Family · November 4, 2026
Set One More Place
When the holidays start getting close, I don't think first about recipes or shopping lists. I think about the table, and about who's going to be sitting around it.
My love for cooking and baking started at home. I'll always remember my dad making big family meals around the holidays, and my grandma and my mom baking together in the kitchen. Those are the pictures that come back to me every year when the weather finally cools off a little here in Florida and the calendar flips to November.
A big meal means a full table
There's something about a big holiday meal that says "you belong here" before anyone says a word. When my dad cooked for the holidays, it was never a small affair. It was a big family meal, and big family meals have a way of making room for everybody.
That's what I want to talk about this Thanksgiving: the open table. The idea that when you're cooking for a crowd anyway, there's always room for one more. One more chair. One more plate. One more person who might not have anywhere else to be.
The smell of home
If you asked me what got me into baking, I'd tell you it was a smell. The smell of fresh bread and cookies coming out of the kitchen, with my grandma and my mom working side by side. That smell turned into a joy for me, and it's a joy I still feel every single time I open the oven.
I think that's why I love baking for other people's holidays now. When you bring a platter of cookies to a family gathering, you're not just bringing dessert. You're bringing that feeling, the one that says somebody took time and care to make this for you. I pour love into every bite, because that's what was poured into the food I grew up around.
Why one more place matters
Here's something I believe with my whole heart: the extra chair isn't really about the food. It's about the person.
Maybe it's a coworker who moved to Florida and doesn't have family nearby. Maybe it's a neighbor spending the first holiday alone this year. Maybe it's a friend of a friend who heard there was going to be a lot of food. The holidays can be the loneliest days of the year for a lot of people, and one invitation can change that.
The Bible puts it plainly:
"Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." — Hebrews 13:2 (KJV)
I love that verse because it reminds me that hospitality isn't about impressing anyone. It's about making room. You never know who God is sending to your table, or what one evening might mean to them.
You don't need a bigger house
I can hear some of you already: "That sounds lovely, Toni, but my kitchen is tiny and my budget is tight." I understand. The open table has never been about square footage or spending more. A few ideas that help:
- Borrow chairs, don't buy them. Folding chairs from church, a neighbor, or a friend work just fine.
- Let people bring something. Guests love to contribute. Ask for a side, a bag of ice, or paper plates. It takes pressure off you and helps them feel like part of the family.
- Cook one big pan, not ten little dishes. A big tray of something hearty stretches to feed extra people without extra stress.
- Get dessert done ahead. This one is my favorite, so let's talk about it.
A baker's tip: let dessert wait for you
Dessert is the easiest part of the holiday to get done early, and getting it done early is a gift to your future self.
Crisp cookies like biscotti hold up well when they're made a few days ahead and kept in an airtight tin at room temperature. And here's one for my fellow Floridians: humidity is the enemy of a crisp cookie. Keep crisp cookies in a separate container from soft ones. If you mix them together, the moisture from the soft cookies will soften the crisp ones overnight.
And when the big meal is done and everyone is pushing back from the table, that's when the coffee comes out and the cookie platter goes around. People linger. The stories come out. Nobody wants to be the first one to leave.
Gratitude is the main course
Thanksgiving is right there in the name. Before the plates are filled, take a moment to pause and give thanks, even if it's short and even if the kids are wiggling.
"O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever." — Psalm 107:1 (KJV)
If your family doesn't usually share out loud, try something simple this year: go around the table and have everyone name one thing they're thankful for. The little ones might say "pizza" or "my dog," and that's perfect. The guest who came alone might surprise you with how much they have to say.
This year, look around
So here's my challenge for you this Thanksgiving. Before you finalize the headcount, think about who might be missing a seat somewhere. Then set one more place.
It doesn't have to be fancy. It just has to be sincere. A warm plate, a folding chair, and someone saying "We're so glad you came" can mean more than you'll ever know.
I really do believe that with special ingredients, Jesus and love, all things are possible. A full table is one of them.
Let me help with dessert
If your table is getting bigger this year and you'd like one less thing to bake, I'd love to help. My holiday cookie platters come in three sizes, with butter cookies, rainbow cookies, anisette and biscotti, ready to pass around with the coffee.
Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26, and I ask for holiday orders at least one week ahead, so please order by Thursday, November 19. You can order here or call me at (321) 258-1570.
From my table to yours: there's always room for one more.
With love, Toni