Gather around a Thanksgiving table that blends vintage charm and natural abundance. Vintage-inspired “Thanksgiving Greetings” postcards and classic turkey plates set the nostalgic tone, while a turkey tureen takes center stage. You’ll find inspiration to create a quick and easy organic table runner you can pull together in just 10 minutes to add a warm harvest touch for a welcoming table brimming with gratitude, color, and old-fashioned charm. 🍂🦃
Happy Tuesday!
With Thanksgiving on the horizon, I’m happy to be part of Thanksgiving Tablescape Blog Hop!
You can find additional Thanksgiving table and centerpiece inspiration
from 13 table stylists at the bottom of this post.
I love setting table in celebration of the holidays and seasons. Fall, including Thanksgiving, is my favorite time of year!
I’ve always thought Thanksgiving is overlooked and treated like the red-headed step child, falling between the thrills and chills of Halloween and the twinkle and jingle of Christmas. What’s not to love about a holiday centered on gathering together, spending time with family or friends, feasting and giving thanks?!
A new Tom Turkey tureen came home to roost with me after shopping at HomeGoods. It was the inspiration for this Thanksgiving table, with the apple, pumpkin, corn and sunflower details.
I love using natural elements as a centerpiece for the table! We typically serve ourselves buffet-style from the kitchen island on Thanksgiving. As we don’t need room on the table for platters of food, there is plenty of room for a table centerpiece.
For the foundation of my table I started with a fall Jacquard tablecloth with a pumpkin and fruit design.
When I opened the tablecloth, I was disappointed to discover that the pattern was only along the border, with an empty center. . . not what I was looking for! Red paisley print napkins to the rescue. . the napkins add some welcome pattern and color set on the diagonal, atop the tablecloth, to complement the turkey tureen and anchoring the place settings.
Here the steps to create an organic table runner or centerpiece for a fall or Thanksgiving table. You can use whatever materials you have. . . faux leaves, acorns, etc. or gather some natural elements.
I used a combination of mini pumpkins, apples, Indian corn, maple leaves and nuts to create an easy table runner and Thanksgiving centerpiece. I also added two sunflowers to pair with the sunflowers on the tureen. You can create a similar table runner in less than 10 minutes once you’ve gathered all your elements!
There are no rules other than keeping your elements low enough to see over so as not interfere with conversation, and arranging your elements so they’re pleasing to your eye.
You can see the difference between the plain tablecloth vs. the red paisley napkins, topping the tablecloth.
While I know it’s too much pattern for some, I like the pop of color the red paisley provides, while framing the place settings.
A trio of mini Indian corn bundles are tied with brown satin ribbon to add some softness and rich, warm color, flanking each end of the table.
I’ve always loved vintage postcards and have a small collection for different holidays.
Fun fact: Millions of postcards were printed, imported, sold and mailed in the U.S. during the years of 1905 – 1915, known as “The Golden Age of Postcards” with over nine hundred million postcards mailed by 1913.
Reproduction Vintage Thanksgiving Postcards
A white embossed turkey salad plate is paired with Royal Stafford turkey dinner plate with an acorn and oak leaf border, atop ‘Feathers’ stoneware chargers.
Pumpkin cocotte lids are adorned with Thanksgiving ribbon.
They’re designed for easy oven-to-table serving from Pioneer Woman for Walmart.
Affordable and fun for a serving a favorite Thanksgiving dessert:
Caramel-Pecan-Pumpkin Bread Pudding!
The Caramel-Pecan Sauce guarantees it will be gobbled up!
“May you see many glad Thanksgiving Days . . .
And may you always ride on the wings of prosperity and plenty”
I’m sharing some turkey dish love and giving away a Turkey Dinner Plate by Royal Stafford to 3 readers,
to start or add to your turkey plate collection. 🦃 🦃 🦃
Visit HERE to enter, and find 28 Thanksgiving Recipes you’ll want to gobble.
🦃 🦃 🦃
Table Details:
Turkey Tureen / Heritage Harvest, HomeGoods
White Turkey Salad Plates / Pottery Barn, several years ago
Turkey Dinner Plates / Royal Stafford, HomeGoods
Feathers Stoneware Chargers / John Derian for Target, last year
Pumpkin Cocotte with Lid / Pioneer Woman, Walmart
Reproduction Vintage Thanksgiving Postcards
Tablecloth, Napkins / HomeGoods
Flatware / Towle Seville
Amber Goblets / Mikasa French Countryside
Many thanks to Rita of Panoply for organizing this Thanksgiving Tablescape Blog Hop!
Click on the links below for more Thanksgiving table inspiration from my blogging friends:
🦃 Panoply – Thanksgiving 2025: Every Day’s A Gift
🦃 Home is Where the Boat Is – Thanksgiving Greetings
🦃 Hyacinths for the Soul – Turkey Trot Time
🦃 Everyday Living – A Thanksgiving of Memories
🦃 Life and Linda – A Silver and Gold Thanksgiving
🦃 Pandora’s Box – A Thanksgiving Breakfast
🦃 Me and My Captain – Gathering Together Celebrating Thanksgiving 2025
🦃 My Thrift Store Addiction – Copper and Velvet Vintage Thanksgiving Table
🦃 The Cat’s Whiskerz – A Warm Thanksgiving Tablescape
🦃 Olla-Podrida – Over the River and Through the Woods: A Magical Thanksgiving Table
🦃 Corner of Plaid and Paisley – Thankful for You Tablescape
🦃 Dinner at Eight – A Casually Elegant Thanksgiving Table
🦃 Red Cottage Cottage Chronicles – Elegant Thanksgiving Table
🦃 Mantel and Table – A Copper and Black Tablescape: Beautiful Fall Style
The end ;)
🦃 🦃 🦃
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Mary, what a great Tom tureen to get your creative juices flowing. I’m a very attentive student in watching and learning from your creative process, and I think the way the table. centerpiece turned out is a perfect way to dress the table. Maybe that tablecloth’s so-called white space was serendipity, because I love the way you used the paisley napkins to make the centerpiece framed. I’m in the camp who loves pattern play!
I love the white salad plates on the plate stack (cinfession: I have plate envy with those, along with your white Santas, owls, and pumpkins). Of course, the Feathers chargers and your seemingly endless collection of Tom turkey plates are also well-loved. The pumpkin coquettes are a versatile set to have too. The postcards and their messages are a nice touch for guests.
Thank you for bringing your obvious love of dressing the turkey and table in such stellar fashion in this hop.
What a brilliant solution! Love your bountiful Thanksgiving Table!
Mary, as always, your holiday table is beautiful, rich with the colors of autumn and so very festive!
Congratulations on your new Tom Turkey! Hopefully, you still have your “old Tom” as well and he didn’t get broken. 😊.
I want to try your Caramel-pecan-pumpkin bread pudding, sounds so rich and delicious! I’ll be in Albuquerque this year visiting friends and may have to make it for them, however, my turkey plates that you inspired me to buy, are proudly “strutting their stuff” on my buffet shelf. Happy Thanksgiving Mary!
Another beautiful thanksgiving table! I too have a tablecloth that’s kind of bare in the middle. This year I put a beautiful pumpkin table runner I bought at Hobby Lobby! It sure made a beautiful difference in the looks of my table! 🍁🦃🍁🦃🍁🦃
What a lovely table Mary and using your creativity to “fill” the empty white spaces is genius and so perfect for your table. I like the vintage cards which makes me yearn for those days gone by when people sent cards for every Holiday. (Yes, I still send Christmas Cards, probably in the minority these days) LOL Using the various nuts, sunflowers and pumpkins to line the center of your table is so Autumnal and compliments your lovely new turkey tureen. The pumpkin coquettes are so pretty with the added touch of brown ribbon. It is always a pleasure to blog hop with your. Happy Thanksgiving 🐿️🍂🍁
I love that tureen !!!
Such a beautiful table
I just want to say thanks to you for your gorgeous posts all year round. You truly are an inspiration! I would say that this Thanksgiving post is my very favorite but I say that every time I get a new email from you. I appreciate your good taste and how you source everything and share other’s blogs as well. Have a wonderful holiday season!
Mary, you never have to worry about having to much pattern and colour for me! I love the way you easily pivoted when you found your tablecloth had no pattern in the middle. Your lovely new Tom Turkey soup tureen certainly is the showstopper of your centrepiece! Your place settings are so warm and festive. Giving me all the cozy vibes I love!
Your new tureen is wonderful! Thanks for showing us how you put your centerpiece together. The centerpiece is always the most difficult part of the table for me. I struggle with that no matter the theme. Everything here is really lovely and so beautifully done. I keep waiting for your book to come out with tablescape tips and recipes. I really think you need to do one. It would be unique in that very few books I’ve seen — largely those on decorating and design — have such beautiful tablescape ideas and recipes too. You are the whole package, Mary.
Mary, I love your colorful table–especially your gorgeous pumpkin runner centerpiece–it’s the picture of a bountiful harvest. Your turkey soup tureen complements the elegant plate stacks and the charming postcards are the perfect finishing touch. I hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving, Cecilia – My Thrift Store Addiction
Mary, the use of the paisley napkins to fill in the white space is genius! I am of the opinion that you can never have too much color. The new Tom Turkey tureen is perfect, love his detail. I adore a natural table runner and yours is lovely with Tom in the center. The overhead shot is magical! The addition of the Thanksgiving postcards add a fun element to the table. Of course, the plate stack is amazing with the feathers stoneware chargers. The pumpkin cocotte is charming tied with the addition of the Thanksgiving ribbon.
As always it is a pleasure pull up a chair at one of your tables!
Your Turkey Tureen is perfect for your centerpiece! Having it surrounded by the harvest made it all come together so beautifully. And your creativity by adding the napkins as placemats on the diagonal was genius! The white turkey plates are a beautiful addition to the plate stack. And the vintage postcards add the perfect pop!
Thanks for another beautiful table.
Happy November!
Thanks for the step-by-step directions for creating your lovely centerpiece – it is simply eye catching! I always enjoy seeing your special touches (every year I see cocottes and think about buying them, and then walk past them!). the vintage post cards are a unique touch. Enjoy the Thanksgiving holiday!
Mary, Your use of the red paisley napkins was perfect! I love the pop of color as well. The tablecloth is pretty too. Your Tom tureen is beautiful and makes a wonderful centerpiece with the natural elements adding more color and interest. Your plate stack is gorgeous! The feathers charger plates are magnificent! I love them. The coquettes are just so cute. Great inspiration! Enjoy your day. Clara❤️
Mary, a lovely table with your new tom turkey 🦃 tureen. The tablecloth is wonderful with your added red paisley napkins. The pumpkin coquettes Are a nice addition to your pretty plate stack. You have created a beautiful table runner from nature. The vintage post cards and message are icing on the cake. Always a pleasure to join you at the table. Happy harvest.🍂🦃🍁
Favorite 🦃 recipe is Turnip and Carrot casserole. It’s a mixture of carrots and turnips. Cooked with just a bit of salt separately unt
Your color combinations and those repro vintage postcards complete this stunning table. Always, always inspiring.
Thanks for sharing your creative talents.
Mary, I love the description of “falling between the thrills and chills of Halloween and the twinkle and jingle of Christmas.” Autumn and Thanksgiving are my favorites as well. There is just something so unassuming about this season bursting with all it’s natural glory! I love the centerpiece. Yes, adding natural elements, especially during autumn, is a beautiful way to set a table. I love the addition of the post cards at each place setting. I have a few vintage Thanksgiving cards picked up at markets, but I quickly ordered this set you linked. Fabulous collection! Thank you!
Like me, your have a fondness for turkeys. You would have enjoyed the CO landscape with wild turkeys roaming about in the yards and along the roadside. I hope to create a post on the rafters of turkeys roaming about. I brought back a bouquet of turkey feathers that they left behind.
So happy that handsome turkey found you at Home Goods. I popped into a HG yesterday just because I was in the area. Dangerous; though I left with some great Christmas presents for my nieces and great nieces. Worth the time!
Those darling owl S&P are pretty cute too! I know the tablecloth was disappointing when you opened it up, but that border is so elegant! Adding in the colorful napkins was a great idea. Love the overhead shot of your table.
Thank you for inspiring me with every post, Mary. Your friendship through the years has continues to bring light and joy to my life as I know it does to countless others. Happy Autumn! Happy Thanksgiving! Grateful to know you, dear friend!
Mary, you know I am loving the paisley!!! Kind of glad the tablecloth wasn’t what you were thinking- because this came out great!!! I hope that Tom Turkey you found at HomeGoods knows how lucky he is to find a home with the Queen of Tablescaping!! He should be honored – you make him look soooo good! The table runner with all the naturals is a work of art – everything is places so harmoniously – just beautiful. I bought the Royal Stafford Turkey plates this year mostly because I love that acorn border around the edge – so pretty- I have the in my plate racks. Well, with your table – we certainly cannot say Thanksgiving is the red headed step child at your house!!😂 🤣 I am grateful we can share on our tables together in this hop! 🧡I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.🦃🍗
The turkey tureen was a wonderful choice for your inspiration for your Thanksgiving table. I liked your clever use of your napkins to fill in the center of the tablecloth for additional color.
I so look forward to your inspiring posts! How do you get your creative ideas? We have a Home Goods store here that I need to frequent more! Thank you sharing your talents!
Everything is SO Gorgeous!, but WHERE do you put all the food? LOL. We had that problem last year with our birch log that held 5 candles down the middle. I thought there would be enough room, but there just wasn’t. I suppose all the dishes get passed and then designated ton a buffet.
Mary, the new Tom Turkey tureen is beautiful!! I love the color combination. It’s a very happy Thanksgiving setting. I’m ordering the postcards. So nice to set at each dinner plate. The floral arrangement with natural elements is just the type I like. Thank you for sharing!
Oh Mary, your newly purchased Tom Turkey Soup Tureen is my favorite!! It’s so colorful and fun with all the pretty adornments on it. What a great idea to use your paisley napkins in the center of the tablecloth. I do love your plate stack and your easy centerpiece. Love this, as always.
Mary, I remember the Tom Turkey tureen from your latest shopping trip to Home Goods. I was hoping that it would come home with you because it would make a fabulous centerpiece on one of your tables – and oh, it does! The new tablecloth is lovely and I get the large white piece in the center, but you definitely made it work with the bright paisley napkins – never too much pattern for me. The vintage postcards are delightful on your white turkey plates and I love how the dinner plates frame them. The JD chargers are gorgeous – oh for a Target here. Love how you wove the Indian corn into the live runner. Beautiful – all of it. Happy upcoming Thanksgiving!
Oh what a stunning tablescape, Mary! Love your new turkey tureen. It sure is a fun one! BRILLIANT idea on using your paisley napkins to bring more visual essence to your table. My fav is that runner of God’s bounty all the way down the table. And those turkey plates – they are SO perfect!!!!! Well done, ma’am!
Going by the Museum of Natural History to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Floats being filled up. Hot Chocolate was a must. It was a festive start to the holidays that followed and I have a December birthday.
LOVE those postcards Mary! And your centerpiece is great! I’m with you for serving buffet – I want all the table space I can get for decorating! So smart to use napkins to get the interest the tablecloth lacked. I think the leaves and sunflowers add the perfect finishing touch to your centerpiece! Love the little white cocottes too – they play so well with your salad plates. Haha! Love your turkey posterior signoff! And thanks for the picture tutorial – I love seeing the tablescape come together. Always a joy to hop with you, and hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
I pinned the turkey shaped butter, it’s delightful! Thanksgiving isn’t Thanksgiving unless I have my mom’s vintage turkey platter out. I’m 68 now, and for as long as I can remember, her beautiful oval, very colorful turkey platter has graced our Thanksgiving meals. When mom passed on, it was my wish to have that platter, and now I bring it out every year. Such wonderful memories!
Mary, I love how your table embodies the harvest’s abundance! The fruit, vegetables, grains and nuts surrounding that fabulous turkey tureen remind us of how Thanksgiving began. The tureen is gorgeous, much more so than the wild turkeys I occasionally come across in open areas near the woods and sometimes along the roads. I love that the colors in the paisley “placemats” and other linens echo those in the center arrangement. The patterns of china you chose for the plate stack complement each other and the charming postcards well. Everyone will be delighted to celebrate Thanksgiving at your house! I’m sure it will be a wonderful time!