As my daughter, Amanda, learned last week in pre- school, the first Thanksgiving dinner was a gathering of family and new friends. Fast forward to the 21st century and nothing has changed. We still celebrate with family and friends, but the dynamics have changed as guests arrive from all corners of the world. Sometimes, this melange of guests can worry the hostess, especially when it comes time to sit down at the table. So, I have a clever idea for assigning seats without too much thinking.

In a bowl, assemble pairs of things - a pair of earrings, a pair of dice, two buttons or two Queen of Hearts (in case there really is a match to be made!). Assemble as many objects as there are guests. As the guests arrive, ask them to select one object. Before dinner, ask your guests to find their other "pair" and have a seat.

As the Staples ad states "It's that easy."