Hostessing The Thanksgiving Feast?

I would love to host Thanksgiving dinner! It's one of my favorite holidays, but there's a small teeny tiny problem - I seem to be missing a chandelier (I'll talk about that later), a sideboard, and a proper sized dinning room table. Two of the items have been on my wish list for years and years now! I did come very close, just a few months ago, buying a English Regency side board that I loved! But I deeply feared hubby's reaction after all my spending on the fabric for my reupholstering work with Yung Li. No, unfortunately, I did not buy it. Since I do seem to be missing a few key elements for a sit-down dinner; I've not just yet thrown my hat in the ring to host a big Thanksgiving feast! But if I do decide; here are just a few of my thoughts:

I like Thanksgiving to be very simple, perhaps even potluck. I do know that my mother-in-law would be delighted to bring a few dishes, especially if she did not have to host it at her own house! And she'll get father-in-law to whip up his famous oyster stuffing dish and instant mashed potatoes (just joking on the latter). Anyway, dinner will be be covered between us.

Both images from Martha Stewart

The table that I do have in my dining room is a barley twist table, which I bought a while back with the intention of someday using it in my man cave. Yung Li was over a few weeks ago, giving me her thoughts on my bedroom curtain dilemmas, and asked why I had bought such a small table for my dining room. I actually did not buy it for that room and had to explain to her that when I find a table to my liking and budget then I'll grab it. However, I could get away with sitting four very comfortably, and squeezing six around it if I had to. But here's my solution; depending on guests, and taking into account that I probably won't get the table of my dreams before Thanksgiving. What I'll probably do is squeeze two tables together with a really pretty tablecloth. Seating in my household is not a problem - chairs are the one thing that I have plenty of! Enough of me complaining and back to hostessing!

My dining room, yes I know, missing a lot!! The good thing, though, it's not mauve!

I love the thought of sending my guest home with their own personal box full of goodies just like these.

How cute! Image from Williams-Sonoma Entertaining

For some reason, I've had alot of pumpkin recipes on my mind recently! Just last week, Coleen, one of our new docents, introduced me to a new food site "Pinch My Salt". I just had to have the hubby make her double chocolate pumpkin cupcakes for no apparent reason other then the fact that they sounded awfully good. For my Thanksgiving feast though, I would like to do mini pumpkin loafs wrapped in wax paper tied with a ribbon or raffia and packaged with a little pumpkin butter, which I'll pick up locally.

Any other suggestions ? Please let me know - I'm listening!