If you are looking for stress free Thanksgiving decorating ideas, these simple suggestions on keeping it natural will add pizzazz to your holiday décor without driving you crazy!
Make it Natural!
If you have a backyard full of pine cones, colored leaves, branches, bittersweet and the like, a Natural theme might be just what the doctor ordered for your stress free Thanksgiving. Start putting together your decorations early and enjoy them for the entire month instead of for a single weekend!
Indian corn, gourd pumpkins, and squashes can provide a touch of fall to any table. They can be placed in a basket, lined up to fill the center of a table, hot glued onto wreath forms, even used as candle holders. To create a gourd candle holder insert a sharp knife into the center of the gourd near the stem. Be very careful not to let the knife slip, as the gourds tend to have a very hard surface. Wedge the knife back and forth until you’ve created an opening about an inch in length. Use a grapefruit knife or an apple corer to create a circular hole about one inch deep and the same diameter as your taper candle. To hold the candle in place, drizzle a few drops of hot candle wax into the hole and insert a taper or votive candle. This lovely image above is from Real Simple.
Make garlands of nuts, berries, and autumn leaves to hang on mantles or railings – anywhere you would hang a Christmas garland. This pretty fall leaf garland is made out of felt and the leaves are sewn together with a continuous straight stitch on the sewing machine. Cut them out in minutes and hang shortly thereafter! Use multiple strings together for a rich and full look.
Some Natural Table Setting Ideas
You don’t have to have expensive table linens to create a pretty holiday table, especially if you are going for a stress free Thanksgiving this year. Visit your local fabric store and purchase some inexpensive fabric in an earth tone color to cover your table. While you are there, consider purchasing some fabric pens. On Thanksgiving, encourage your family and guests to record their feelings of gratitude notes to each other, maybe even trace around kids hands and mark the year. Then, store it away until next year so everyone can add a new sentiment and see how the kids have grown. It is sure to become a family favorite!
You can make a very textural Thanksgiving runner in minutes using burlap. Just grab a couple of yards of natural colored burlap and cut a piece long enough to run down the center of your dining table and drop over the edges.
Pull out several rows of the burlap threads to create automatic fringe all the way around. Lay this on top of a plain everyday tablecloth, add a basket of apples and pears from your fridge, sprinkle on some colorful leaves, maybe even a pine cone or two or a bunch of acorns from the yard and you’re done!
To continue the natural look, use pinecones to hold place cards. This is so simple and takes just minutes. I found the free template with the cute little turkey on it at CBD Meetings and Events. I simply printed it and cut it out, used a metallic sharpie and I was done. To make it even more special, you could collect some colorful fall leaves from your yard and using a gold gel pen, carefully write the name of each guest on the leaf and slip it between the spaces of the pine cone.
Natural Serving Ideas
It’s also fun to surprise your guests with unusual serving pieces. Use items with a fall theme. Line a small wicker apple basket with a colorful Thanksgiving napkin and use it to serve the dinner rolls. Stuffing would look fantastic served from half a pumpkin. First fit one of your casseroles in the base of a pumpkin and then add your stuffing. Hollow out loaves of bread to use for serving cheeses or dips. You won’t be wasting any bread because you can use the bread for dipping! And, I’ll never get tired of appetizers served in acorn and butternut squash bowls.
Natural Kid’s Decor
Last but not least, don’t forget the children’s table. Top their table with butcher paper. Let the kids create their own holiday table-cloth by decorating it with crayons and markers – a perfect way to keep little hands busy while you’re completing the last-minute preparations.
Going natural with your decorations is just one way to get the job done. It works best when you have the natural materials right in your own backyard. But, if decorations aren’t your thing, just keep ‘em all busy with activities and they won’t have time to notice!
Shari
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