Thanksgiving is right around the corner...acckkk!

Here we are at the end of the first week of November! How did this happen?
Who is gearing up for Thanksgiving? Who need ideas for decorating?
Cause......I might possibly be able to help you with that!
This is MY year to feed the family. Which means the humongous cafeteria table that folds open to seat 16 people is sitting in my dining room as we speak. ( I know, technically, we're not really talking, but humor me here).
I love presentation. Without it, you just have.. food. The italians say something to the effect of " good food, good company around the dinner table can solve any problem"....something like that.
And because of this, I "present" a table for any occasion.( In fact, I love this centerpiece so much, don't be surprised if it's on my table in a few weeks.)

What I do with my thanksgiving table is, I think, sheer genius. I know, I am patting myself on the back here but, when I get great ideas, I always see someone else going public with it and then I always get frustrated that I didn't do/say it first!
Ok, the table.
Like I said, I have a super long table. My Dad used to be a janitor at Clover Park High School and when it was being torn down ( gasp) to make way for a new one, they had an auction. He bought me a cafeteria table for 1 dollar.
 Best. Deal. Ever.

I always tell people that if Michael and I divorce, it's because of that table. He wants it gone and I want it stay. For lack of better way of saying it.
Period.
So I dress the table with a banquet  tablecloth to the floor. Why add more?
Hellllllllo, presentation!!!
Then, I lay Christmas paper all down the length of it. So it resembles a long runner.
Now, it can't be a design that blatently screams "Chrsitmas!!!!".
It is always an earth tone paper with boughs of evergreens, pinecones, etc on it. Or a simple tan Damask design would do.

No reds, pinks, lime greens, presents, flowers, snowflakes,...ok, I think you get the point.
So I lay it the length down the table. Then, I cut the paper into lengths approx. one foot hanging off each side of the table, of the width of the table. I fold the ends into points and tape them down.
So, wherever someone is seated, they have their own place mat that stretches across the table to their table mate on the other side. Get it?
One long strip of paper end to end,( looks like a long runner) and 6 shorter strips going side to side.
Instead of cutting square place mats for each person, I just lay the paper all the way across to the other person, fold the ends, tape and let it hang down.
This makes for easy clean up. Spill what you want, I don't care. It's only wrapping paper. I bunch it all up at the end of the evening and throw it away. But it looks fabulous! Seriously! If you pick a cool design, it looks awesome!
Then I add my buffet table lamps down the center for more light and surround those with fresh greens from the lot next door.

 One year I added tangerines and walnuts mixed in with the greens and cream colored candles all up and down.

As the evening wound down, desserts were eaten and we were sitting around the table with just the buffet lamps on and aperitifs in hand, it was good.
 Ambiance.
It's everything.