Thanksgiving? What Thanksgiving? They were already decorating the Christmas tree at Pottery Barn last week, even though it was barely November.

	Victoria Arocho, Associated Press Heather Chadduck, design editor at Cottage Living magazine, recommends only two Thanksgiving-specific items for the table on that holiday, a turkey platter and a gravy boat. She also says to look outdoors for inspiration. Click photo for larger image.

Indeed, Thanksgiving table decor tends to be the orphan stepchild in the eyes of retailers, with a few exceptions. At Williams-Sonoma, there were gravy boats shaped like turkeys, and at Z Gallerie on the South Side, a table was set with large glazed porcelain pumpkins nestled inside soup bowls, which were in turn nestled inside salad plates atop dinner plates atop chargers.

The effect was stunning, even if a bit impractical: Once people sit down, what do you do with all that stuff?

Setting a stylish table for Thanksgiving doesn't have to be complicated, says Heather Chadduck, design editor for Cottage Living, an upscale shelter magazine whose motto is "comfort, simplicity and style."

First of all, "I try not to overdo it on holiday-specific items," said Ms. Chadduck, whose own cottagey house in Birmingham, Ala., does not have a lot of storage space. Instead, she has, over the years, collected dishes and flatware that can be used on holidays year-round.

Her china, for example, is Ironstone, from England, and it's white -- sort of.

"It's all white, but some of the pieces are 100 years old or more, and the finishes are different, but it doesn't matter; I mix it all together and it looks great."

Ms. Chadduck loves tablecloths, but notes that runners -- long narrow strips of fabric that run down the center of the table -- are increasingly popular, mainly because they don't need as much laundering. They don't have to be pricey, either -- a strip of burlap fabric from a craft store will cost a few dollars and lend your table a rustic look.

For those who can't decide which to use -- tablecloth or runner -- use both, she added. "You can start with a white tablecloth and add a runner in a pumpkin or chocolate brown shade."

Be sure that your candles or centerpieces don't block the view. Have them either be low or very high, but not at eye level. Her own table is long and narrow, featuring several low arrangements of leaves and fruit.

"It's all about not interrupting the view of your guests," she said.

Some people might have two wine goblets -- one for red, one for white -- plus a water glass on the table, but one wine glass and one water goblet are just fine, she said.

"There are etiquette books that tell you how to set the table and tell you what an olive fork is, or a cranberry spoon. You could buy seven different forks to go with your silver set, but most people aren't going to do that."

And while her goblets are silver, they'd look terrific in any setting.

"I'm a big fan of mixing high and low," she said. "I'll use napkins from Pier 1 with my silver water goblets. It's a great look."

In fact, there are really only two Thanksgiving-specific items she'd recommend purchasing: an oversized turkey platter and a gravy boat, "and for everything else you can use what you already have."

She'd also add a tureen to that list. "It's a great serving piece, but you can also remove the lid and use the bottom for a centerpiece. Pile it full of gorgeous purple grapes, pears and a few fall leaves, and you've got a beautiful autumnal centerpiece."

Indeed, you could shell out $59 for a faux pomegranate swag at Pottery Barn and not regret it -- it'll last for years. Or pay $9 for some plastic -- but fairly realistic looking -- gourds at the supermarket. Or you could, weather permitting, find your decorations outdoors. "You can hunt and gather from around the house and find things you already have, from leaves to branches to berries," said Ms. Chadduck.

What about those funny large round plates called "chargers" that in fancy restaurants are taken away as soon as you sit down?

"Chargers? They're just another layer of pretty," Ms. Chadduck said. She doesn't use them "but my mother uses them for every holiday. But she's way more traditional than I am."

To be sure, tradition is good, especially at Thanksgiving. But aim for a kind of new traditionalism: Have place cards at the table, but instead of boring, folded white cards, use autumn leaves -- or paper cutouts of them -- and write the guest's name on it with a gold paint pen, place the leaf on the napkin and tie it with twine or sisal.

In the end, relax, and use your decorations to remember what the holiday is for, the way a friend of hers did a few years ago.

"She folded linen napkins in a pocket shape, and then placed a card at each place with the guest's name on it in the pocket, along with a pretty twig pencil. At the beginning of dinner, she had each person write down on the card what they were thankful for, and then at the end of the dinner she gathered them and read them all out loud. It was really lovely."