For the love of hosting

Hospitality is something I grew up with. When I was an infant, my mother ran a bakery, and I went with her. She would nurse me and I would sleep soundly in my bassinet while she helped customers prep and plan for their special events. 
Eventually, she sold the Caramel Bakery and dedicated her time to her family, and especially her children. She would throw us fantastic parties and bake the most elaborate cakes! Someday I can share some of those family photos with you, because she did an incredible job creating experiences for us. That's what hospitality is about: creating experiences and memories for the ones you love most. After all, what can you keep but memories? 
As my own children have grown into toddlers and preschoolers, I find it all the more fun and fulfilling to throw parties to celebrate them. 

With my son's second birthday party around the corner, I will be sharing that event as one of my first recent events. 

In the meantime, I will share some past events that we've hosted: baby showers, girls' birthday parties, patriotic parties, Thanksgiving parties and maybe even our wedding!​ 

Today, I'll share Thanksgiving ideas from a farm Thanksgiving we had a few years ago. ​

Our Thanksgiving party was a pot luck for nearly 100 people. We hosted at my parents' farm and we had an absolute blast! Above are the most adorable table decorations that we set all throughout the barn. Tables were bedecked with burlap and felt and we used pumpkins and other harvest-themed vegetables to decorate.  

There are certain foods that just lend themselves to being presented in a precarious, but elegant way. Baskets can be used to serve rolls, fruit and even chips & dip. ​

​Sometimes it's easy to forget the little details like salad dressing or salt & pepper, but they can make or break the meal for some of our guests. Something to add to the Evernote list!

​And of course, we can't forget the turkey! There are various types of kale that make a perfect garnish (and your health-conscious friends may think it's a special superfood salad to enjoy with their beets.

So there you have it! We had a wonderful time. It was simple, but elegant.

What's your favorite Thanksgiving tradition to share wiith your loved ones??