Thanksgiving Table Setting Idea, Featuring Spode Woodland & Pheasant, Magnolia, Nandina Centerpiece

Welcome to the 582nd Tablescape Thursday!

This is the table I’ll be setting up for Thanksgiving this year. My grandsons, ages 3 and 5 will be here for Thanksgiving but won’t be here for Christmas, so I want to do something fun for them.

Christmas Vacation Christmas Tablescape

 

They’ve never really watched the movie, Christmas Vacation, since they aren’t quite old enough. They could probably watch it if we skipped past some of the parts where the language is a bit rough. They need a “kiddy” version of that movie that doesn’t have any bad words. lol

Even though they haven’t seen the movie, I still think they’ll enjoy this table setting, especially since they love the moose mugs I gave them either last Christmas or the Christmas before…forgot which. I just ordered two more since the only ones I have here are glass. The two I ordered for them are non-breakable. (Non-breakable version is available here: Moose Mugs.)

Christmas Vacation Moose Mugs in Christmas Vacation Tablescape

 

For this week’s Tablescape Thursday, I set a more traditional Thanksgiving table.

Thanksgiving Table with Magnolia, Nandina Berries & Pheasant Centerpiece

 

Of course, you know I had to bring out my recently acquired, Mr. Pheasant.

Thanksgiving Table Setting Ideas

 

I’m not sure Mr. Turkey is happy about being replaced for Thanksgiving! We’ll have to bring him back out next year. lol

Thanksgiving Tablescape with Turkey Theme

 

In the meantime, Mr. Pheasant is taking center stage in today’s table setting. I just noticed he’s currently on sale for a shockingly good price! You’ll find the sale here: Thanksgiving Pheasant.

The sale makes me want to buy a second one! Two would be so pretty displayed on either end of a long sideboard!

Magnolia and Nandina Berries for Thanksgiving Table

 

He’s surrounded by fresh magnolia leaves from my magnolia tree and nandina berries from the nandina bushes growing in my backyard. Those things grow like weeds, I need to get out there and do some heavy trimming sometime in late winter or early spring

Magnolia & Nandina Pheasant Centerpiece for Thanksgiving

 

Mr. Pheasant is sporting a berry wreath in autumn colors for today’s festivities. He can also be a vase for a beautiful floral arrangement.

White Pheasant for Thanksgiving Table Setting

 

I thought about using a tablecloth for today’s table, but I love the look of the chargers and other pieces contrasting against the dark wood of the table.

Large White Pheasant for Thanksgiving Table Centerpiece

 

The pumpkin soup tureens are from Pier 1, several years back.

White Pumpkin Tureen, Thanksgiving Tablescape

 

Spode Woodland is my favorite dinnerware for Thanksgiving. The salad plate that came with this china depicts a grouse. I purchased this set many, many years ago in Macy’s, then added the turkey salad plates about 6-7 years ago. The flatware is Towle, King Richard.

Spode Woodland Turkey Plates for Thanksgiving

 

Just for fun, I pulled out my silverplate duck knife rests. They were purchased on eBay many years ago. Last night I was reading about knife rests and how/when to use them. What I read said that during a particular course of a multi-course dinner, you rest your knife when needed on the edge of your plate. Knife rests are only used between courses.

A knife rest gives you a place to lay your knife as you await the next course, instead of placing it on the table or tablecloth where it could leave a stain. One photo I saw had the knife laying on the knife rests with the dinner fork turned upside and resting across the top of the knife.

Duck Knife Rests

 

This is the dinner plate in the Spode Woodland pattern. I love this Spode pattern so much, I could easily use it all fall and winter and never get tired of it. You’ll find this beautiful pattern currently on sale here: Spode Woodland. It’s also available here in some of the other Woodland patterns. Spode Woodland.  I love them all!

The charger plates are from Horchow online back in 2008. I hadn’t started blogging when I purchased those, but was doing a lot of entertaining back then.

Spode Woodland, Pheasant Dinner Plate

 

Water/tea glass is Waterford and the pattern is Araglin. The ruby hock wine glasses are also, Waterford. I wish I had purchased 12 and not just 6 when bought these because they are no longer being made.

Waterford Crystal for Thanksgiving, Red Ruby Hock Stemware

 

I also brought out my little salt cellars and the tiny Towle King Richard spoons to go with them. I haven’t set a table like this in ages. If I were having an actual dinner party right now, I would have added the leaf to the table and used the bread plates that go with this dinnerware. Since I didn’t add the leaf, I left them off today since it would have been a bit too cozy.

Salt Cellar with Tiny Salt Spoon

 

I couldn’t get over these silverplate candle holders. I’ve been storing them in Hagerty Holloware bags that are supposed to prevent or drastically slow tarnishing, but I expected to find some tarnish when I took them out. Surprisingly, they look great! I didn’t have to polish them at all before setting the table. Love that!

Keeping Silverplate Candlesticks Tarnish-free

 

I have them in several sizes. I think the size I purchased for the candlesticks was the 9 x 12 size. You’ll find them in several sizes here: Hagerty Holloware Bags.

View of the table from the other side of the dining room.

Red Dining Room for Thanksgiving Dining

 

Happy Thanksgiving to you a bit early!

Thanksgiving Table Setting Ideas

 

A view with the chandelier turned way down…

Candlelit Thanksgiving Table Setting

 

Looking forward to all the beautiful tables linked for this week’s Tablescape Thursday!

Thanksgiving Table with Magnolia, Nandina Berries & Pheasant Centerpiece

 

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Tablescape Thursday

 

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Comments

  1. What a fun idea to set a Christmas Vacation {best movie ever} table for your grandson’s Thanksgiving! Your pheasant table is beautiful too, thanks Susan

  2. Susan — I love the table for the little guys. They will love it! You’re “fun grandma!!” which is what I hope to be in about 15 years. If the parents allow it watching Polar Express w/ your grand kids would be an awesome way to start the holidays! (It’s completely kid-friendly.)

  3. I LOVE that table, Susan! The red is so perfect in your dining room, and of course Mr Pheasant looks right at home with his festive garland! 😉

    Thanks as always for hosting such a wonderful party – I see lots of links I’m already excited to read. And I’m sure your grandsons will love their darling celebration table. Happy Early Thanksgiving to you too!

  4. I would love to know where to find the small spoons you use with your salt cellars. I have a set that came with small glass spoons, but most of them are broken. By the way, your tables are always an inspiration.

    • I think I purchased mine as part of a whole set. When I was completing my set of King Richard, I would buy whole sets at a time and I think those were in one of the sets I purchased. Hard to remember, it’s been so long now. You may want to check with a local Silver Shoppe…we have a couple here in Atlanta, or try on eBay. Hope you can find some, Karen!

  5. SO lovely!! Just finished making “extensions” on my vintage table…14 can now sit “somewhat” comfortably! Brown wrapping paper & burlap runners are the “frosting.” franki

    • Sounds like you are ready, Franki! Amazing all the things you can do with brown wrapping paper. I remember the year I used it to wrap presents.:) Happy Thanksgiving to you!

  6. I LOVE this setting, Susan. Mr.Pheasant looks so perfect there with the dark furniture, red walls, Spode pattern, chargers, pumpkin tureens, silver, and all your accent pieces (love your knife rests!). It is a warm and welcoming space and perfect for a holiday dinner!

  7. Beautiful traditional Thanksgiving table, Susan! I say go for the additional pheasant. One thing I miss is my magnolia, but I did find the most genuinely real looking faux branches, and bought several to have. The nandina berries I can do without, even though they are lovely. Loose marbles everywhere! And yes, they got to be pretty invasive in my landscape also. They can be really bad. I gave several volunteers to a local sister a few years ago and she said they grow up through her decking boards!
    Love the Christmas vacation table too, and the boys are bound to love it, and you can sit back and enjoy the fun watching them!

    • Oh my gosh, you’re not kidding about those nandina berries. You just breathe on them and fall off and roll away. lol I always end up with them on my floors and everywhere else.
      Mine haven’t been invasive but they have grown too tall overnight. I keep cutting them back but I can’t keep up. I wonder if birds eat the berries? I need to look that up.
      That is too funny about the decking boards! I’ve never seen them do that. 🙂

  8. It is so lovely to see your pretty Spode Woodland dinnerware! I got very lucky a few years back and bought a set of 4 cups and saucers, I don’t remember where I bought them. One of the cups was chipped and when I complained, they sent not only another cup, but a saucer, too! I bought another cup and another cup and saucer set to round out a setting for 6. Then I came across a set of 4 canape plates and ordered those, too, as well as two more, so now I have a little tea set for 6. These are so pretty and go well with some Fenton Art Glass and Viking Glass I have in my collection. I like to use my genuine Brown Betty teapot with the set, very British! 🙂

    I hear you on the Waterford! I fell in love with Waterford’s Harvest/Thanksgiving pattern and ordered 4 each of red wine, white wine, champagne flutes and old-fashioned tumblers, 2 berry bowls and the big centerpiece bowl. I wish I would have purchased more, because like your hock glasses, this pattern is not being made anymore and it’s so hard to find!

    Your dining room is absolutely gorgeous! Thank you for sharing!

    • Thanks so much, Emily! That’s awesome about the Woodland cups and saucers! I love mixing china and crystal, sounds like you do, too. I don’t why Waterford discontinues patterns so quickly. I think they only made the Ruby Hock glasses I have for one year…seems like I couldn’t any the very next year.
      Happy Thanksgiving to you!

  9. Gorgeous table, but so much work–otherwise you could have a traditional setting on Thanksgiving and the “fun” Santa one the next day. Would it work to put one on the table and one on the sideboard (pheasant/turkey)?

    • I may just do that…that’s a great idea! I wonder if I can find the time to get the houses out while the boys are here. That’s the tricky part. I can just see them wanting to “help.” lol Maybe I could set it up after they go to sleep one night…that would work. Thanks for the suggestion, Mia!

  10. I love your red dining room and this was the perfect setting for Thanksgiving.

  11. I always love your dining room. The mirror and chandelier are so pretty, and love mr. pheasant. So nice that your son and family are coming to visit!

  12. Mr. Pheasant looks so elegant! And the hunting picture in the background goes so well. You have set a beautiful table and I love all of it. Knife rests and salt cellars…I would feel so majestic sitting at the table. So fun for the boys to have a pre Christmas table and one you can enjoy with them. Glad you will have them for a visit!

  13. Cyndi Raines says

    Both tables are really lovely. I’m sure the boys will love looking at the winter scene and the light shinning through the little houses! Those moose cups are too funny! What a blessing to have your family with you for Thanksgiving. Not only will your home be filled with delicious food, heavenly smells, but also the giggles of laughter and fun story times. So happy for you. Susan, I also wanted to ask you if you have ever drycleaned your bee pillow that is in your office? I recently purchased the same pillow from a very nice estate sale for $2.00! What a bargain, eh? Mine is still in excellent condition, clean and no smell, but I was curious if you have ever had? Thanks, always look forward to your advice.

    • Thanks, Cyndi!
      I haven’t. It still looks clean so haven’t needed to do that. $2.00 is an awesome deal! I think if it ever needed, I would wash it by hand and use one of The Laundress products…either the one for delicates or the one for cashmere sweaters, although I’d be a bit worried the colors would run. I would try to avoid washing it unless it just really, really needs it. I’m sure you could have it drycleaned but I hate the way things look after they’ve been dry cleaned. They never look the same again to me.

      • Cyndi Raines says

        Thanks Susan, I will keep your suggestion about hand washing and using the Laundress products in mind, when and if the time comes to do so. I was concerned about dry cleaning as well.

  14. Julie Williams says

    Love the Thanksgiving setting especially! Is that Towle King Richard sterling? Thank you for sharing two tablescapes! You have a flair!

  15. Susan, your Thanksgiving table is lovely and it looks so perfect in your dining room. And the ruby Waterford wine glasses are just stunning and seem to pull the look of the entire room together. Beautiful! And Mr. Pheasant is delightful… I also have him – found him on mega clearance at WS this summer (I even left the price tag on him because I was sure no one would believe what I paid for him). Thanks as always for hosting and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. The little boys are sure to love “their” table!

  16. You always do such beautiful tablescapes! That white pheasant is gorgeous! Love it! I also like the Christmas tablescape!

    Looks like the comment section is working for me tonight!

    • Thanks so much, Katherine! You know, I just had an update come through a few days ago for the comment plugin. So maybe the author of the plugin fixed something that wasn’t working right. Glad it worked for you this time! XXX

  17. Susan, an inspiration as always! So beautiful! You may have said this previously, but is that solid wallpaper or paint in your dining room? Do you know pattern or color? My big project for the new year is taking out half a wall between our dining room and kitchen. Would love to replicate your look!

    • Thanks! It’s paint. It’s a Benjamin Moore color called Raspberry Truffle. The way I discovered it was on a Christmas Historic Home tour. I saw it in a cozy den with a roaring fireplace and LOVED it. Fortunately, the homeowner was present and shared the color. I knew I had to use it somewhere in my home after seeing how wonderful it looked in that den. Wish I had a fireplace in my dining room so I could duplicate that roaring fire with the red walls.
      Good luck with your renovation…sounds exciting! I need to do the same to three bathrooms but keep putting it off.

  18. Bobbi Duncan says

    I’ve always loved this beautiful Spode pattern–creates such an elegant fall/Thanksgiving table! Mr. Pheasant looks right at home among all the lovlies, too. The littles will be tickled to see the Christmas table set especially for them by their ever thoughtful grandma. Hugs!

  19. I like your Thanksgiving table very much. I get out our Woodland Spode and use it until after Thanksgiving. I have two pewter pheasants, so I think I will borrow your idea and put one of the table and surround it with magnolia and berries. Thanks for the inspiration.

  20. Mr. Pheasant makes a grand centerpiece! Simply gorgeous table! The Christmas table is wonderful. I am sure your grandsons will love it!

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