How Your Favorite Designers, Authors, and More Celebrate Thanksgiving

The food we serve, the dishes we use, the things we do...on this day, it's all about the comfort of customs. Here, 10 tastemakers - including designers, authors, event planners, and a chef - share their holiday traditions.

1. Turkey Plates
"I have a small set of transferware turkey plates from my grandmother that I pull out when I'm feeling nostalgic - especially if my mother is coming. They're not chic, but they are very homey." -Carolyne Roehm, Author, Flowers

2. Cast-Iron Pot
"I'm the go-to turkey guy. Usually I brine in a cast-iron pot, anything from a nice Le Creuset to an inexpensive canning pot. But last year, my turkey was so obscenely big - a 30-pounder - that I ran to Home Depot for a plastic barrel!" -Nathan Turner, Interior Designer

3. After-Meal Walk
"I love the long, restorative walk we take at dusk. We call it 'Boots,' after one particularly muddy outing a decade ago. Some grown people smoke cigars, other small ones are towed in a little red wagon. Eating, rest for an hour, then: 'Boots!'"-Sam Sifton, Author, Thanksgiving: How to Cook It Well

More: Gorgeous Ideas for Your Fall Table

4. Kids' Table
"I love setting a beautiful table for the under-13 set, complete with See's chocolate turkeys for place cards." -Danielle Rollins, Author, Soirée: Entertaining with Style

5. Copper Cups
"We go to my husband's family's farm in North Carolina, where we end the evening with a big bonfire by the lake. We drink red wine or bourbon warmed up in old farm-ish copper cups and tell stories about the people who aren't with us anymore." -Amanda Nisbet, Interior Designer

6. Cider
"We always start with hot cups of cider infused with cinnamon, orange, cloves, and allspice - spiked with a jigger of rum for the adults. After a few sips, everyone is perfectly relaxed and thankful to be together." -Annie Falk, Event Planner

7. Oven-to-Table
"It's very oven-to-table here - I use my red ramekin-style pie dishes and bring everything out warm." -Amy Atlas, Event Planner

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8. Pumpkin Soup
"I always serve a traditional spiced pumpkin soup. A soup can be left to simmer on the stove until you're ready to sit down, so it gives you flexibility. That peace of mind goes a long way - especially for a host with so many dishes to prepare and serve hot!" -Colin Cowie, Event Planner

9. Festive Centerpiece
"I make a centerpiece of harvest bounty: broccoli, squash, cauliflower, persimmon, pomegranate, quince, and apples. It's definitely a conversation starter, and it all can be used later." -Lidia Bastianich, Chef/Restaurateur

10. Feather Hats
"At my mom's house, we have a hokey tradition of wearing feather hats, or at least placing them on the table and seeing who has enough wine to put one on. The most intimate moments are when everyone feels right being silly." -Celerie Kemble, Interior Designer

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