It will be a different Thanksgiving for most people this year and we are experiencing that too. Like most, we are paring it down and only having immediate family members that have been using safe practices and wearing masks routinely.

We are planning to eat outside this year, the first time I’ve ever done that! I normally love to spread a beautiful table, bring out the china and fall color and make it pretty. I don’t entertain formally much, but I love a proper Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings, down to the last napkin ring and candle atop the table!

Today I’m sharing some of my old favorites and this new outdoor fall table, where we will be sharing our meal this year. It’s to be in the high 70’s on Thanksgiving day, so plenty of warm weather (maybe a little too warm, as usual here in the Houston area), but I think we’ll all be more comfortable overall, eating outside.

I’ve decided to set the table outside much as I would indoors, with my creamware china, and mix in some rustic elements. I just want it to feel like a somewhat normal Thanksgiving. No paper plates or plastic here!

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Here are a few pics of Thanksgiving tabletops from the past.

This table was laid the year I had my kitchen remodel in the fall of 2015. I barely got things back in the cabinets before the holiday was upon us. You can see, my metal cabinets there that house my collection of glassware and china were only partially restocked. :-)

Also, I’ve painted my dining room all white now, I really hated that wainscot contrasting there and I simplified the wall decor. After we hung all that rustic collection up, I almost immediately wanted to take it down.

While I love mixing contrasting elements, this was too busy and fussy next to the sparkling glassware that was to go in my adjacent cabinets. It looks different now and I’m much happier with it.

Loved this table though with all leaves my daughter and niece found on a walk on Thanksgiving morning.

Thanksgiving tabletop with leaves and acorn squash. Carla Aston, Designer

Thanksgiving tabletop with leaves and dark gray linens. Carla Aston, Designer

This tabletop, below, was the year I went with magenta as the accent color on my table. I had just gotten a suzani textile framed up that I’d had for years, and finally hung it in my dining room. The color inspired me to go a little less fall-ish with my tabletop.

Thanksgiving fall tabletop with magenta flowers.

I still hadn’t painted my dining room yet, but I do like the colorful wall decor and the magenta on the table is one of my favorites.

Thanksgiving tabletop with magenta flowers.

This table, below, was one I did in partnership with At Home Stores. The ceramic pumpkins, vases, candleholder, and glasses came from their store that is local to me here.

Simple, Rustic Fall Tabletop For Easy Entertaining - Tori Aston, Photographer | Carla Aston, Designer

Thanksgiving 2020 Outdoor Dining

So, I did a preliminary set up yesterday with some snacks, before the sprinkling of rain we had, to make sure I had everything squared away. I then stacked it all up indoors, ready to go back outside on Thanksgiving day. I think it will be fun!

Outdoor Thanksgiving tabletop, for dining in the back garden.

Fall tabletop for Thanksgiving dinner outdoors.

Thanksgiving centerpiece for outdoor dining.

The cutting boards came from At Home stores back when I partnered with them on some blogposts. I love using those as placemats.

The brass flatware came from my husband’s grandmother purchased in Thailand many years ago on a trip.

The wine glasses are handblown, from a glass factory in Norway, from when we lived there.

My creamware collection started when I did a butler’s pantry for a local Showhouse. I was only going to purchase a few pieces for the glass front upper cabinets and ended up going all in on eBay with creamware. :-)