ideas for elaborate tablescapes and decorations have been thrown out the window in favor of keeping things simple (and me sane) for the holidays. I’m guessing I’m not alone here and that some of you still have Thanksgiving tables to decorate and would love a few simple ideas for creating a beautiful tablescape. So yesterday I challenged myself to come up with some ideas using things I already had at home or was able to get from a quick run to the grocery store. Ready to see what I came up with?

Centerpieces

Fruit in beautiful fall colors is perfect for a fall or Thanksgiving centerpiece. Simply scout out a pretty bowl, add a mix of fresh fruit and a few springs of eucalyptus, flower buds, or berry branches and you’ve got a made-in-five-minutes beautiful centerpiece!

There’s also no shame in buying grocery store flowers and placing them in a pretty vase for your centerpiece. I like the more untamed look with a variety of flowers (the more unusual the better) instead of a standard bouquet of roses or carnations. And adding in some eucalyptus (can you tell that it’s my centerpiece filler go-to?) makes a bouquet prettier and more interesting:

Table Runners

Being the fabric hoarder that I am, a lot of my table runners are made from extra fabric that I already had on hand. And there’s no sewing needed – I simple iron down the edges and then use my iron and some fusible bonding tape to create a finished edge. Don’t have any extra fabric (or me as your neighbor)? Raid your closets and drawers for a pretty scarf – I honestly found this one in the back of one of my drawer after having completely forgotten about it. I’m loving it as a table runner!

Another option for a table runner is wrapping paper or kraft paper. I especially love using kraft paper that you can then personalize with marker. In this case, I wrote each person’s name above the plate and added a spot for jotting down what we’re each thankful for (for those sitting in the side chairs, cut out a small sheet of kraft paper and add the “so thankful for” on the top so they have something to write on too!):

Silverware & Napkins

What are some ideas for dressing up your silverware and napkins? One simple idea is to take a spring of flowers, greenery, or berries and tie it onto each napkin with twine:

If you have some pretty fall leaves left on your trees, use a white paint pen or letter rub-ons to add your guests’ initials like I did for our Thanksgiving table a few years back:

or if you have a cute set of cups or small vases, you can place your napkins, silverware, and floral sprig inside:

Want to go even simpler? Just tie your silverware together with a pretty ribbon:

If you’re looking for more Thanksgiving table inspiration, you can check out my Thanksgiving table (and a favorite recipe that’s great for breakfast with a house full of guests!) {here}.

Have a great weekend everyone – I’ll see you back here next week!