Setting the Perfect Thanksgiving Table

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, hard to believe when we’ve had such mild weather these last several weeks. Setting the perfect Thanksgiving table doesn’t have to be a chore. In fact it can be a lot of fun. If you’re hosting a big gathering this year for Thanksgiving, you’ll want to get started on the preparation now while there’s still time.

No matter what size gathering you’re hosting, you’ll probably want to use the good china. Pull it out of storage and inspect it. You don’t necessarily need to wash it, unless it’s dusty, but you do want to inspect the pieces for chips or cracks. If you’re using the good silver, give it a quick inspection too, and then get out the silver polish to brighten it up a bit.

A great polish to use on your sterling silver is one of the many products by Haggarty’s. They’ve been the leader in silver polish forever. If you’re looking for a simple DIY method to polish your silver, fill an aluminum pan (or line a pan with aluminum foil) with hot water and add one tablespoon of baking soda bring to a boil. Drop silver into the pan for about 10 seconds and remove with tongs. Light tarnish should be removed easily. If the pieces are more heavily tarnished you’ll want to use a commercial polish remover.

There’s nothing worse than dusty stemware so make sure to run it through the dishwasher (as long as it isn’t crystal – wash that by hand) and then dry it with a soft cloth to make sure there aren’t any dried on water spots.

If using linens, make sure they’ve been freshly laundered and ironed. You can always bring them to the dry cleaners and have them professionally laundered.

While there are no wrong or right ways to set a table anymore, there are still many different ways to do it. From a traditional table to a more modern look these videos will help you put together a beautiful table that your guests will love.