Thanksgiving is right around the corner. If you have the heroic title of host this year, thumbs up to you.  Keep it simple and festive with these cool ideas for table settings.

Flowers

Purchase a bouquet of flowers that show the beautiful colors of the season. This will automatically bring warmth to the table. There are a few things you can do with these beauties so try them all out and see what looks best for your table.

You can purchase flowers at a few places in town. Why not try Merrick Flower Shoppe & Fruiterers on Merrick Avenue or Feldis Florist on Sunrise Highway. 

For a very simple tablescape, separate the bouquet into a few little ones and put them in tiny vintage jars or small vases. Then just line them up in the middle of the table. They won't get in the way of passing the food and they won't hinder everyone's view of each other.  

If you don't have old jars around the house stop by Tiffany's Treasures on Merrick Avenue or the L I Antiques Center on Sunrise Highway and check out their selections.

If you like having a centerpiece on the table than use a small tray or even a decorative bowl and fill it about 25 percent with water. Then cut the tops off of some of the flowers and place them in the water so they float. This will look elegant and modern at the same time. For a touch of whimsy, add a couple of small floating tea lights.  

You can find some cool items at Home Goods on Merrick Road.

For a cute table setting, cut three to five flowers so their stems are four inches tall. Tie them in a small bunch with some string or ribbon and add a name tag. Place the tiny bouquet on each plate so your guests will know where they will be sitting for your fabulous meal.

Leaves

You can make a lot of cute items with leaves. Take advantage of what nature has to offer, it's free. Go out and collect a bunch of pretty leaves all different sizes. You always want to have a good selection to work with.

You can learn a nice napkin fold on the Real Simple website. Then design a name card for your guests and slide it in the napkin fold so it stays in place. Here is how you do it:

Just measure a piece of card stock or thick paper to fit the napkin. Make sure you cut it so you can fold it in half.  Take one of the leaves and place it on the paper. Write your guests name below it and cover the whole area with shipping tape. Place it in the napkin and you’re done.

I hope everyone has a great holiday this year.  Try out some of these ideas and I am sure it will be a big hit.  

Happy Thanksgiving!