Monday, October 13, 2014

Thanksgiving Dinner Party! Planning, Preparation & Purchases!!

I shared a few blogs ago about my purchases of dishes, décor and party favor items. The end result, though it took a while to get there, was awesome! Everything turned out great!!! I did a few extra things this time around. The latest craze at dinner parties is candy bars... I changed things up a bit and made a dessert bar! Candied apples for the kids, pumpkin pie, apple pie and 30 banana cream tarts.  
 

Part of the fun of planning a dinner party for me is more than just putting the food on the table and calling it a day. I thoroughly enjoy the reactions of others when they sit down to a dinner table that has taken time to prepare. The 'dinner party' has been lost somehow over time. My theory is paper plates & paper napkins have no business being present at a dinner party ;-) Paper plates are for camping and some outdoor BBQs. I do have a confession to make though,,



I had 23 people for dinner and was short 4 fabric napkins - I had to dig out some paper napkins (blush).  It won't happen again,, LOL I will have to buy more fabric napkins.




Some of the fun prep and purchasing to add to my dish collection was more white dinner plates, more chargers - which were all spray painted silver to match. I cut the little handles off of the party favor boxes and tied them closed with twine. Inside were white peppermints and silver wrapped Hershey kisses. The stickers were in my scrapbooking supplies.  I also purchased some silk fall leaves and spread them around the table. The end result was a simply decorated table that looked elegant,, I think anyways.
Last but not least for sure was purchasing my fabulous new ice bucket for wine, beer coolers,, etc.
 
I used my moms silverware for the first time in a while since she passed away in 2013. It was so wonderful to bits and pieces of her things placed around my dining table. Her silverware, the silver candelabra in the center of my table and the genuine crystal chandelier hanging above my dining table. My mother also loved to set out a pretty table. She had a hutch full of fantastic treasures!

I have 5 sisters and 5 brothers and we all have bits and pieces of things from our parents in our homes. I know they are just things, but sometimes seeing them floods back so many wonderful memories of the times we spent together. I know my mama would have loved my dinner party and so would have my dad!! And sometimes I feel like I am setting the table for her. To make her proud and to remember her smile and to remember my father's deep rumble of a laugh! So this Thanksgiving holiday I am thankful for the wonderful memories I have of my parents. They are so precious.