11.03.2010

Feasting Like The Pilgrims

It's November and we are well on our way towards Thanksgiving. I thought I'd share with you our Thanksgiving from last year. Our family celebrated at my sister's house. I have shown you her house before. It sits on the St. Johns river in Jacksonville. We decided to try to have our feast outside. You know, like the pilgrims. Fingers were crossed for the weather and were absolutely blessed with a glorious day.

We are a large bunch. A large and crazy bunch. I have lost count but you can try to count the chairs. We put two very long tables together out on the patio. Draped them both in white cloths and then I cut two burlap runners for the middle of the table. We fringed the ends.


The center pieces were 3 rectangular galvanized planters that were filled with potted mums, croton leaves and wheat. It was cheaper to just buy potted plants then to buy cut flowers. I think I paid .99 for each small mum and 1.99 for the large ones. The small pots fit right in there. The large mums were cut and put in jars of water and then inserted in the planters. The leaves were free and the wheat I had. The leaves really help fill them out and give them added color. It really isn't that hard to put together a large decorative table with a small budget. Just look to nature to lend a hand.


The silverware was wrapped in the napkin very casually and tied with a jute ribbon with a silk leaf tucked behind. We used some plaid ribbon when we ran out of jute. The kids wrote all the names on the tags, trimmed the tags with some skinny self adhesive ribbon and tied them all up for us. They had to earn their food.


My sister found this garland at Home Goods. It's all sorts of nuts, twigs and small pine cones. They are a little hard to see in this shot but I wanted to show them. See those bamboo folding chairs? One of my sisters found them at an estate sale for a ridiculous price of like $5.


The we sat under this huge old oak tree. The food was under the tent so that nothing fell on it. The dishes were stacked there with the food so you just load up your dish under the tent. It was a lot easier then trying to pass the food around the table. That would have taken forever. The drinks were set on the smaller tables you see off to the side.


The dessert table was inside. Dessert is just craziness. Everyone brings something different so there was quite the variety. To decorate this table we had two large cake stands and each one had a tall glass hurricane on it with small pumpkins, leaves and pine cones around it. We just tied some pretty plaid ribbon on the tops. We had so many mums we put some in the center. The pitcher is filled with some spiced cider punch which was very good.

my lousy picture above but I wanted to show the whole table



Thanks Justin for getting these shots to me with only three hours of sleep. Such a good kid. If you are in the Atlanta area and need any photographic services then you can contact him at JustinHadleyPhotograhy.com.

I also forgot to put my answers to our Halloween costumes. I'm sure you all are on the edge of yours seats wondering. Erin from LikeGrandmas was the first to answer correctly with Deviled Eggs and Pigs in a Blanket. Yes, we were the appetizers for the party :)



Joining up with the CSI project to share Thanksgiving ideas.

Visit thecsiproject.com

Also with Susan @ Between Naps on the Porch





Linda @ Coastal Charm
 http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/

see you later,


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41 comments:

  1. That was a beautiful Thanksgiving table and so large!!! Your sister's house is just gorgeous! I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving this year too!

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  2. oh my that house and setting is just beautiful! wow! i think my house would fit into the little area off to the right. ;)

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  3. Hello Anita....!

    I hope you are well Lovey....!

    My oh my your Thanksgiving looked to be a BEAUTIFUL & SUMPTUOUS affair....I SO wish I could come & break bread with you & your clan & give thanks....!!

    I BET you have the BEST pumpkin pie too....I LOVE pumpkin pie just quietly....Until my first visit to the US years ago I thought of the humble pumpkin as a mere vegie....But no....It CAN be so much more....hahahahaha....!

    Love love L-O-V-E the pics....They are simply DIVINE & show your table off to PERFECTION....!!

    Cheers for now,
    Tamarah :o)

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  4. Anita,
    What an awesome idea to eat outdoors in the FALL...everything looks beautiful and I love how thrifty y'all were...please come by next week and share your thrifty ideas at my party...love those planters!!!

    Blessings,
    Linda

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  5. How wonderful to all sit outside in the nice weather. What gorgeous centerpieces. Love those. Had a professional photographer, too? Cool.

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  6. So, so beautiful! I think my favorite is the burlap runner. It's perfect!

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  7. I am coming by you on Thanksgiving!! Everything looked so beautiful and all that food!! YUM!!! What a wonderful time to spend with family! I hope this year turns out just as perfect!

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  8. This not only looks YUMMY, but also like so much fun!!!! How awesome.
    Thanks for sharing!
    xo
    lynn

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  9. Hi Anita,
    Love, love, love your Thanksgiving table! Those folding bamboo chairs are awesome, and a real steal! I also really love the glavanized planter! Wherever did you find it! Your table looks so pretty, like something out of a Martha Stewart magazine! I am laughing, as I try and picture our family eating Thanksgiving dinner outdoors here in Michigan...brrr!!

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  10. I think with wondeful pictures like these you will have the entire blog world at your next Thanksgiving dinner!
    Looks like you had a lot of fun!

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  11. What an amazing family you must have. Your table is beautiful, but I'm know the gathering with family is the best part of the day {well, that and the food :) }
    Justin's photos are fab, he is so talented. Your centerpieces and decorations are creative and beautiful.
    Looks like a perfectly lovely day.
    ♥maureen

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  12. What a beautiful table! I love your planter boxes. How nice to sit outside for thanksgiving. That really wouldn't be possible here, unless you wanted to wear your winter coat ;)

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  13. Wow! I love your post. Can't wait to see more of your blog! I plan to subscribe. I am stopping by via CSI Project. Hope you will stop by my blog too!
    CC
    http://currentlychic.com

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  14. That outdoor table looks fabulous! Your big family looks wonderful! Happy early early Thanksgiving!

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  15. I love the idea of having Thanksgiving outdoors and it looks like yours turned out great. We might have to do that some time. Your sisters house is beautiful. What a pretty setting. If your son took the pictures -- they are just great!

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  16. it looks like something out of Country Living! The decorations look so pretty, and the pictures are great. You're lucky to have a large family.

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  17. such a pretty table and setting, and wonderful food!

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  18. I have always wanted to sit at an outdoor table of this grandeur. It would be unforgettable!

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  19. I love every single detail of your Thanksgiving al fresco. My mama and daddy were each one of seven siblings..when I was a child.our holidays festivities were always humongous! They are all gone now except for one aunt. Our fetes are smaller, but I do try to invite 'strays' to join us at the table each year. The tablescape is lovely! Thank you for sharing your charming design and wonderful feast...oh those desserts! Cherry Kay

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  20. Wow anita, how gorgeous - the whole setting; it looks just beautiful! I expect you will all have a fabulous time! - especially with the yummy deserts!!
    Laura c xx

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  21. Beautiful table! Your centerpieces look so pretty and what fun to eat outdoors.
    Justin did a great job with the photography!
    Annette

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  22. Wow, now that is a Thanksgiving gathering! The tables were beautiful and it looks like a great time-enjoy:@)

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  23. Oh my! Those bamboo chairs for $5? *Swoon, thud* I'm glad you stopped by my blog. i think I'm really going to enjoy yours, too. Love the silver vase with the fall leaves on the right side of your header.
    All the best,

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  24. Wow, what an amazing way to have a family meal! Really loved the balance of the grandness of the table with the simplicty of the decor. I hope you have great weather again this year!

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  25. How amazing that you have these photographs to remember the day. The table is so beautiful and what a perfect setting.

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  26. Oh my beautiful Thanksving! Table,centerpieces look so pretty. I love the pumpkin pie.....
    perfect setting
    Thank you for stop on my blog
    XOX
    Isora

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  27. Anita, what a fabulous table! I love the galvanized tin containers y'all used, and I love the bamboo folding chairs. You are right. The price is amazing! And what a beautiful setting and home. The perfect Thanksgiving meal. The photographer captured it all to perfection. And the food looks delicious, too.

    Wishing you a Happy Tablescape Thursday...

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

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  28. Looks like Martha or Eddie did the table display. Seeing a long table all styled up like that is always a treat. Especially love the photo of the group gathered around the table.

    Love a good pumpkin roll, by the way.

    -Rene

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  29. Enjoyed my visit to your blog! For 3 years straight I tried to have our TG dinner outside since we live on a farm..and all 3 years it either was too cold, too windy or raining!!

    Julie
    www.equusvilla.blogspot.com

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  30. Anita! it is all so well laid out...so nicely photographed (way to go Justin)...I felt like I was reading a behind the scenes movie set article!

    there's nothing better than spending time eating with the ones you love!

    thanks for sharing!

    ciao bella

    creative carmelina

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  31. Love the burlap! Wonderful photos. Looks like a wonderful time!!

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  32. LOVED the table! The size of it is wonderful! I want to eat outside, too. We'd have to have our LLBean outerwear on up here. Still I think it would be great fun!

    The photos are gorgeous! All this white circulating on the web I had forgotten how beautiful nature's palette is!!!!!

    Love the ideas...too!!

    xo
    ~Kolein

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  33. Such a lovely post about your family's Thanksgiving. I am in the midst of planning my Thanksgiving. It surely wont be outside!
    Please stop by and see my horn of plenty, which will likely be my centerpiece on that day!!
    CC
    http://currentlychic.com

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  34. Just gorgeous! Just a quick note to say Hi....I am enjoying my free time but love to check in on some of my favorite peeps!

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  35. Hi Anita,
    I tried to comment earlier but ran into issues with blogger- surprise- surprise! This setting is absolutely beautiful!! I love the HUGE table and all the wonderful decorations!! Just gorgeous! :)

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  36. Oh, I am so happy to see your post! When I was young, my dad decided we would have a pilgrim Thanksgiving. It was wonderful! The wind got us last year but we did have dessert outside. I am hoping that this year we will be able to eat outside. I love your big group and the long, long tables. It just fills me with that wonderful Thanksgiving feeling!

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  37. I'm sneaking in a few posts this morning before I start hurting my brain again during this revision process. I studied these pictures like a scholar. In fact, I'm going to bookmark them. Even though, I profess to being domestically disabled, I'm really not. I just hate to cook and most everything else that has to do with being a housewife. As you can see, I'm really just like June Cleaver. Anyway, I do love the holidays and I have a ginormous family, too. And I really love decorating the tables. It's my favorite part of Thanksgiving besides giving me an excuse to squirt whip cream into my mouth.

    Those tables are beautiful. And if you don't mind, I'm going to be a big copycat. I just love everything about them.

    Although...it'll have to wait until next year. I just booked us a little trip to N'awlins, baby, for Thanksgiving week. We'll head over to my husband's parents house in your part of Florida for actual Thanksgiving, but yes I've decided to take a year off from being the hostest with the mostest.

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  38. Wow! This looks like a delightful Thanksgiving feast!

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  39. Hi Anita, I love that you shared your lovely family Thanksgiving from last year. Everything looks perfect with very little cost. The location and your sister's home is gorgeous. Love that dessert table.
    Hugs, Jeanne

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