Thanksgiving Kids Table

I love hosting adults, the cheese plates, the wine, the no nap-time constraints. But if I am honest, truly honest with myself, I love hosting kid parties much better. Even incorporating kid elements into adult parties are my favorite parts. I thought I would share my kid table for Thanksgiving and share a few of my tips for getting kids to sit down and their menu. 

The kid's table 

My son is 3 and he loves reading his name and find it written on anything. So I took felt stickers and added the kids names to the jack'be'little pumpkins at each seat. I also wrote the kids names on the chalkboard labels on mason jars. I love the little mason jar lids. I stuck an upside down cupcake wrapper in a coordinating color. Each mason jar was held up in a pumpkin shaped cupcake holder. I made a turkey crayon holder out of some construction paper, googly eyes, and plastic cups. For the plates, napkins, and flatware I used disposable products from target. I just chose a color palate I liked and thought was appropriate for the theme. I covered the table in white butcher block paper, and then used printed construction paper as place mats. To make the table a little more exciting and to keep the place mats in their spot I added a few owl stickers.  

A few tips to help kids sit down 

The most important aspect of any event is free, and it is timing. To help children sit down at the table we planned for the families to come over around 5 and that kids dinner would be hosted at 5:30 and adult dinner at 6. This gives everyone a chance to come in, get a drink, and take their coats off. The parents can mill about helping the children start their meal while they nibble on cheese and drink wine. 

I covered the table with "kid bait" to get them to sit down... i.e. a teaspoon of M&Ms and goldfish. It is not enough to fill them up, but it is enough to get them seated. 

I also had the kids seated close to the grown-up table and close to the television. I chose Charlie Brown Thanksgiving. It is perfect for a dinner party because the jazz music is lovely, it is interesting to the kids but the music and voices are not distracting. 

Kid's Menu

Roasted Turkey, diced and cooled

Steamed Carrots, cooled

Cheese Sticks

Apple Slices

Grapes, cut in half 

Cranberry Apple Juice cut with water

All in all it was a great kids party. They had a wonderful time, and they ate something too... 

Elegant and Simple Thanksgiving Menu

I think Thanksgiving is one of the few times in life when boring and traditional is exactly what you want. Nobody wants an avante garde Thanksgiving Menu. We do a very simple but elegant dinner and then have pie at my mother's home. Our menu is small but tasty, everything is made from scratch and relatively simple to prepare. Our menu for this year is: 

Dave's Smoked Turkey with Pecan Wood

Roasted Carrots and Parsnips topped by Pumpkins Seeds

Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Pancetta

Garlic and Herb Mashed Potatoes

Traditional Green Bean Casserole 

Apple Pie 

Pumpkin Pie

Whipped Cream

All in all is not large or complicated but just wholesome enough to make you feel like you enjoyed a proper Thanksgiving Meal. I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving!