The centerpiece sets the mood at the Thanksgiving table

If you are hosting the big Thanksgiving meal, it’s common to experience mixed emotions. You can consider yourself lucky to have family and friends to invite, but you might stress about everyone’s expectations.

Is Aunt Sally going to choke on your version of her stuffing recipe this year? Is your table arrangement going to catch fire again? Are Uncle Peter and Rover going to have allergic reactions to each other?

A lot of anxiety can be put to rest if you create a warm environment that puts everyone at ease the moment they walk through the door. Put a scented candle near the entryway. Take your guests’ coats, offer them drinks and let them see the lovely and welcoming table you have created for this special meal.

All the great smells coming from the kitchen help, too. So just relax and have fun as your guests appreciate your efforts.

One thing that reduces stress is to figure out the centerpiece early. As early as October, I pick up a few gorgeous squashes, pumpkins or gourds that I can use as a simple centerpiece until Thanksgiving. When Thanksgiving arrives, all I have to do is embellish what I have already selected with a few more items from the grocery store.

The core of the centerpiece pictured is a group of Hubba Hubba squashes with the center squash elevated on a terra-cotta pot no one can see. The squashes are set into a wide and extremely shallow brass bowl, but you can use wicker, ceramic, silver, wood or many other materials for this bowl or platter. I chose Hubbas because they are a much more vibrant orange than traditional pumpkins.

I also knew I wanted to mix in fresh flowers and vegetables for greenery. Since the squash is such a strong color, I used peach-colored roses to soften and counterbalance them. I put the roses into three simple cups that cannot be seen. To fill in the spaces between the flower cups, I considered kale the perfect textural contrast; another gap-filling option is brussels sprouts.

I wedged in three simple and inexpensive glass votives for a soft candle glow. The centerpiece did not take much time and can be done a couple of days early so the flowers open up.

I am a believer that people feel at ease around your table, so I deformalize by using a mixed look at holiday meals. My table settings are a mishmash of styles and price points.

Even though the children are almost grown, I still use the homemade place cards they made with crayons when they were little, which they find amusing. Wedding gift china sits atop inexpensive contemporary square green chargers. Five-dollar clearance linens from Halls (no one wanted orange) ground the whole place setting. Inexpensive etched glass tumblers stand side by side with crystal.

Aunt Sally and Uncle Peter are going to enjoy themselves this year, and you will, too.

Reach Caroline McCallister, owner of Caroline McCallister Interiors in Kansas City, at caroline@carolinemccallister.com.

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