More Lazy Thanksgiving -- Thank you God for FLOWERS!

I don't care how delicious or horrible your Thanksgiving feast turns out -- you can burn the turkey to a charred lump o' flesh -- but if your table is beautiful people will still remember your meal as being lovely!

So, here are some easy tips for making your table beautiful:

1. Bring the Fall in! -- Gather fall leaves from the yard, wash them off and lay them down the middle of the table (or in the center if a round table) like a runner. Place baby pumpkins and squashes and other veggies like artichokes and fruits on top of the leaves. Put one vase in the center -- and if you fill the vase with little veggies or fruits -- grapes look fantastic -- it will look even more plentiful and gorgeous!
2. Pumpkin Vase -- Hollow out a pumpkin, just like you would for a jack-o-lantern. Put a jar or glass inside it and put your holiday bouquet in the glass, so it looks like the "vase" is the pumpkin!
3. Placecard Holders -- Make placecard holders out of pumpkins, apples or oranges. You can make a tiny slit with a knife in the skin of whatever you are using (or in the stem of the pumpkin) and put the placecard in the slit.
4. Burgeoning Vases -- No earlier than the night before Thanksgiving (so you have clear water) fill a big (tall or wide) clear vase with baby veggies or fruits. Some of my favorites are baby apples, baby artichokes, or grapes. Put your bouquet of flowers in the water, using the fruits/veggies as oasis, i..e, to stabilize the flower placement. The flowers don't even have to be fantastic at all because the burgeoning vase contents will be the hightlight.
5. Pumpkin Candleholders -- Dig a little hole in center of some baby pumpkins and place candles in holes.
6. Individual Flower Arrangements -- Thanksgiving is a holiday of sharing and the table is always overflowing with food, so one way to add decorations to the table without forfeiting the center, and blocking anyone's view, is to make tiny individual flower arrangements. You can get creative with the vessels you use...just the fact that each person is getting their own little arrangement above their plate will make them feel special and "decorated"!

I always decorate the table the day before so I can really have fun creating the personal touches. You don't want to leave it to Thanksgiving Day because -- as we all know -- there are foods and people flying in every direction on the holiday, so you want to be able to enjoy it all, instead of stressing about the details.

So, remember this Lazy Motto: If it didn't get done, it's not important!! It really isn't. The holidays are about sharing food, stories, deliciousness....so once everyone arrives, just LET ALL THE EXPECTATIONS GO and HAVE FUN!