Getting Ready for the Holiday Dinner

Halloween has come and gone, we've made it through another big election, and Thanksgiving is now just weeks away. Now is a good time to begin planning what you'll be serving, who you'll be entertaining, and evaluating your kitchenware and tableware situation.

Many people love to have an extravagant dinner, and they set their table with beautiful linens, and their finest crystal, silverware, and china. Still other families prefer a more laid-back dinner experience with fun decorations and their family and friends bring over their favorite dishes. Whether you're throwing a lavish event or a casual one, here are some simple tips that will help your holiday get off to a smoother start.

Let's start with the wineglasses - are you planning to serve both red and white wines? Some suggest supplying both types of glasses for each guest, though many say this isn't necessary, especially for space considerations. It's a good idea to set the table with a large water glass for each guest. You'll want to place glassware above the knives, with the water glass closer to the center of the place, at a diagonal from the wineglass.

The center of the place setting is marked by the location of the dinner plate, and each setting should be allotted about 30 inches of space. Knives and spoons are placed to the right side of the plats, turning the sharp edge into the plate, and your forks are on the left of the plate. If you're including a bread plate for the guest, you can place it towards the left side of the fork.

Many people still try to adjust their table to allow for the "boy-girl-boy-girl" seating arrangement, but this is a quite flexible dinner party rule, and you'll find it isn't always easy to follow. You can keep it in mind for the fun of it. If you're planning to pre-arrange your guest seating, why not place some neat holiday decorations of creative place cards at each seat to liven up your holiday dinner table.

Remember most of all that your holiday dinner will be more enjoyable for you and your guests when you get some of the small items handled early. As soon as you have a pretty accurate head count, why not begin writing up the menu and see if you can't take care of some of the purchases early before the holiday rush. Allow for extra servings in case of a few last minute guests or just for some yummy leftovers. Browse through your kitchenware and glassware to make sure you have a complete set of everything you need to create that perfect holiday table for you and your guests to celebrate in style.