Jan's Library

Dress Up Your Thanksgiving Day Table

By: Jan K., The Proofer

Thanksgiving Day dinners used to be a total day of Mom, Grandma, and assorted Aunts in the kitchen working on the day's feast, while Dad, Grandpa, and the Uncles crowded around the TV, watching the Lions and the Cowboys play football. The ladies were wearing nice dresses covered by aprons, and the men were all very uncomfortable in dress shirts, pants, and neckties. The kids were somewhere, playing, after having been given strict instructions not to "get dirty" (which, of course, they did).

It was all very Norman Rockwell.

Things today are usually far different. For many, Thanksgiving Day dinner is far more casual---to the point of ordering the day's feast from the local market, delivered all ready cooked, sliced, and portioned, ready to eat.

Maybe it's time to get a little bit of Norman Rockwell back into our celebration of Thanks and Remembrance of all that has gone by. Without spending a lot of money or a lot of time, you can dress up your Thanksgiving Day dinner table by making place settings that are colorful, and personal.

This article will provide a simple, easy, and what can be very inexpensive way to make your Thanksgiving Day dinner or buffet table colorful. I've provided free, illustrated instructions at:

http://readingroom.janktheproofer.com/tdaytable.doc

These instructions contain several pictures, so it might take several (long) seconds for the page to open. Once the page does open, then allow a few extra second for all the pictures to appear.

Name Cards for Place Settings

Here is a quick and easy idea for dressing up each place setting at your Thanksgiving Day dinner table! Following the illustrated instructions, you'll need:

• Printed name cards
• Mini pumpkins
• Scotch Tape
• Dinner placemat, napkins, dishes, utensils, etc.

Dress it up, or dress it down! The Thanksgiving Day plate and napkins shown in the illustrated instructions were purchased at the Dollar Store. The mini pumpkins are only one suggestion that you can use. You can use any type of dried squash, gourd, or vegetable---real or artificial. Don't be afraid to be imaginative! Gather pine cones (spray wash with water and allow to dry).

Use placemats, as shown, or simply use a nice tablecloth---even a disposable paper table cover (the Dollar Store had table covers to match the napkins, along with paper cups).

The Name Tags shown in the illustrated instructions are available at:

http://readingroom.janktheproofer.com/thanksnamecardsexamples.doc

This sheet of name cards already has names printed on them, just as examples. You can fill in your own names on this blank sheet:

http://readingroom.janktheproofer.com/thanksnamecards.doc

This sheet is formatted. Just download and open in Word. Enter a name by double-clicking on NAME and then typing in the name you want. There are 10 cards on a sheet. Please print on business cards (the free printable name tags use business cards that are compatible with Avery 8371).

Make Buffet Table Food Tags

If you are having a buffet-style meal, you can make tags to label the food items, such as "Aunt Pam's Pecan Pie" or "Grandma's Famous Stuffing"...once again, just let your imagination take over!

The example in the illustrated instructions uses this blank tag:

http://readingroom.janktheproofer.com/thanksnamecardsblank.doc

If you'd like more help with learning to use business cards to make tags like the tags shown here, please see my free tutorial at:

http://readingroom.janktheproofer.com/businesscardgifttags.htm

Get another idea for a Thanksgiving Day craft at:

http://readingroom.janktheproofer.com/tdaykidscraft.htm

For other Thanksgiving Free Printables, please visit:

http://thanksgiving.momsbreak.com/

Be sure to visit Jan's Reading Room, and check out the Holidays and Seasonal section for other Thanksgiving articles, along with other articles for other holidays:

http://readingroom.janktheproofer.com/ReadingIntro.htm

Check out Jan's Dough for a FREE recipe, "Making Homemade Stuffing Using Boxed Stuffing Mix":

http://jansdough.janktheproofer.com/Stuffing.htm

Jan K., The Proofer is a freelance copyeditor and proofreader. Visit http://www.jansportal.com for more information about Jan's free crafts, recipes, tutorials, other resource sites, and free content articles, as well as Jan’s business services. Be sure to visit Mom's Break (http://www.momsbreak.com/) for free printable crafts and projects. © Copyright 2005 to present. All rights reserved.