Make Low-Budget Thanksgiving Dinner Look Lavish
Some people spend $150 for a beautiful Thanksgiving centerpiece made of pumpkins and other fall fruits.
Some people would think those people are out of their gourd!
From buying the turkey to setting the table, Thanksgiving can get expensive! But it doesn't necessarily have to be.
"Early Show" contributor Katie Lee showcased several "splurge" or "steal" Thanksgiving options for turkeys, table settings, centerpieces, wines and candles:
TURKEY
Steal: Whole Foods Free Range Turkey: The whole foods celebrated free-range birds are raised on Jaindl Turkey Farms in Pennsylvania. These Love Lace breed turkeys are delightfully flavorful. $20 for 10 pound bird
Slurge: D'Artagnan Heritage Turkey: D'Artagnan heritage turkeys are from Standard Bronze and Bourbon Red stock, which are the two original, slow-growing breeds that our farmers raise in a free-range, sustainable environment. They feed on a diet of native grasses, seeds and insects, with no antibiotics or hormones used, and each bird is processed by hand to ensure quality. The result is a superbly clean bird that yields a naturally firm and moist meat with authentic turkey flavor. $130 for 8-11 pound avg.
TABLE SETTING
Steal: Fishs Eddy:: All purpose dinnerware with style and durability. They are sturdy enough to stack and a classic silhouette that puts the "comfort" in home cooking. Each piece sold individually ranging in price from $3-6. Complete five piece set including dinner plate, soup/pasta plate, salad plate, bread and butter plate, and two wine glasses for $30.
Splurge: Pillivuyt Coupe Porcelain Dinnerware Place Settings: From France, this white porcelain dinnerware is as sturdy as it is stylish. The plates and bowls feature a classic coupe design with a gentle contour and sleek rim. Thanks to an innovative formulation of various clays, the porcelain's delicate appearance belies its strength. Dressed up or down with formal or casual linens, flatware and glassware, this versatile dinnerware coordinates easily with patterned pieces. They're made in France by Pillivuyt, a company respected for fine porcelain tableware since 1818. Microwavable and dishwasher safe. The five-piece place setting includes an 11" dinner plate, 9" soup/pasta plate, 8 1/4" salad plate and 12-oz. cup and 6 1/4" saucer. $100
CENTERPIECE
Steal: A centerpiece does not have to cost a lot of money to be elegant or beautiful. There are tons of beautiful fall fruits, pumpkins and gords which you can use to make a stylish centerpiece without breaking the bank. We purchased an inexpensive cornucopia from a craft store and filled it with a variety of fall fruits and gords, dressed it with some fake leaves and voila -- a beautiful centerpiece for about $12!
Splurge: Flowers are a great way to make any table or home look beautiful for the holidays. Your local florist can create a gorgeous custom centerpiece for any occasion, but you have to be willing to pay. The centerpiece we had made set us back $150.
WINE
Steal: Beaujolais Nouveau: A red wine made from Gama grapes produced in the Beaujolais region of France. It is officially released for sale on the third Thursday of November making it a very popular bottle to have on the Thanksgiving table. This year the Beaujolais nouveau will retail for $10.
Splurge: Belle Glos Pinot Noir: Clark & Telephone Vineyard 2008: Scarlet in color; bursting with aromas of cinnamon, caramel and hints of ginger-spiced tea. On the palate, the plush weight coats the mouth with more brown spice and sweet oak flavors, layered into the deep blueberry and strawberry base. The viscosity paired with the flavors and lively acidity lead into a long finish with supple tannins. $35
CANDLES
Steal: Candles are a great way to add a nice ambiance to your table, and with a little creativity this can be achieved for free! We took old flower vases and filled them with mixed acorns and cranberries to give us a nice warm fall look and placed tea lights on top. Four of these spread across the table will add a nice glow to the holiday meal.
Splurge: Two big footed vases with big flickering candles will make any holiday table look impressive. These votive hurricane vases are an indispensable tool for creating any number of displays, this footed hurricane provides a tableau of light and reflection. Use them in multiples, or mix them with glassware that you already own. Two vases with candles, $100.
Copyright 2010 CBS. All rights reserved. Some people would think those people are out of their gourd!
From buying the turkey to setting the table, Thanksgiving can get expensive! But it doesn't necessarily have to be.
"Early Show" contributor Katie Lee showcased several "splurge" or "steal" Thanksgiving options for turkeys, table settings, centerpieces, wines and candles:
TURKEY
Steal: Whole Foods Free Range Turkey: The whole foods celebrated free-range birds are raised on Jaindl Turkey Farms in Pennsylvania. These Love Lace breed turkeys are delightfully flavorful. $20 for 10 pound bird
Slurge: D'Artagnan Heritage Turkey: D'Artagnan heritage turkeys are from Standard Bronze and Bourbon Red stock, which are the two original, slow-growing breeds that our farmers raise in a free-range, sustainable environment. They feed on a diet of native grasses, seeds and insects, with no antibiotics or hormones used, and each bird is processed by hand to ensure quality. The result is a superbly clean bird that yields a naturally firm and moist meat with authentic turkey flavor. $130 for 8-11 pound avg.
TABLE SETTING
Steal: Fishs Eddy:: All purpose dinnerware with style and durability. They are sturdy enough to stack and a classic silhouette that puts the "comfort" in home cooking. Each piece sold individually ranging in price from $3-6. Complete five piece set including dinner plate, soup/pasta plate, salad plate, bread and butter plate, and two wine glasses for $30.
Splurge: Pillivuyt Coupe Porcelain Dinnerware Place Settings: From France, this white porcelain dinnerware is as sturdy as it is stylish. The plates and bowls feature a classic coupe design with a gentle contour and sleek rim. Thanks to an innovative formulation of various clays, the porcelain's delicate appearance belies its strength. Dressed up or down with formal or casual linens, flatware and glassware, this versatile dinnerware coordinates easily with patterned pieces. They're made in France by Pillivuyt, a company respected for fine porcelain tableware since 1818. Microwavable and dishwasher safe. The five-piece place setting includes an 11" dinner plate, 9" soup/pasta plate, 8 1/4" salad plate and 12-oz. cup and 6 1/4" saucer. $100
CENTERPIECE
Steal: A centerpiece does not have to cost a lot of money to be elegant or beautiful. There are tons of beautiful fall fruits, pumpkins and gords which you can use to make a stylish centerpiece without breaking the bank. We purchased an inexpensive cornucopia from a craft store and filled it with a variety of fall fruits and gords, dressed it with some fake leaves and voila -- a beautiful centerpiece for about $12!
Splurge: Flowers are a great way to make any table or home look beautiful for the holidays. Your local florist can create a gorgeous custom centerpiece for any occasion, but you have to be willing to pay. The centerpiece we had made set us back $150.
WINE
Steal: Beaujolais Nouveau: A red wine made from Gama grapes produced in the Beaujolais region of France. It is officially released for sale on the third Thursday of November making it a very popular bottle to have on the Thanksgiving table. This year the Beaujolais nouveau will retail for $10.
Splurge: Belle Glos Pinot Noir: Clark & Telephone Vineyard 2008: Scarlet in color; bursting with aromas of cinnamon, caramel and hints of ginger-spiced tea. On the palate, the plush weight coats the mouth with more brown spice and sweet oak flavors, layered into the deep blueberry and strawberry base. The viscosity paired with the flavors and lively acidity lead into a long finish with supple tannins. $35
CANDLES
Steal: Candles are a great way to add a nice ambiance to your table, and with a little creativity this can be achieved for free! We took old flower vases and filled them with mixed acorns and cranberries to give us a nice warm fall look and placed tea lights on top. Four of these spread across the table will add a nice glow to the holiday meal.
Splurge: Two big footed vases with big flickering candles will make any holiday table look impressive. These votive hurricane vases are an indispensable tool for creating any number of displays, this footed hurricane provides a tableau of light and reflection. Use them in multiples, or mix them with glassware that you already own. Two vases with candles, $100.
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Just as a side note- in addition to their beauty, studies show there are many positive benefits to giving and receiving flowers. Perhaps at some point this topic could be explored on your program. Do you remember the last time you received flowers? The first time? I'd venture to guess you do- if you stopped to think about them, you could probably remember how they made you feel. Those flowers may have only lasted a week or so and the vase or basket ended up in the yard sale, but the memories............