n the midst of swirling
around town shopping for
the best ingredients for
your grandmother’s stuffing, you may consider your holiday planning almost completely done; that is until you sprinkle your laced apple pie crust with Swedish parlsocker as it comes out of the oven on Thanksgiving morning. There are so many details to pull together when hosting your glorious family dinner that things can often be overlooked or moderately daunting for some the moment everyone gathers around the table.
Setting a table was something we grew up doing on a daily basis so it comes very natural to me. My father got off the train at 5:50 pm and we all sat down for dinner promptly at 6:00 pm. Mom ran a tight ship and we all pitched in so we didn’t get the silent treatment. Night after night, placing plates and silverware in their proper places, folding napkins, filling water glasses; we were the dinner pit crew awaiting Dad’s arrival. There was something to it, although robotic and moderately motivated by guilt or duty, that provided ritual and a sense of belonging.
I
Setting a table is less about how it looks but how it makes us feel.
Special meals – whether birthdays or family Sunday dinners and holidays took place in the dining room and Mom would really kick into high gear with her gorgeous china patterns, special water goblets and fancy silver- everything intentionally set and uniform. She made it look so easy.
As my style has evolved from a middle school eye-roller to mother of three toddlers and now an almost-empty-nester, I have developed a more eclectic, layered aesthetic. Much like my life, I find that the elements on my table can weave together a story that includes the headliner eye candy; some accents and some utility pieces, each with their purpose, none of which ever intended to be together but have found their stride- sort of like your group of closest friends who feel like family. It can be unexpected yet grounding and beautiful at the same time.
Create an elevated and intentional space for your guests that matches the effort you have put into your lavish meal.
A place setting with multiple patterns, materials and textures is brilliant. A common mistake people make when setting a table is having everything match. Don’t be that person.
Metallic or mirrored chargers really set the stage, especially for holiday dinners. Layering etched or vintage glass plates with new, vintage and heirloom china is a wonderful way to create a dynamic plate setting and not having to choose which grandmother or estate sale will have top billing this holiday meal.