The upcoming week will be a wild one for many of us as we prepare for Thanksgiving Day. Clean the house (or just throw everything in a couple of closets and put a bear trap in front of them!), polish the silver (or just stand at your front door and dispense those eye drops the optometrist uses to dilate your eyes so no one can see the tarnish!), iron the linens (or come up with a convincing story that wrinkles are the new smooth), stuff that turkey (ick! gross!), get yourself looking gorgeous (see ironing lie above), and create the Thanksgiving table of your family’s dreams (no, seriously…you really have to do this!). A lot of work indeed, but it’s the NEXT day you really need to concern yourself with: BLACK FRIDAY!!!!!!

Yes, ladies & germs, Black Friday! That special day when Americans are so filled with the Christmas spirit that we wear steel-toed boots and pack brass knuckles in our Gucci bags just in case we have to fight over that last coveted and way overpriced toy du jour. That day when we spew words at other shoppers that would make a sailor blush if they “steal our parking space.” The only day of the year that crawling out of bed before the butt crack of dawn to brave the cold and the crowds actually makes sense to us. Black Friday! And after all that early morning bargain shopping with your S.W.A.T. team girlfriends, you’re going to want a civilized break in the action to drop off packages (to make room for Round II, of course!) and have a nice lunch. Here’s a quick and easy Christmas luncheon tablescape designed to re-energize the group and perhaps coax you to put down your battering ram in favor of a fork. 😉

You can only fit four girlfriends in your SUV and still have room for all the packages, so this table is set for five in the library.

Lots of bright colors will rev you up after a morning of guerrilla warfare shopping for bargains. My inspiration for this table is the fun Christmas tree napkin borrowed from my friend, Barbara. It’s packed with both traditional and non-traditional colors in a fun & festive pattern. (Click HERE for a video tutorial or look HERE – Tip #31 – for picture and/or video instruction on how to make these fun napkins from a half circle of fabric!) A cheery red full-length tablecloth picks up the red in the napkin, while a modern turquoise acrylic charger from Crate and Barrel serves as ground zero for each place setting. The plates are a creamy ivory stoneware by 10 Strawberry Street.

Glassware from Home Goods/T.J. Maxx in turquoise, green and blue works perfectly with the color palette. Stainless flatware is kept simple.

A melange of “sugared” fruits, winter greenery, red berry clusters, assorted ornaments in turquoise and green, and pine cones is assembled in a citrus-green ceramic planter. Additional fruits and ornaments are scattered at the base.

Lunch is served from the vitrine. Nothing fancy…a heart-healthy salad with grilled chicken strips, assorted whole grain breads, iced tea (but not too much…bathroom breaks are frowned upon once back out there in the shopping trenches! ;-)), and cookies-to-go for dessert. A floral arrangement similar to the one on the dining table graces the corner of the vitrine.

Simple and to the point! Now, ladies, it’s time to arm yourselves with credit cards, bail money (just in case things get out of hand out there!) and Depends (remember…bathroom breaks are a no-no!), and scream that age-old battle cry: CHARGE IT!!!!!!!!

Have a fun Black Friday, y’all! 🙂

P.S. – For those of you in the Kansas City area, please tune in (or set your DVR) to “Better Kansas City” on KCTV-5 on Tuesday, November 20 at 9:00 a.m. (CST). I’ll be featured in a live segment about tablescaping for the holidays! If you don’t live in this area, I’ll post a link to the station’s website after the show so you can point and laugh at me then! 🙂