12 Perfect Pieces for Setting Your Thanksgiving Table

thanksgiving tablescape — Cavan Images / Getty Images

If you’re hosting Thanksgiving, your to-do list is endless. There are groceries to buy, a turkey to thaw, invitations to send, a dinner party playlist to compile, a seating chart to arrange, and an oven schedule to create—and that’s all before the holiday itself. High on your list of to-dos is also arranging a memorable tablescape, complete with flatware, decorations, and thoughtful touches that will make your guests feel warm and welcome for such an important meal.

No need to fret though—we did the shopping for you, finding the best of the best decor pieces that will make your Thanksgiving table feel complete. Read on for a few of our favorites.

Etsy

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No guest will give a second thought to your turkey that’s just a titch too dry (oops!) when they’re charmed with these oh-so-cute custom pumpkin place cards. This Etsy artist will customize all of your friends and family members’ names into the pumpkin of your choice—choose between raw wood, gold, silver, white acrylic, or black acrylic. Then let your guests take them home as a sweet keepsake so they’ll remember your top-notch hosting skills for years to come.

Geometry

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Don’t be caught without proper dinner napkins on Thanksgiving Day. You wouldn’t want your guests wiping the wayward whipped cream from the pumpkin pie on paper towels. Geometry to the rescue—they sell dozens of festive designs, like these retro-style napkins. They’re equally as fun as they are functional since these napkins are both highly absorbent and quick-drying.

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Rule #1 of proper hosting: keep the conversation going. These conversation cards, made up of 40 ice-breaker questions, will do just that. Each card inspires thoughtful and connection-building answers—not “oh uh, will this make Aunt Debby mad at me?” ones. Keep these close by for dinner parties of all kinds.

Anthropologie

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What better time than Thanksgiving to upgrade your wine glass collection? This set of four is bound to instantly make any dinner table look better and any vino taste better. Cheers with a set of brightly colored glasses, like pink or chartreuse, or opt for an oh-so-fun assorted set.

Primary Hand-Applied Wax Decoupage Taper Candles

Misette

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No dinner table is complete without candlelight. These tapered candlesticks, topped with hand-applied wax decoupage, are almost too pretty to light, but don’t let that stop you. They’ll elevate any tablescape, on Thanksgiving or otherwise, with their colorful, eye-catching design and soft glow.

The Six Bells

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You’ll be proud to place your grandmother’s beloved stuffing recipe in this terracotta roasting pan (or your mashed potatoes or green beans). This serving dish, a lidded roasting pan with a glazed interior and a fall vegetable motif throughout, will look beautiful on your Thanksgiving table this year and for many to come. Consider it an instant heirloom.

Etsy

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Everyone adores flowers—but what about dried flowers that don’t require water, never die, and fill your home with color, texture, and vibrancy for, well, ever? Dare we say we adore them even more? This dried bouquet, arranged with dried grasses, blue thistles, and burgundy flowers, would be a stunning addition to your Thanksgiving tablescape.

Fable

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If you’ve been considering upgrading your flatware, there’s no better time than when your closest friends and family members are coming over for the year’s most important meal. This dishwasher-friendly stainless steel set from Fable is an investment, but one you’ll reach for dinner after dinner after dinner. They’re elegant yet modern, with a just-substantial-enough weight without making your wrists ache.

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Now that you’re stocked on candles—you did add the ones above to your online cart, right? You’ll need chic candlestick holders to keep them upright. These HAY candle holders are both beautiful and brilliantly designed, with a lower tray made for easy handling. Your tablecloth will never see a drip of wax on it again.

Food52

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Worried you won’t have enough plates to go around on Thanksgiving Day? Stock up on a few of these beauties, which can be mixed and matched with the neutral plates you already own. Their antique-style floral designs make for a stunning tablescape. They look precious, but don’t worry: they’re dishwasher-safe and shatterproof. Just be prepared to answer, “where did you get these?” from each and every one of your guests.

Amazon

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When in doubt, you can never go wrong with pumpkins, pumpkins, and more pumpkins. This set of assorted white and gold faux pumpkins can be scattered throughout a tablescape, as well as on a buffet table and around your home for a cohesive look. These would come in handy from the first day of PSL season until the last bit of turkey leftovers have been eaten, so you’re sure to get plenty of use out of them.

Society6

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Tablecloths serve two purposes: to spare your table the wear and tear that comes with hosting a big meal and to add a serious dose of color and pattern. This one, a natural cotton design with Thanksgiving-like stripes, effortlessly does both. Best of all, it’s lightweight and machine washable, so you can have this washed, dried, and stored away by Black Friday.