Thanksgiving Table Setting Tips

Though I'm not hosting Thanksgiving lunch tomorrow, I love to have folks over for dinner and appreciate these tips offered by the Posts (Emily Post's family). I get a little high of some kind when it comes to etiquette practices and putting the best foot forward!

Thanksgiving Table Setting Tips: "

By Anna Post

The holidays are a time when we gather around the table--a table we sometimes have questions about how to set. Check out all the details about how to set a table at The Emily Post Institute website.

A few other table setting tips:

• Only set out utensils you plan on having your guests use (no soup, no soup spoon)
• Clear away anything from the table you won't need for dessert, such as salt and pepper
• When passing food, offer left, then pass right (it's okay to take a roll for yourself before handing off the basket!)

Being a very organized child, I loved getting to set the table for Thanksgiving each year when I was little. It was exciting to pull out the little-used coffee spoons, dessert forks, and butter knives and assign them each their own spot on the table. I still enjoy this an adult, though more for the artistry of creating a welcoming table than the novelty of using specialty utensils.

Ultimately, I think enjoying each others' company is the most important focus of the day, but a well-set table certainly does make a lovely backdrop. It also shows guests that the occasion, and their presence, is special enough to warrant some effort.

That being said, Emily Post once said something to the effect of, "I really don't care what fork you use," to which I would only add, "I just hope you use one if gravy is involved."