For my family, Thanksgiving is a time to come together to create some simple yet creative decorations that symbolize this beautiful festival and its traditions. By using imagination and simple items, it is possible to turn out lovely Thanksgiving arrangements, centerpieces and table decorations.
Thanksgiving festivities and décor are just as colorful and abundant as those of Christmas. Families come together and offer thanks for all the blessings and goodness that has filled their lives. According to History.com, Thanksgiving was first celebrated in 1621. The celebration was a harvest meal, which since then “has become a symbol of cooperation between English colonists and American Indians.” Here are some Thanksgiving decorating ideas to bring life and color to your Thanksgiving table this year.
Creating Thanksgiving Décor with the Family
Since Thanksgiving is a time for family, it is a good idea to create decorations with your kids and other family members. Decide on a décor or color theme for the Thanksgiving table and then work your way around it. Choose autumn/fall colors like orange, yellow, red and tone it down with some cream or pale yellow. Have kids and even older family members pick leaves in these colors, then stick them on place cards and write the names by hand.
The Yankee Magazine’s Living Well on a Shoestring (p.350) suggests making inexpensive place cards in the shape of a turkey simply by tracing your hand and drawing the turkey’s “feathers” on finger and “eyes” on the thumb. Similarly, place mats can be made by sticking fall leaves artistically on construction paper and laminating it by covering both sides with contact paper.
Using Fruits and Vegetables for Thanksgiving Table Decorations
Fruits and vegetables are appropriate table decorations for Thanksgiving simply because the Thanksgiving meal symbolizes gratitude for the harvest bounty. So, artfully grouped bunches of colorful pumpkins, squashes and greens or bouquets of fruits will all look beautiful as centerpieces for a Thanksgiving table. Simply arranging a lush green bough of grape leaves or a glass bowl of ruby-red pomegranates. According to Living Well on a Shoestring, one can easily create a Thanksgiving cornucopia by filling a large basket with the fruits of fall (p.350).
Thanksgiving Floral Centerpieces and Arrangements
If fruits and vegetables are not your idea of a centerpiece, flowers and candles can easily add color and life to the Thanksgiving table. You can easily make your own dry or fresh flower arrangements using brightly colored blooms from the home garden. Tone down the brightness of the flowers by using vases with simple lines and pale colors. Use a dash of imagination to create a unique floral arrangement that would complement the Thanksgiving feast.
Some More Thanksgiving Decorating Ideas
- Use fall colors such as oranges, yellows, creams and reds for the table and other decorations.
- While natural lighting works best, you can add glimmer and style to the dinner table by using tapers or votives for a warm glow.
- Scent the air with homemade potpourri, incense or herb sachets.
- Use small-sized pumpkins to create vases and candle-holders. Simply cut off the top and scoop out the seeds, add bunches of flowers, leaves or even pinecones and you have a simple yet pretty table decoration.
At the end of the day, remember that Thanksgiving is a time for family to come together and celebrate the bounties of life, so fussing too much over the table decorations can take the fun out of the celebrations. Instead, involve the kids and other family members in the decorating process and sit back to enjoy the simple yet personal Thanksgiving decorations.
Readers of this article may also like Simple Table Decorating Ideas and Setting a Perfect Formal Dinner Table.
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References:
Editors of Yankee Magazine. Yankee Magazine’s Living Well on a Shoestring Budget: 1,501 ingenious ways to spend less for what you need and have more for what you want. Dublin, N.H.: Yankee Publishing, 2000
Flowers are traditional gifts of celebration any event now the latest trend I am observing since last year is fruit flowers arrangements like edible, I’ve received 4 gifts of fruit baskets in this year 2010.So I personally decided that fruit arrangements are unique and perfect eatable gifts for Holidays events.
Fruit Flowers and other edible centerpieces help to set the mood for your party. These resources will instruct you on how to create your own centerpieces.