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Thanksgiving often gets a lot of fanfare for the food and a little attention for the sentiment, but rarely do we see folks going all out on the decoration. Sandwiched between Halloween’s spooky spiderwebs and Christmas’s light displays, Thanksgiving seemingly settles for special place settings on fold out tables and ultimate feels like leftovers when it comes to adornments.
But, why miss the opportunity to enjoy the Thanksgiving season on a different level? (Just as important, we could delay the ever-expanding Christmas season as well!) While the supermarkets and megastores aren’t replete with Thanksgiving décor, there are all sorts of decorations we can make at home to create the mood for America’s favorite meal.
In other words, not only can we set the scene, we can do it with stuff that might already be around the house.
Autumn Leaf Candle Holders
Source: Cottage Life/Youtube
For those of us seeking to reduce our household refuse and plastic, an inevitable stream of glass jars starts to parade through the house. While recycling is an option here, reusing and repurposing these jars is a better option. Surplus jars can be covered with colorful autumn leaves to create candle holders to dot around the house.
Canning Jar Band Pumpkins
Source: monszbella/Youtube
While mason jars can be reused year after year, the lids and bands cannot. Consequently, those of us who can food from the garden acquire great collections of spent canning bands and lids. Fear not, there are crafts! Use some twine to tie a dozen (or two) canning bands together to create a spherical pumpkin. Lodge a cinnamon stick in the middle for a stem.
Thankful Tree & Handwritten Ornaments
Source: Do It On A Dime/Youtube
There is no rule that Christmas gets to be the only holiday with a tree. Stiff autumn breezes tend to provide an abundance of branches in the yard. Save an attractive one, no leaves necessary, and make a thankful tree (use a wine bottle or a plant pot full of leaves as a stand). The family and/or guests can make handwritten ornaments to declare what they are thankful for.
Make Bundles of Bundles
Source: Flower Joos /Youtube
Acting as a festival for the fall harvest, Thanksgiving invites us to have bundles of freshly gathered stuff. While wheat might be what comes to mind, lots of things can be bundled to make attractive decorations: cinnamon sticks, strips of fabric, twigs, rosemary, sage, dried flowers, dried grass, corn stalks…
Edible Harvest Display
Source: MissStateExtension /Youtube
Thanksgiving and autumn, of course, mark the end of the growing season for most (though winter gardens are possible!), and we have lots of foods associated with the fall. Displays of pumpkins, squashes, and corn husks are already common in the autumn. To them, we can add fresh springs of rosemary, dried citrus fruits, various nuts (walnuts, acorns, pecans, etc.), root vegetables, and more. Just be sure to use the edible display for food when all is said and done.
Wood Slice Characters & Crafts
Source: DIY Inspiration/Youtube
As autumn rounds the corner into winter, firewood starts to be a trendy thing. After all, we want to stay warm. Well, with short pieces of firewood or oversized pieces (or fallen branches in the lawn), there is the potential to cut round wood slices, and those are great for crafts. These can be used to make rustic coasters, ornaments, table displays, name cards, trivets, and more.
Thanksgiving Simmer Pots
Source: Home Made Lovely/Youtube
One of the best parts of Thanksgiving dinner is the wonderful aromas wafting through the house as it cooks. We tend to only get that for a day or two, but we could get several courses of scent appetizers before and seconds the week after if we make our own Thanksgiving simmer pots. Just add the ingredients we associate with Thanksgiving dinner—cranberries, cinnamon, cloves, apples, etc.—to a crockpot or simmering pot of water on the stove. While not a visual decoration, it’ll fill the house with the right kind of feeling, and that’s the point.
Setting the scene is half the fun of any holiday or party, so don’t let Thanksgiving get overlooked. It can be much more stimulating than TV trays around the football games or kids’ tables stuffed in the corner somewhere. Have some fun this year making the most of what we do have and can do.
Recommended Resources For Thanksgiving:
Check out the following resources:
- Try These 15 Awesome Green Bean Recipes This Thanksgiving!
- 15 Vegan Pasta Sides to Try This Thanksgiving!
- Save Room for Dessert! You Won’t Want to Skip These 20 Amazing Thanksgiving Desserts
- 15 Vegan Seasonal Mashed Vegetable Recipes for Your Thanksgiving Table
- 25 Amazing Vegan Desserts for Your Thanksgiving Table
- 15 Plant-Based Recipes For the Perfect Southern Thanksgiving
- 15 Stunning Thanksgiving Entrées Made With Just Vegetables
- 15 Vegan Small Plates and Starters for Your Thanksgiving Feast
- Make Your Thanksgiving the Best Ever With These 15 Grain-Free Recipes
- 15 Delicious Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Side Dishes
- 10 Gorgeous Vegan Gravy Recipes For Your Thanksgiving Menu!
- 5 Great Ideas To Make Your Thanksgiving Drinks Dazzling and Delicious
- 15 Cranberry Recipes For Thanksgiving That Are Vegan!
- Tips and Tricks to Making a Plant-Based Meatloaf For Thanksgiving
- Five Fantastic Vegan Stuffing Recipes for Thanksgiving!
- 10 Vegan Casseroles Perfect For Your Thanksgiving Dinner
- 7 Delicious Ways to Celebrate Thanksgiving Without the Turkey
Related Content:
- How to Make Your Own Potpourri
- How to Use Dried and Preserved Plants as Maintenance-Free Home Décor
- 10 Sustainable Ways to Decorate Your Home That Will Save You Tons of Money
- 10 Easy DIY Christmas Tree Decorations
- Holiday Decorations You Can Make from Natural Materials
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