Thanksgiving is nearly here! In the rush to get the turkey and trimmings, the pumpkin pie and the appetizers timed perfectly, it is easy to neglect what may be the one element of your fest that your guests will remember: the setting.

Pulling together a festive theme is easy when you stop by Nicholson-Hardie's Garden Center. We have hundreds of items in stock to help you create the perfect setting.

For a traditional family feast, how about stationing a whimsical turkey on your foyer or coffee table to greet visitors? Place pilgrim and Native American statuary couples on a shelf with some fresh rosemary branches at their feet. In the dining room, set the table with earthenware dishes and linen or cotton napkins in muted earth colors, tying the rolled napkins with string or embroidery floss. Place simple vases (or even water glasses) filled with yellow or red carnations into brightly glazed red and yellow ceramic pots. Cluster the pots in several different heights down the center of your dining table and add artificial red berry clusters for emphasis. Place one small terra cotta pot filled with dried flowers at each place setting as a favor for guests to take home. Write each guest's name on a small card and tuck it in amongst the dried blossoms as a placecard.

Perhaps a more elegant setting appeals to you, employing rich metal finishes, whites, ivories, and glistening crystal. Place wooden calla lilies in a tall crystal vase on your foyer or sofa table to set the tone as guests arrive. Pile fragrant bars of soap in a small metal planter and place rolled, fluffy white towels in a larger metal planter in the powder room. Cover two small evergreen topiaries with white fairy lights and flank the entrance to your dining room. At the table, use your best white china and gleaming silver place settings. Anchor your table centerpiece with white and ivory pillar candles on tall wooden candlestick holders. Flank the candles with long, flat copper, silver, and copper verdigris planters filled with ivy and Irish or sphagnum moss; scatter gilded pinecones and lit votive candles to fill any empty spots. A single gilded or scented pinecone or small silver picture frame bearing a photo of each guest can serve as a thoughtful placecard as well as a lovely gift to take home.

Finally, an eclectic approach to the holiday feast can be achieved with the use of clever iconic figurines and tableware with varied finishes. Station a smiling scarecrow by the front door to greet guests as you take their coats. Place holiday-themed figurines and a few tall ceramic urns filled with fancy chrysanthemums or clusters of asters and daisies on a coffee or sofa table. Put a brightly colored ceramic pot on a low table and fill it with pens, crayons and slips of white paper. Encourage guests to write down something they are thankful for this year; after dinner, read each slip aloud and try to guess the author. At the dinner table, brightly colored acorn-shaped placemats, or torn leather or brown butcher paper makes a wonderful base for each table setting. Add mismatched china, glassware and flatware to keep up the eclectic vibe. Keep the centerpieces simple--fill a low, rectangular ceramic planter with florists foam and fill with row after row of 1" stemmed carnation blossoms or asters in a single color. For emphasis, use pale green in a red terra cotta planter, or a single hue of deep crimson in a saffron colored container. Place painted tiles between settings as decorative trivets with a purpose: hot platters can "rest" safely between diners as they serve themselves. Use simple, inexpensive cloth napkins wrapped with jute at each place setting to unify the theme. Next to each goblet, place a small potted cyclamen, pansy or primrose plant for your guests to enjoy long after the meal has been finished.

Nicholson-Hardie is filled with ideas and creative touches that will make your holiday meal memorable, whatever your style. Stop by today and take home a little holiday inspiration for your table.