It happens every year without fail — we always think that we have more time before the holidays, to only realize that they’re just around the corner.

Case in point — I thought I had all the time in the world to prepare for Thanksgiving, but we’re already in November and I have nothing. By now, I usually have my menu and most of the ingredients ready, and I have nothing so far. It’s time to go shopping.

On a serious note, the best way to avoid holiday stress is to prepare early. Now, this really applies to everything in life, but especially during the holiday season. Doing so allows you to actually enjoy this time, rather than running around, getting everything ready.

The menu is likely the most important part of holiday planning, but I think getting an idea of a table setting should be equally important. It’s just one of those things that adds a festive mood and look, and makes everything more enjoyable, especially if you are a visual person. I think it’s nice to differentiate the holidays from the day-to-day, which is probably why the holiday decor was “invented”.

Scroll below for table-setting ideas for Thanksgiving and Christmas. *Please reload the page if you don’t see the images.

For a centerpiece for your Thanksgiving table, I suggest placing a dried wheat bouquet directly on the table in a semi-circle and “covering” the stalks with these velvet pumpkins by arranging them right in the middle. Refer to the image above for a visual.

When it comes to Christmas table setting, may I suggest keeping it simple (everything else will already be decorated enough), and sprinkling a few of these crackled glass balls like this one, this one, and/or this set of two. They’re illuminated, so they will add atmosphere, without having to worry about open flames.