Rustic Thanksgiving at the Beach

Welcome to my imaginary rustic beach house where we will be hosting Thanksgiving this year. It's warmish here at the beach, so we're planning a Thanksgiving outside.

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I raided the yard and lopped off the tops of some ornamental grasses that I have, cut some flowers and some various vegetation, and created a casual, rustic centerpiece for my Thanksgiving table. The burlap runner and fabric underneath aren't even finished ... we are talking about comfortable, casual, quaint Thanksgiving.

It's all about the details, so I dressed down the wine bottles by wrapping the label in twine and placing some fresh nuts and some candles on a nearby side table for some ambiance.

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For my place setting I chose more of nature's offerings ... each one of these leaves were selected by my real children in my imaginary scenario. Rustic is simple. That's the charm of it.

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Our Thanksgiving menu is quasi-traditional: a nod to the traditional meal with a bit of flair thrown in.

Here are the recipes:

Cornish Hens with Morels and Leeks
Roasted Garlic and Basil Mashed Potatoes
Thyme Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes
Apple Glazed Baby Carrots
Streusel Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Crunch Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I'll probably be wearing something like this:

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And after the meal, we plan to walk on the beach and create these Thanksgiving memories:

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And maybe even get our Christmas card photo, because we are on the ball like that. We are in the final countdown, folks! Are you ready?

~Natalee

Thanksgiving at the Beach

Are you headed to the beach for your Thanksgiving feast? It can be the perfect time of year to vacation, and a large beach house accommodating several families can be just the answer to the problem of small homes and big groups.Who doesn't love a beach vacation any time of year?

Since you probably aren’t planning on hauling the entire contents of your kitchen cupboards to the beach, there are some unique challenges associated with creating a Thanksgiving feast at the beach. Here are some tips to making the most of your Thanksgiving holiday at the beach.

1. Keep it simple and casual. Formal dinners are a rare treat, and can add a nice opportunity for everyone to get classy, but the beach is not the place for this sort of gathering. Think outdoor tables, buffet style meals, and a new take on the old traditions.Going to a warm climate? How about a Thanksgiving picnic on the beach?

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2. Many hands make light work. Farm out the tasks, food, and crafty projects. You don’t have to do without them, but everything doesn’t have to fall to one person.These Thanksgiving table setting ideas will show you that you don't have to forget about having fun with it!

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3. Revamp! Start from scratch and totally rethink your menu. Come up with ways that you can do part of your feast the day or two ahead of time. Utilize a crock pot for things like hot apple cider, eggnog, or even your stuffing.

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 Crock Pot Gingerbread Pudding Cake

We are back to beaches, beach homes, and beach home accessories tomorrow! Enjoy your Thanksgiving planning!   ~Natalee