# Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinner Serveware: A Checklist with Sizes

By the Urban Picks team · Updated October 30, 2026

Hosting Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner calls for pieces most kitchens use only a few times a year: a board to carve on, a platter for the slices, a boat for the gravy, pans for the pies and a cover for dessert. Before you buy, check each one against your menu and your table: the roasting pan, the pie recipe, the length of the table and how the piece is washed. This checklist goes through the meal in order, with the measurements of our pieces so you can compare them with your own kitchen and table.

## Key takeaways

- Give every dish on the menu a piece to be served in, then measure the table those pieces go on.
- Carve on a board with a rim that holds the juices, and bring the slices to the table on a platter.
- An 8 oz gravy boat holds one cup: set one at each end of a long table or refill it from the stove.
- Use the pan size your pie recipe gives; our 10 in pan comes with a domed lid for making ahead and carrying.
- A 72 in runner hangs 6 in over each end of a 60 in table; measure yours before choosing a length.
- For Christmas dinner, order by Thursday, December 10 for the best chance of delivery by December 24.

## Start with the menu, then measure the table

Write the menu down by course and give every dish something to be served in. The roast needs a board to carve on and a platter for the slices; gravy needs a boat; each pie needs its own pan and a place to wait, covered, until dessert. Whatever is left without a piece is what to buy.

Then measure the table, length and width, and count the places. The length decides the runner, the width decides how much room is left down the middle for platters, and the number of places decides how many napkins you need.

Check how each piece is washed, too. Our acacia tray and our uncoated aluminum pie pan are hand wash only, so plan sink time for them after dinner.

## A carving board that holds the juices

Carving is easier on a board that keeps the roast in place and the juices off the counter. Our double-sided carving board has a meat grip in the center of one side, and a sloped base with a raised rim that collects juices and crumbs as you cut. When you are done, pour them off from a corner.

Turn the board over for the smooth side, ready for vegetables and bread for the rest of the meal. Stainless-steel handles give you something to lift it by, and rubber edges help it grip the worktop.

It comes in two sizes, each 0.98 in thick and in black or red: Large, 16.14 x 11.42 in, and XL, 18.54 x 13.15 in. To choose, measure the inside of the roasting pan you use: a board longer than the pan has room for the roast once it comes out.

## A platter for the carved slices

Carving in the kitchen and bringing the slices out keeps the board and its juices off the dining table.

Our 16 in oval platter measures 15.75 x 10.63 in and stands 0.75 in high, with a raised polished rim around a recessed center. It is 18/8 stainless steel with a mirror finish, so it brings shine to the table without glass or ceramic. The shallow shape suits sliced turkey, ham or roast laid flat in overlapping rows, and before the meal it holds appetizers.

## Gravy at the table: what an 8 oz boat holds

Our gravy boat holds 8 oz, which is one cup. For a long table, set one at each end, or keep the rest of the gravy warm on the stove and refill the boat as it goes around.

It is stainless steel with a polished silver-tone finish and measures 8.25 x 3.75 x 3.75 in. A shaped spout pours, a loop handle gives you a grip while you tip it, and a pedestal base raises the bowl above the tabletop.

## Pie pans: 9 in or 10 in

Start with the pan size your recipe gives, because the amount of filling is written for it.

Our 9 in pie pan has 1.5 in sides and measures 10 x 10 in across the rim. It is aluminized steel with a silicone nonstick coating that helps the crust release, a corrugated base that lets air circulate under the pie, and a reinforced wire rim. It is oven-safe up to 450°F and comes without a lid.

Our 10 in pie pan is deeper inside, 10 x 10 x 1.75 in, and made of uncoated aluminum with a galvanized steel reinforcement in the rim. It comes with a high-domed clear plastic lid that leaves room above meringue and other delicate toppings, for a pie baked the day before or carried to someone else's dinner. Take the lid off to bake; the pan is hand wash only.

## Dessert under a cover

Dessert often waits through the main course. A domed stand keeps it covered and in sight until it is time to serve.

Our cake stand is 12.6 in across and 9.5 in tall with the dome in place. Inside, it has room for a dessert up to 10.6 in across and 5 in high, and the dome twists onto the scalloped base to lock. The base is sea glass and the fluted dome translucent, both BPA-free and melamine-free plastic.

A pie baked in our 9 in pan, 10 in across the rim and 1.5 in high, fits within that space. For a layer cake, measure its height with the frosting before you choose a stand.

## A tray to carry it all

A tray with handles saves trips between the kitchen and the table: the gravy boat, butter and rolls go out together, and later the coffee and dessert plates.

Our acacia serving tray measures 19.88 x 14 x 2.5 in overall, with 17.25 x 11.375 in of flat space on the bottom inside the curved sides. Cutout handles at both ends give you two places to grip. The wood shows varied grain and knots, so each tray looks a little different.

Wash it by hand with mild soap and cool water and dry it thoroughly; do not soak it or put it in the dishwasher.

## Runner length: measure the table first

A runner covers the middle of the table and leaves the top bare on either side, so both its length and its width matter.

Our plaid runner is 14 in wide and 72 in long. On a 60 in table it hangs 6 in over each end; on a 72 in table it ends at the edges; on a longer table it stops short and leaves the top bare at both ends. On a 36 in wide table it leaves 11 in on each side. It is 100% cotton in a red, green and cream plaid with mitered corners, and it can be machine washed and tumble dried.

Our snowflake runner is cotton burlap with metallic accents and a fringed edge, shaped as a long hexagon with tapered points. It comes in 12 x 36 in, antique white with dove gray snowflakes and silver accents, or 12 x 60 in, dove gray with silver snowflakes. The 36 in length fits a small or round table, or sits under a centerpiece.

## Napkins for every place

Count the places at the table. Our mistletoe napkins come six to a set, so a table of twelve takes two sets.

Each napkin is 20 x 20 in and 100% cotton, red with white border stripes and a mistletoe of green leaves and white berries embroidered near one corner. Fold it with that corner on top so the mistletoe shows beside the plate.

Wash them cold and dry on low heat; take them out while slightly damp to reduce wrinkles, and use a low iron if needed.

## Order in time

For Christmas dinner, order by Thursday, December 10 for the best chance of delivery by December 24.

Whatever the holiday, leave time to wash each new piece and set it on your table once before the day. That is when a short runner or a crowded middle of the table shows up.

Unused items can be returned within 30 days. Return shipping is on the buyer unless the item arrived damaged, defective or wrong.

## Our holiday serveware side by side

Sizes and care are given where we have them.

| Product | Product | Use it for | Size | Material | Good to know |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Double-Sided Carving Board with Meat Grip](https://urban-picks.com/products/double-sided-carving-board-meat-grip) | Carving board with meat grip | Carving the roast; flip for prep | Large 16.14 x 11.42 in; XL 18.54 x 13.15 in | Polypropylene, stainless-steel handles, rubber edges | Rim collects juices; pour corner |
| [16 in Oval Serving Platter with Polished Rim](https://urban-picks.com/products/16-in-oval-serving-platter-polished-rim) | 16 in oval platter | Carved slices and appetizers | 15.75 x 10.63 x 0.75 in | 18/8 stainless steel | Mirror finish, raised rim |
| [8 oz Gravy Boat with Pedestal Base and Handle](https://urban-picks.com/products/8-oz-gravy-boat-pedestal-base-handle) | 8 oz gravy boat | Gravy at the table | 8 oz; 8.25 x 3.75 x 3.75 in | Stainless steel | Spout, loop handle, pedestal base |
| [9 in Pie Pan with Corrugated Nonstick Base](https://urban-picks.com/products/9-in-pie-pan-corrugated-nonstick-base) | 9 in pie pan | Pies from 9 in recipes | 9 in; 1.5 in sides; 10 x 10 in across the rim | Aluminized steel, silicone nonstick coating | Oven-safe to 450°F; no lid |
| [10 in Pie Pan with High Dome Storage Lid, Aluminum](https://urban-picks.com/products/10-in-aluminum-pie-pan-high-dome-storage-lid) | 10 in pie pan with domed lid | A topped pie made ahead or carried | Inside 10 x 10 x 1.75 in | Uncoated aluminum; plastic lid | Hand wash only; lid off to bake |
| [13 in Cake Stand with Locking Dome, Plastic, Sea Glass](https://urban-picks.com/products/cake-stand-locking-dome-plastic-sea-glass) | Cake stand with locking dome | Cake or pie, covered until dessert | 12.6 in across; room inside 10.6 in across, 5 in high | BPA-free, melamine-free plastic | Twist-lock dome |
| [Serving Tray with Curved Sides and Cutout Handles](https://urban-picks.com/products/serving-tray-curved-sides-cutout-handles) | Acacia serving tray | Carrying dishes; appetizers, coffee | 19.88 x 14 x 2.5 in | Acacia wood | Hand wash; do not soak |
| [72 in Table Runner with Orchard Plaid, Multi](https://urban-picks.com/products/orchard-plaid-cotton-table-runner-14x72) | Plaid table runner | A table of 72 in or less | 14 x 72 in | 100% cotton | Machine wash; tumble dry |
| [Snowflake Table Runner with Fringed Cotton Burlap](https://urban-picks.com/products/snowflake-table-runner-fringed-cotton-burlap) | Snowflake table runner | A winter table or centerpiece | 12 x 36 in or 12 x 60 in | Cotton burlap with metallic accents | Fringed edges |
| [20 in Cotton Napkins with Mistletoe, Set of 6, Red](https://urban-picks.com/products/cotton-dinner-napkins-mistletoe-set-of-6-red) | Mistletoe napkins, set of 6 | Six place settings | 20 x 20 in each | 100% cotton | Wash cold; dry low |

## Questions

- **What serving pieces do I need to host Thanksgiving dinner?** A board to carve the turkey on, a platter for the slices, a gravy boat, a pan for each pie and a stand or cover for dessert. Add a tray to carry dishes to the table, a runner and a cloth napkin for each place.
- **Is a 16 in platter big enough for a turkey?** Our 16 in oval platter measures 15.75 x 10.63 in and is shallow, 0.75 in high. Use it for carved slices: carve the bird on a board with a juice rim, then lay the slices on the platter.
- **How long should a table runner be for my table?** Measure the table first. Our 72 in plaid runner hangs 6 in over each end of a 60 in table and ends at the edges of a 72 in one; our snowflake runner comes in 36 in and 60 in lengths.
- **Can a pie go under a cake dome?** Our cake stand has room for a dessert up to 10.6 in across and 5 in high under its dome. Our 9 in pie pan is 10 in across the rim and 1.5 in high, so a pie baked in it fits.
- **Which of these pieces need hand washing?** The acacia tray: wash it by hand with mild soap and cool water, do not soak it, and dry it thoroughly. The 10 in aluminum pie pan is hand wash only. The plaid runner can be machine washed and tumble dried, and the napkins are washed cold and dried on low heat.

## Related picks

- [Double-Sided Carving Board with Meat Grip](https://urban-picks.com/products/double-sided-carving-board-meat-grip): from $41.99 · in stock · Free US shipping ([Markdown](https://urban-picks.com/products/double-sided-carving-board-meat-grip.md))
  Carve on the grip side, then flip for everyday prep.
- [16 in Oval Serving Platter with Polished Rim](https://urban-picks.com/products/16-in-oval-serving-platter-polished-rim): $20.99 · in stock · Free US shipping ([Markdown](https://urban-picks.com/products/16-in-oval-serving-platter-polished-rim.md))
  A reflective oval frame for the food you want to share.
- [8 oz Gravy Boat with Pedestal Base and Handle](https://urban-picks.com/products/8-oz-gravy-boat-pedestal-base-handle): $12.99 · in stock · Free US shipping ([Markdown](https://urban-picks.com/products/8-oz-gravy-boat-pedestal-base-handle.md))
  A small pour for the dinner table.
- [9 in Pie Pan with Corrugated Nonstick Base](https://urban-picks.com/products/9-in-pie-pan-corrugated-nonstick-base): $24.99 · in stock · Free US shipping ([Markdown](https://urban-picks.com/products/9-in-pie-pan-corrugated-nonstick-base.md))
  A ridged steel base for your next homemade pie.
- [10 in Pie Pan with High Dome Storage Lid, Aluminum](https://urban-picks.com/products/10-in-aluminum-pie-pan-high-dome-storage-lid): $34.99 · in stock · Free US shipping ([Markdown](https://urban-picks.com/products/10-in-aluminum-pie-pan-high-dome-storage-lid.md))
  Leave room above the pie for delicate toppings.
- [13 in Cake Stand with Locking Dome, Plastic, Sea Glass](https://urban-picks.com/products/cake-stand-locking-dome-plastic-sea-glass): $54.99 · in stock · Free US shipping ([Markdown](https://urban-picks.com/products/cake-stand-locking-dome-plastic-sea-glass.md))
  A scalloped pedestal for serving, with a twist-lock cover.
- [Serving Tray with Curved Sides and Cutout Handles](https://urban-picks.com/products/serving-tray-curved-sides-cutout-handles): $63.99 · in stock · Free US shipping ([Markdown](https://urban-picks.com/products/serving-tray-curved-sides-cutout-handles.md))
  Carry snacks to the table with a grip at each end.
- [72 in Table Runner with Orchard Plaid, Multi](https://urban-picks.com/products/orchard-plaid-cotton-table-runner-14x72): $17.99 · in stock · Free US shipping ([Markdown](https://urban-picks.com/products/orchard-plaid-cotton-table-runner-14x72.md))
  Red and green plaid for the center of your dining table

[More in Kitchen & Dining](https://urban-picks.com/collections/kitchen) ([Markdown](https://urban-picks.com/collections/kitchen.md))

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