 The painting shows an <unk> matriarch presenting a roasted turkey to a family of several generations , in Rockwell 's idealistic presentation of family values . The patriarch looks on with fondness and approval from the head of the table , which is the central element of the painting . Its creased tablecloth shows that this is a special occasion for " sharing what we have with those we love " , according to Lennie Bennett . The table has a bowl of fruit , celery , pickles , and what appears to be cranberry sauce . There is a covered silver serving dish that would traditionally hold potatoes , according to Richard Halpern , but Bennett describes this as a covered casserole dish . The servings are less prominent than the presentation of white linen , white plates and water @-@ filled glasses . The people in the painting are not yet eating , and the painting contrasts the empty plates and vacant space in their midst with images of overabundance . 
