Celebrating Thanksgiving in a Middle Eastern country for what will be the fifth year in a row still just doesn't hit the spot like celebrating in the crisp Autumn air with family and friends back home. But we have slowly adjusted to a different kind of Thanksgiving; one that involves more friends than family (or our "Framily"), and often reflects a larger variety of cuisines quite different than the typical spread.
My husband and I don't even know who's table we will be at this year, let alone the next. But since we have lived abroad, I can recall all four of our Thanksgiving experiences, in which few of the memories revolved solely around the food. I remember the people we had dinner with, those who opened their homes to us and the people who put time and effort in bringing a dish to share with everyone, many of whom are not American and have never celebrated Thanksgiving before. I can recall where we sat, what the table looked like, and the events that followed the dinner itself. In fact, there were a couple of Thanksgiving potluck style dinners that were followed by sitting around a campfire set up in the middle of the sandy outdoor space, talking with friends and singing along with someone who brought a guitar. Talk about cinematic perfection! It's no NFL game, but it was awesome!
Clearly, the Thanksgiving meal is whatever you make it. Growing up, Thanksgiving was always fun for the kids, but a lot of work for the ladies who cleaned the house for guests, and prepared the huge spread of food including entrees, side dishes, and deserts. It was also a time to break out the special flatware for it's tri-annual appearance (the others being Christmas and Easter meals), and create some sort of Thanksgiving themed centerpiece. In a perfect Martha Stewart ran world, our tablescapes for every holiday would be immaculate and perfect. But in my real world, tablescaping by my relatives had always been made up of candlesticks and the occasional cornucopia or flower arrangement. Now I don't think a lot of pressure needs to be put on the tablescaping, but it only takes a little bit to make a table memorable. The tablescape can be the ambience that adds to the memory-making cuisine, or it might even be so amazing that it is the thing that guests remember for years to come.
My husband and I don't even know who's table we will be at this year, let alone the next. But since we have lived abroad, I can recall all four of our Thanksgiving experiences, in which few of the memories revolved solely around the food. I remember the people we had dinner with, those who opened their homes to us and the people who put time and effort in bringing a dish to share with everyone, many of whom are not American and have never celebrated Thanksgiving before. I can recall where we sat, what the table looked like, and the events that followed the dinner itself. In fact, there were a couple of Thanksgiving potluck style dinners that were followed by sitting around a campfire set up in the middle of the sandy outdoor space, talking with friends and singing along with someone who brought a guitar. Talk about cinematic perfection! It's no NFL game, but it was awesome!
Clearly, the Thanksgiving meal is whatever you make it. Growing up, Thanksgiving was always fun for the kids, but a lot of work for the ladies who cleaned the house for guests, and prepared the huge spread of food including entrees, side dishes, and deserts. It was also a time to break out the special flatware for it's tri-annual appearance (the others being Christmas and Easter meals), and create some sort of Thanksgiving themed centerpiece. In a perfect Martha Stewart ran world, our tablescapes for every holiday would be immaculate and perfect. But in my real world, tablescaping by my relatives had always been made up of candlesticks and the occasional cornucopia or flower arrangement. Now I don't think a lot of pressure needs to be put on the tablescaping, but it only takes a little bit to make a table memorable. The tablescape can be the ambience that adds to the memory-making cuisine, or it might even be so amazing that it is the thing that guests remember for years to come.
Thanksgiving does not require orange and earth tones to be the color scheme. Decor can be as modern or contemporary as you wish. I just think it's important to consider how food will be served before you decide on tablescaping. If it is a buffet style dinner, then you should be able to use the center of the table for decor without issues. But if you plan on setting the table with food dishes and having guests pass the courses and serve themselves, then clearly, center pieces will need to be a minimal size.
My Design: French Style with Gold Accents
a) white pumpkin, orange pumpkins, b) glass candlestick holders, c) desert plate, d) dinner plate, e) placemat, f) gold utensils, g) highball glass, h) wine glass, i) flowers, j) herb napkin rings.
And let's be real for a minute. Does the tablescape make or break spending time with the people you love in gratitude of what God has done for us? Um, NO! Every Thanksgiving meal is a memory made with your loved ones. No one really knows who they will be sharing their Thanksgivings with in the year to come, so let us serve the ones we love, and serve the people who don't have family or friends to spend this holiday with with an open heart. It's a day to greet others with Love and grace.
Happy Thanksgiving and many blessings for the year to come!
a) white pumpkin, orange pumpkins, b) glass candlestick holders, c) desert plate, d) dinner plate, e) placemat, f) gold utensils, g) highball glass, h) wine glass, i) flowers, j) herb napkin rings.
And let's be real for a minute. Does the tablescape make or break spending time with the people you love in gratitude of what God has done for us? Um, NO! Every Thanksgiving meal is a memory made with your loved ones. No one really knows who they will be sharing their Thanksgivings with in the year to come, so let us serve the ones we love, and serve the people who don't have family or friends to spend this holiday with with an open heart. It's a day to greet others with Love and grace.
Happy Thanksgiving and many blessings for the year to come!
ambers and earth tones
neutral palette
Ann West Interiors design on houzz.com
Amanda Carol Interiors design on houzz.com
colorful
Anita Diaz for Far Above Rubies design on houzz.com
Gill Wash Interiors on houzz.com
black and white
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