Easy Thanksgiving Table Centerpieces
With Thanksgiving just a few days away, it's important to make sure that all the turkey bases have been covered, no? For those of you still agonizing over the non-food elements of Thanksgiving party planning, I have a few great ideas for Thanksgiving table centerpieces that will complement the delicious food you're serving and add to the warm, cozy feel of every great Thanksgiving dinner.
My first suggestion involves a pumpkin as the table's focus. First, find an appropriately-colored Thanksgiving plant or arrangment (mums come in beautiful bright colors at this time of year and are a perfect Turkey Day choice). Next, be sure that the pumpkin you've chosen is wide enough to accomodate the plant or floral arrangment's width. Cut off the top of your pumpkin, and then carve some creative detail along the top edge of the opening. Scalloped or triangular edges work particularly well to set off the gorgeous geometric shapes created by plants or flowers. Place your plant or floral arrangment in the pumpkin so that the beautiful orange covering acts as a kind of exterior pot and really plays up the bright, warm colors of the fall holiday season.
For those families for whom food is the absolute and sacred Thanksgiving focus, I suggest using the best part of your meal as the centerpiece for your Turkey Day meal. At a homegoods store, pick a few dessert display stands or trays whose colors echo the bright oranges, reds and yellows of Thanksgiving. Set your desserts atop the display stands and trays (pies and tarts obviously work better in this case than ice cream might), and decorate the spaces in between each display with apples, pears, oranges, pomegranates or grapes. Really focus on playing up the sense of abundance that's traditionally associated with Thanksgiving. Dessert is, after all, one of the best parts of the Thanksgiving process. Why not display your beautiful hard work throughout the meal as a visual promise of what's to come?
My last suggestion is a simple one for those who wish to keep the focus on the task at hand--eating! Buy several white or off-white pillar candles and place them in a line or a circle at the center of your table. Around each one, create a wreath-like arrangement of acorns, leaves, pine cones and berries. Most of these things should be easy to find in the backyard or a nearby park, and are free and easy to use for decorations. They also happen to be a perfect complement to the natural, rustic feel of Thanksgiving dinner.
With these simple and fast Thanksgiving centerpiece ideas, you can be sure that you've covered all the bases in preparation for the big feast. Now relax, tuck in and enjoy the meal!
Enjoy Planning.
Penelope