• Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends to come together at a well-set dinner table.thanksgiving dinner image by Richard Amidon III from Fotolia.com
  
  Family, friends, turkey, pumpkin pie and football are all the usual elements for a successful Thanksgiving. In many homes, much of the day is spent at the dinner table as guests partake in all of the standard Thanksgiving fare. Set your table to be the stage that sets off the meal you have worked so hard to prepare.
  
  

Elegant

• Formal holidays deserve elegant table settings. Think fine china, crystal stemware and sterling-silver flatware. Start with a crisply pressed white tablecloth. Set gold chargers (decorative platters slightly larger than dinner plates) at each place setting, with salad, dinner and dessert forks to the left of the plate and knife and spoons to the right. Place the water and wine glasses at the top of the charger at roughly 1 o'clock, if you were visualizing the setting as the face of a clock. Set a dinner plate on top of each charger. Use neutral-colored plates or warm tones, but avoid pastel and primary colors. Fold white linen napkins into any desired shape, and place them on top of the dinner plates.
  
  Place a gold table runner down the center of the table. Place a low floral arrangement on the center of the runner, with small candelabras or individual candle holders with tapered candles on either side. Place fall leaves in bright colors along the runner to bring the fall season inside as the group celebrates Thanksgiving.
  
  

Natural

• For a casual yet sophisticated gathering, a natural table setting using organic, seasonal materials is a good choice. Use warm colors and subdued tones, such as taupe, sage and burnt orange, in your table linens and centerpiece, and use neutral colors in the dishes. Consider using a roll of butcher paper or a strip of burlap to create your table runner. Line a small basket with a cloth napkin in subdued green or tan color. Place some greens in the basket, such as small branches cut from an evergreen, and fill the basket with a selection of small gourds and pumpkins. Spray-paint small leaves gold, and place them strategically in the gourd basket.
  
  To tie the place settings and the centerpiece together, use the same-color napkins that you used in the centerpiece. Fold them into squares, and place them on top of the dinner plates. Set a small gourd or pumpkin on top of each napkin. On each side of the centerpiece, set white pillar candles in tall hurricane glasses, and set a few fall leaves in the bottom of each.
  
  

Colorful

• A rich and colorful table setting is especially appropriate for large rooms, as it will help the table to stand out in the space, rather than fade into the background. Consider using deep burgundies and reds, forest greens, rich oranges and dark browns in the table linens, set against more neutral place settings. For a vivid centerpiece, place colorful fruits, such as pomegranates, Granny Smith apples and oranges, in a long, oval bowl or a large, rectangular mirror. Use votive candles and tapered candles liberally throughout the table setting, making sure not to place them too close to the guests.