I love this time of year. I love autumn — the colors, the crispness in the air, the decor that is often associated with this time of year. And, my favorite holiday is Thanksgiving. It’s a holiday that is all about bounty, and gratitude, and enjoying good food and loved ones. It’s not supposed to be about materialism (although it can be if you’re frantically trying to figure out your Black Friday route). This is why I’m not fond of complicated and expensive Thanksgiving decorations.
While you do want to have some decorations that add a festive mood to your table and home, there is no reason to go overboard, spending a lot of money and over-decorating. If you want to keep your Thanksgiving a simple and frugal reminder to be grateful for all you have, here are some ideas for decorations:
- Gourds: I love gourds. There are som many different looks they can have, and they come in a variety of colors. I have three rather unique gourds rather charmingly grouped as a centerpiece right now. You can also put small gourds on bookshelves, replacing knick-knacks during this time of year.
- Acorns: Fill small vases with acorns, or pile them in the middle of your table. You could fill a vase partway with acorns, and then stick bunches of dried flowers or dried wheat in them.
- Pinecones: Get differently sized pinecones if you want, and use them as centerpieces, or put them in vases. You can also add a little gold, brown or orange glitter to the pinecones to give them a little sparkle.
- Bittersweet: If you have access, branches of bittersweet can be great additions. Fill a vase or pitcher with water, and place the branches in the water. The bright berries will add a festive air to your Thanksgiving proceedings.
- Leaves: If you have brightly colored leaves from your trees, you can gather them and create bouquets, or scatter them around. There are ways to preserve them so that they don’t get dry and crumbly, and you can press them so that they last longer, looking beautiful.
- Cornstalks: I don’t like the idea of dried cornstalks inside the house, but they can make fun and festive decorations for the outside. Bundle the dried stalks (you can even add wheat to the bundle for variety) and place them on either side of your entrance. This can be a great way to welcome guests to your Thanksgiving feast.
- Cornucopia: If you do want a traditional cornucopia as a decoration, they can be bought fairly inexpensively. Then, you can use your own homegrown decorations to fill it.
Of course, you can combine these ideas any way you like, or even create your own centerpieces with them. It’s easy to feel gratitude when reminded of how blessed we are during this season, and it’s fairly easy to decorate inexpensively with the results of nature’s bounty — and your home will look great for Thanksgiving.
What are some of your favorite ways to decorate for Thanksgiving?
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