When it comes to feasting on Thanksgiving day the turkey is the star of the show so it's only natural to display it on something beautiful. And since large serving platters aren't as prone to being broken or worn out by daily use it seems worthwhile to invest in one you'll be proud to show off on special occasions like Thanksgiving and other gatherings for years to come. So what kind of platter will go best with your Turkey Day tabletop decor? Whether you choose one that matches your dinnerware or one that stands out on its own, there's literally thousands of choices out there -- see the gallery below for some ideas!

This is a fun idea for a cocktail party. The Solitaire olive dish designed by Barnaby Barford and Andre Klauser for Thorsten Van Elten lets you play a little game while eating your hors d'ouevres, gradually working your way to clean plate victory. The dish holds 100 pieces and there are four wells that can be used for olive pits or other discards. This dish could probably work with any other small spheroid edible. It measures 7.9" x 7.9" x 1.2"h in glazed earthenware and sells for $55.

Store your music, and add to it as you choose, on a 17-inch touch screen monitor with the Sooloos media system. It links to every room in your house, plus you can synchronize it at multiple residences. The system features storage, playback and control components that can be combined in a number of configurations. This is a new concept and a new product, so for those more technically-oriented who want to know more, go here to get the details, as we patiently wait for the site to get up and running. I just like the look of it, and would love to be able to get all my music going with just a few fingertip movements. If only I had $13,000 ...

These aren't what I usually think of when I think of cocktail rings but these have more of a purpose than just to dazzle bystanders. The FingerFood Rings from Fred & Friends are packs of 12 reusable plates that fit on your finger and hold small hors d'ouevres. Definitely a risky idea for those who talk with their hands or who have an interest in eating more than one canape at a time but I can see them perhaps serving a function similar to the white spoons that often hold an amuse bouche. They could look quite cute all topped and arranged on a tray.

[via CNET]

This is one cool gadget for your holiday parties. A portable device that can create a one pound block of dry ice in around one minute. Dry ice is a superfast coolant for foods and beverages. Plus it looks really neat. It would be wonderful for Halloween festivities. The device from Hammacher Schlemmer requires a connection to a cylinder of compressed liquid CO2 with a dip tube or siphon which must be purchased from local gas dealers or a welding supply shop. One 50-lb. CO2 cylinder at room temperature yields up to 11 blocks of dry ice and handling requires use of insulated gloves, also not included So it's a teensy bit complicated. Still cool though. . It sells for $499.95.

For those looking to outfit their beach house or yacht, Dining by the Sea is a new online store that specializes in entertaining accessories for the outdoor lifestyle. They stock coolers for wine bottles, tablecloth weights, portable picnic tables, and a variety of picnic baskets, some with rollers like carryon luggage. This Planet Earth ice bucket would be a great accessory for entertaining on a yacht and sells for $199.

Are you serious about homemade pizza? If you are ready to experience the next step beyond the pizza stone it is probably this handmade wood-fired terra cotta oven which is made in Portugal. When fueled by hardwoods the oven produces spectacular heat which builds up in the oven chamber and and then dissipates through the outer shell. The oven comes with an oven rack, cover, stand, pizza paddle and a brush. It weighs an impressive 350 pounds and sells for $2,000.

This cheese set represents the vision of one cheese guru, Alberto Marcomini, an Italian known as one of the world's top cheese experts. The set of cheese knives includes a hard cheese knife, fork tipped service knife, large semi-hard cheese knife and a soft cheese knife in one side of a large box. The other side holds a small semi-hard cheese knife, marbled and soft cheese knife, cheese spreading spatula, Parmesan knife, two-handled Coltella knife and a serving fork. The entire comes in a pine presentation box with leather straps and the box lid serves as a cutting board and presentation tray. The ultimate set for making a professional display of fine cheeses. It sells for $2,000.

These would make a fun hostess gift to bring to a party with a bottle of your favorite tipple. The set of six shot glasses is from Waterford and are engraved with six different words for cheers in six different languages. The set sells for $49 and is part of Waterford's lower priced Vintage Collection, a set of home basics for building your bar.

The Entertaible is being developed by Philips as a social gaming device, meant to be installed in restaurants and bars to get patrons together, but it is being considered for making the transition to the home market as an alternative to non-digital gaming tables. The table has a 32-inch horizontal touch-sensitive LDC screen at its center, which can detect up to 45 separate objects, whether fingers or game pieces, on its interface. It can be used for video games and as a board game base with physical pieces, which makes playing Sorry! seem a little more exciting.

[via SciFi Tech]

Leave it to Philippe Starck to turn something as simple as plastic dinnerware into a chance for design. His Lux Collection brings the fancy to your more casual summer gatherings (or those large parties where things need to be kept light and easy to clean). The collection includes gold or silver plastic cutlery as well as plates that have a little projection that you can mount a Lux Collection glass, cup, bowl. Perfect for garden parties where you are often left standing with a glass in one hand, a plate in the other and no way to partake of either.  The nine-inch plates come in gold, silver, bronze and terracotta and sell for $20 for a package of six.

One of the best things about summer is the chance to spend some time outside enjoying the sun on hot days and the warm, fragrant air at night. There is no better way to enjoy that than with a big, cold drink, but it certainly doesn't hurt if you have a few friends over and fire up the grill, as well. Here, we're rounding up some of the best summer entertaining accessories, from barware to real umbrellas. We're going beyond the standard table and chairs because, let's face it, you're not going to get very far without those. It's the extras that give a party a little something special.

Avoid unpleasant smoke and ashes floating out over your guests with this Gas Firepit (above) from Smith and Hawkin. There is minimal set up and little maintenance to be done to keep it in top shape and it is lightweight enough - made of crushed stone and fiberglass, not concrete - that it can be moved whenever needed. $699.