Give Thanks Gathering

Join me as I plan to gather my family and friends from near and far for an extra special Give Thanks celebration. Where the kitchen is full of delicious foods, the living room is boasting with lively chatter, and the grandchildren are running around our feet. Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays of the year, and I am thrilled to be hosting for the first time in a long time this year. 
 
Plus, this Thanksgiving will be even more special as my husband’s family from Switzerland will be joining the fun. I’m so excited to introduce our Swiss family to our American traditions! 

The Gathering  

I want the celebration to feel lively and festive with neutral hues and a table full of classic Thanksgiving favorites. Living in Florida, we can often still dine outside in November, weather permitting, of course, so this year, I’ve decided to gather the family around a large table in the backyard with the full spread served under the patio on some of my favorite Thanksgiving serving dishes. 

The Inspiration 

For my Thanksgiving gathering, I plan to build on the warm hues of our Thanksgiving Collection designs and use our Dusk color palette as the foundation of our overall look. 

The Table  

A set table is always a must, especially for Thanksgiving. No matter how large the guest list, we always ensure there are enough seats for everyone. Depending on the final number, we’ll either squeeze around a custom pop-up table we built for such an occasion, or we’ll set a pod of tables close together and set with our Thanksgiving dinnerware.  

Ideally, we’ll center the table outside on the lawn in the fresh air if the weather permits. 

My main goal for my Thanksgiving celebration is for guests to feel comfortable and feel like they can linger around the table for as long as they’d like. We find guests will typically stick around if the table encourages such. 

The Décor 

I’m thinking classic tropes of the season will have to make an appearance. Think harvest pumpkins and gourds staged in the center with dried foliage nestled in. Plus, a few candles placed throughout while the sun sets and guests linger around the table past dusk. 

The Place Setting

Since it’s a holiday occasion, we’ll set the table a little more formally, complete with all the utensils, coordinating linens, glassware, and dinner plates (Thanksgiving themed, of course).  
 
This is another way to keep your guests comfortably at the table and encourage a longer meal to be enjoyed since they’ll have everything they need for dinner, dessert, wine, and any other course you plan to serve.  

We’ll set each place setting with a salad plate to create the full look for the gathering, but right before guests take a seat, we scoop up the salad plates to be used for dessert. This works especially well when serving the food in a single-course buffet-style, so no one has to balance plates in both hands.  
 
Salad isn’t a “first course” at this meal, but rather a side, so no need to have a separate plate used if you don’t want to. 

The Bar  

For my Thanksgiving gathering, I enlisted help from my husband, René, to curate the perfect assortment of wines to pair with our meal. 

Since the turkey was the main focus of our meal, we wanted each of the wines to complement the flavors of the main course.  
 
René suggested a classic Pinot Noir to serve with the dark meat of the turkey since it has a bolder flavor and light tannins. For the white meat, a sweet and crisp Sauvignon Blanc would do the trick. 

The Menu  

Since the menu is the star of the show at Thanksgiving, I am looking forward to mapping out the perfect menu that everyone will enjoy. Plus, by inviting so many guests, I can easily delegate a few dishes to ease the workload.  
 
My first step is to determine the number of guests attending, then I shift gears to planning the menu {a daunting but rewarding task – usually daunting, but Thanksgiving is actually pretty easy to execute because we have a very strict “must have or a riot will ensue” menu consisting of some traditional Thanksgiving plates} but I always enjoy shaking up the menu a bit each year and adding a few newer dishes as well.  
 
However, I wouldn’t want any disappointed guests, so I will have a few favorites in the lineup as well. What’s Thanksgiving without the classic staples, right?  
 
Thankfully, each of us has “settled into” our typical assignments, so it’s simple to assign the same person each year to bring their signature dish. We wouldn’t want five people bringing mashed potatoes, so a fully prepped menu and group text will ensure no repeats.  

This year, I plan to focus more on the main dinner rather than a full appetizer spread, just to make sure guests don’t prematurely fill up. Appetizers are important so people can graze, but we’ll keep them fresh and light. 

Give Thanks Menu 

Appetizers:  

• Crudité Platter with Lemon Greek Dressing 
• Roasted Green Beans with Dill Sauce 
  

Main Course:  

• Thanksgiving Turkey   
• Prime Rib 
• Mashed Potatoes  
• Sweet Potato Casserole  
• Spinach Madeleine  
• Large Green Salad 
• Johnson Family Stuffing  
• Blank Family Stuffing (we have a great Thanksgiving stuffing recipe rivalry) 
• Cranberry Sauce  
• Cole Slaw 

Dessert:  

• Pumpkin Pie  
• Fresh Apple Cupcakes with Caramel Icing 
• Pecan Pie with Whipped Cream 

I hope you feel inspired to gather and celebrate Thanksgiving surrounded by those you love.