Basic Table Settings
Setting the table is very simple and if there are kids in the house, they can help with this. Place the fork on the left side of the plate. The knife should be placed on the right closest to the plate with the spoon next to the knife on the outside. The water glass and wine glass should go on the right side above the knife. If you're using wine glasses or champagne flutes these should be placed to the right of the water glass. I've never put spoons in my settings because they are never used. When we bring out the coffee (either in carafes or fresh from the pot) we bring out the spoons, creamer and sugar together. We also bring out extra forks when dessert is served. Table Coverings
My recommendation is to use a neutral colored covering so it'll match whatever tableware you have, plus you can use it over again for other holidays or events. If you're worried that a beige or white tablecloth will be too "boring" you can add sparkle to your table by sprinkling glitter around place settings. Centerpieces
There are several ideas you can use for your Thanksgiving centerpiece. The simplest is a short, Cinderella-style pumpkin. Spruce up the pumpkin by drilling holes and adding fresh mum stems. Other centerpiece ideas include the traditional cornucopia with fresh flowers or a vase of fresh flowers, a line of candles in various sizes or an intermixing of candles and miniature pumpkins. The one thing to remember is that your centerpiece should not block guests sitting across from each other. Glassware
I like to use crystal for holiday dinners and have special wine glasses and water glasses for just this use. If you don't have crystal, use your prettiest glasses. Tableware
I am a china user. I have 10 complete place settings. One year though we had 14 people. So I alternated pretty white plates with my china and it worked. If you don't have china or have matching pieces or have enough china, mix and match. There is no reason to fret about not having matching pieces. In fact, mixed table settings look more festive. Flatware
Once again, you can mix and match. I don't own 10 flatware settings, but I do have a passed down gold-plated flatware set from my mother-in-law. These match my china and other flatware beautifully. Again, don't fret about the flatware. Provide guests with knives that can cut meat. A pleasant meal will quickly turn unpleasant when guests are having a hard time cutting their turkey. Napkins
I like pretty folded napkins. One of the easiest is to take your napkin, fold it in half and then create an accordion by folding back and forth on the short edge. Fold in half once more and put the bottom of the napkin in your wine glass or champagne flute. Fan the napkin out and you have a beautiful presentation. If that's not your style, roll the napkin and put it through a decorative napkin ring, tie a ribbon around it or simple fold it in thirds . Place the napkin on the center of the dinner plates. Table Favors and Place Cards
Unless you're having a super formal dinner, place cards are not necessary. It's pretty simple to tell family or friends where they should sit. I like the idea of table favors for guests. You can give favors to ladies and children only or to all guests. Some ideas for favors include a simple ornament, recipe cards tied with ribbon (fill the cards out with Christmas cookie recipes that guests can try at home), decorated miniature pumpkins or a small turkey candle (check your local gift shop). Place favors on the opposite side of glasses or in the middle of the plate. Extra Tips I am a stickler for double dipping and people using their eating utensils to take food from serving dishes. Always, always, always make sure you provide serving utensils with each dish including the butter. | 
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