(girl)friendsgiving guide

We’re suckers for any holiday that celebrates coming together with food so naturally when the
first taste of fall comes around our wheels start turning about Thanksgiving. Here’s a few of
Loot’s essentials for hosting a sure-fire (girl)friendsgiving.

We chose our rustic Cartwright table to gather around. We love its farmhouse feel but wanted to add
in some fall color. Instead of covering it with a tablecloth we used our signature cheesecloth runners.
These are a great way to elevate your table with minimal effort. If they get a little messy from grazing,
just throw them in the wash to revive them for your next gathering!

Show off your charcuterie skills with a styled cheese plate. Grab whatever fruit and
veggies are in season and get to slicing. Pair with your go-to cheeses, our faves are brie for a
warm option, blue cheese, & chevre, but let’s be real. We’re hard pressed to name a cheese we don’t fancy.

Once your guests have enjoyed a pre-dinner snack, it’s time to serve up your signature cocktail.
We chose something warm we could enjoy outside or post up with at dinner. Enter, our specialty
spiked wassail. Have a table full of kiddos or someone skipping alcohol? Lucky for them this bevvy tastes delicious all on its own. Here’s what you’ll need!

-4 cups apple cider
-2 lemons, sliced
-1 cinnamon stick
-1/2 inch nub fresh ginger, peeled & grated
-3 star anise (we also used them as a garnish in each glass)
– 1/2 vanilla bean,slit down the middle with insides scooped out
(1/4 ounce vanilla extract will also work!
-Bourbon (we used Bulleit)

Mix everything but the bourbon in a saucepan and let simmer for at least 30 minutes,
closer to an hour if you can. Pour into your fave cocktail glass, add in bourbon, garnish with
star anise & blood orange slice. Cheers y’all!

What’s the holidays without a little homemade touch? We wanted to share a fun DIY you could easily
do at home to add something unique to your table! All you’ll need is a little patience and Sculpey clay.
You can find this clay at your local craft store.

We made spiral candlestick holders to add in some texture to our table. The clay comes in a wide array
of colors so you’ll be set no matter your theme! The key is to shape your holders to the candlesticks
you’re using to ensure a secure fit.

Once you’ve created your desired design, pop it in the oven for about 45 minutes and you’ve got your
very own candlestick holders! Have some leftover clay? Make up some napkin holders or let the kids
take the lead for a post dinner activity.

We’re big believers in the power of a good playlist. Whether you’ve got too many cooks in the kitchen
or just need a little encouragement to wake you up early for turkey duty. We’ve got just the playlist you need. You can expect some classics and a few unexpected hits guaranteed to get you groovin
while you make the gravy. Hell, you may even do the mashed potato!

Last but not least, we can’t forget possibly the most important part of Thanksgiving – dessert. We gave ourselves a little break from the kitchen and picked up pecan & pumpkin chai pies from Tiny Pies.
Small but mighty, these pies go quick! We’re still drooling just thinking about them.