Ever since 51 Pilgrims and 90 or so Native Americans shared that historic three-day harvest feast in 1621, Thanksgiving more than any other holiday has centered around the dinner table. Although the celebration has long since been abbreviated to a single mouthwatering meal, the same foods and symbols (turkey and sweet potatoes, Indian corn and Pilgrim hats) continue to make this holiday a favorite, generation after generation. And so, in the spirit of historic tradition, we're dishing up the perfect dressings for your family's turkey day a collection of easy-to-make decorations and treats for your holiday table, ranging from a colorful Turkey Bread Basket and Indian Corn Napkin Rings to a sweet-and-nutty snack mix and chocolaty Pilgrim hats. Plenty, we think you'll agree, to satisfy the whole Thanksgiving crowd.
Turkey Tracks
Wild turkeys have been known to run up to 20 mph, but that just might not be fast enough for these tasty appetizers to escape being gobbled up.
Pilgrim Hats
To shield themselves from the sun and rain, the Pilgrims wore broad-brimmed hats. Outfitting your dinner crowd with this popularized version is a fun way to top off your family's holiday celebration.
Turkey Bread Basket
If the decision had been Ben Franklin's to make, the wild turkey (a creature he considered more respectable than the bald eagle) would have been named the national bird. Alas, his candidate was runner-up. Here's a gobbler that's sure to be a winner on Thanksgiving Day.
Indian Corn Napkin Rings
Historians say the Pilgrims might not have survived their first winter after settling in North America if local Indian tribes had not taught them to grow corn. That's why we think these corny napkin rings make a fitting addition to your holiday table. The colorful kernels are stamped with a pencil eraser--a technique even young kids can easily master.
Cranberry Nut Snack Mix
Called "ibimi" or bitterberries by the Cape Cod Pequot Indians and later dubbed "crane berries" by European settlers--who noted that this berry's vine blossoms resemble the neck, head, and bill of a crane--cranberries add a sweet tartness to this harvest snack mix.
Pilgrim Place Cards
Here's a pop-up card design your kids can use to transform their thumbprints into Pilgrim portraits that resemble your dinner guests. Then everyone can find his or her place, and face, at the dinner table.
Tiny Toms
This is one turkey that won't get eaten this Thanksgiving. Your kids can make a flock to decorate the dinner table--or for all the kid guests to take home as favors.
Marshmallow Pilgrim Hats
At the Thanksgiving meal of 1621, cornmeal pudding was probably the most dessertlike dish du jour. Here's a treat that looks old-fashioned but is made with two favorite modern-day sweets: marshmallows and chocolate.
Gobbling-good Cupcakes
If you want to hatch a novel holiday dessert that your kids can help make, these tasty turkeys fit the bill. They're also great for a classroom party.
