With pops of orange, red, copper & gold this Thanksgiving shoot brought in the colors of Fall to create a vibrant and warm holiday tablescape and feast.

Stylized Thanksgiving Collaboration

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An Orange Spiced Roasted Turkey was the centerpiece of this bright Thanksgiving stylized feast (photographed by Claire Falco Creative). With unapolegitcally bold flavors and the warm undertones of tradition to match the beautiful decor; the food was on par with this beautiful Thanksgiving scene.

Lending an air of natural elegance to the story, each setting had beautiful wire gold chargers and bone china dinnerware with matching porcelain pumpkin placeholders. Trading in glass vases for fall pumpkins loaded with seasonal blooms and fall foliage brought this Thanksgiving decor to the next level. Adding some simple country charm to her elegant tablescape, Whitney from Dazzling Hospitality brought in some earthy touches with the addition of wheat and her black and white gingham table runner with matching napkins.

I’m thankful for…

Thanks for pie!
I’m thankful for rolls.
Ummm, I’ll go with corn…
I’m thankful for turkey.
Well I am grateful for my job, our home and this family.

Every year as we sit around the Thanksgiving table with mouths watering at the veritable feast before us. Before eating we always follow the tradition of naming that which we’re grateful for. With their minds are unable (or unwilling) to leave the delicious sites before them for even a moment; without fail the children in the family list what’s before their eyes.

Then all the adults will take turns talking about what’s most important in their life. Well, all except “Aunt” Jackie who will say whatever’s on her mind at the moment. One year it was “beard oil” because that made her husband’s face not so scratchy when he kissed her.

At the close of this lovely and for the children “long” tradition, the blessing is said and silence prevails for a moment or two as all take their first couple bites.

Thanksgiving Traditions

Naming what we we’re grateful for before eating is the tradition I remember most from Thanksgiving growing up. I took a moment and asked a number of people what is the tradition they remember best from all their Thanksgiving’s?

“We always played pin the feather tail on the turkey.”
“Every year all the kids in the family would put on a “first Thanksgiving” play.”
“My mom’s pecan pie…”
“Drawing turkey feathers for who got to break the wishbone!”
“All the men go play football while the kids color pictures and the women prepare the Thanksgiving Feast. As I child I couldn’t wait for the day when I turned 12 and could graduate from coloring to possibly breaking a bone on our makeshift football field!”

Change

Every family has its traditions for Thanksgiving. Traditions ranging from food and activities to things as simple as what is discussed at the table.

As parents, we tend to attempt recreating our best memories for our own children. This is especially true around the Holidays.

In those first few years of marriage my husband and I would argue over the way things were “supposed” to be done. His family had only pumpkin pie with the Thanksgiving feast while mine made about 14 different varieties of pie. My husband’s family ate their dinner as everyone took turns stating what they were grateful for. Mine also listed what we were grateful for, however we had to do it before the food could be eaten. His family always took naps after the Thanksgiving feast, mine went to the theater for the afternoon showing of the latest Disney movie.

In retrospect our fights over whether Santa should wrap presents or leave them displayed and ready to be played with, or if the Easter Bunny hides the Easter baskets and Eggs or only hides the eggs; were ridiculously silly. In the moment however it felt like a possible deal breaker.

I suppose it took the experience to learn the lesson. Other things are worse deal breakers.

Magic of the Holiday

As a young wife and mother I was sorely disappointed to be doing Thanksgiving away from family. I felt there was no way it could feel magical and warm like it was as a child if I wasn’t with my parents and siblings.

Now time has done what it always does, I’ve grown in wisdom with the years. Now I’ve learned that no matter where I go or celebrate the Holiday it can be as warm and beautiful as my memories. That doesn’t mean however I have to carry on the exact traditions my family did.

The importance of Thanksgiving is in its name: “thanks” and “giving”. Spending the Holiday with the ones I love, then giving thanks and serving those around me is all that is needed for a warm and beautiful Holiday.

With that in mind, my friends and I set about creating a traditional, yet changed, Thanksgiving to share with one another.

The Decor

Whitney from Dazzling Hospitality felt it was important to keep the comfort of home in her design, while updating the traditional Thanksgiving tablescape.

Then using Pumpkins for vases she created traditional floral arrangements alive with fall colors and bits of seasonal flair thrown in with the wheat.

Using a gingham*/ buffalo print table runner and matching napkins helped the scene feel cozy and comforting; while gold and copper accents brought a touch of elegance.

You can find tutorials for this entire set up from the tablerunner, napkins and floral arrangements to the tableware and utensils over on Dazzling Hospitality.

The Invitations and Activities

Whether the adults stick to gender and age roles or not this year; one thing is for certain, the kids need entertainment while the feast gets fit.

Along with gorgeous invitations and graphics to match our theme, Claire from Claire Falco Creative designed these beautiful Fall themed coloring sheets!

You can find the printable and more over at Claire Falco Creative.

The Thanksgiving Food

Keeping with the traditional foods of Thanksgiving, Juli from Tangled with Taste developed recipes for the BEST ever turkey, rolls, vegetables, and of course all things pumpkin.

As with Whitney’s decor, Juli decided that adding a twist to traditional was called for.

Other super incredible pie options can be found here!

So Happy Thanksgiving y’all! I hope it’s wonderful and beautiful and full of good food! But most of all, I hope it’s full of thanks and giving, because that’s what brings the most happiness.