How to Make a Pumpkin Thanksgiving Centerpiece

Thanksgiving is an important and cherished holiday for many people, and decorating for the occasion is a valued tradition. A stunning centerpiece and table decorations can round out and perfectly complete the most elaborate holiday celebration. A pumpkin can be used as a base to make a Thanksgiving centerpiece that will be sure to wow your guests.

Things You'll Need

• Medium-sized pumpkin
• Small knife
• Large scooping spoon
• Floral foam
• Fall themed flowers and foliage
• Ribbon or other decoration
• Hot glue gun
• Toothpicks

Instructions

1. Cut a large circle area around the stem of your pumpkin and remove the top. Trim any excess pumpkin from the inside of the top of the pumpkin and set the top aside.

2. Scoop the inner pumpkin material out of the inside cavity of the pumpkin and discard, saving the seeds to dry. Be careful not to scoop the pumpkin too deeply and poke a hole in it.

3. Wash the innards of the pumpkin thoroughly with cool water and turn upside down on a towel to dry. You want to make sure the interior of the pumpkin is as dry as possible to avoid molding during your holiday celebration.

4. Select a variety of complementary fillings for your pumpkin. Traditional fall themed items such as dried corn husks, orange chrysanthemums, orange tiger lilies and small dried cattails go together well.

5. Trim a section of floral foam and insert it into the inside of your dried pumpkin. It needs to be large enough to securely hold your decorations, so start with a larger piece and trim to fit accordingly. Secure the floral foam with three or four large toothpicks into the foam and press it slightly into the pumpkin.

6. Insert the larger of your floral items into the foam first. Taller items will draw focus first, so arrange them throughout your foam and fill in with the smaller items. You can pack them as sparse or as dense as you like, as long as you enjoy the look of the flowers.

7. Apply hot glue to the stems of any flowers that do not set securely in your floral foam. Press them back into the foam before the glue dries so that they stay set in the foam during your Thanksgiving celebration.

8. Cut off any dead or loose ends from any of your foliage and set aside. You can use dried husks or dried flowers if you choose, but dead ends on live flowers are unsightly.

9. Decorate your pumpkin with a length of ribbon or bows if you choose. You can tie them around your flowers or hot glue them around the edge of your pumpkin. A large, wide ribbon around the base of your pumpkin makes for a decorative border to your centerpiece.

10. Add a few drops of water to your floral foam once you have completed your design. A little bit of water will help keep your pumpkin Thanksgiving centerpiece looking its best during your holiday celebration.

Tips & Warnings

• Create your pumpkin centerpiece as close to your actual celebration as possible. The pumpkin and the flowers will wilt and die quickly if you finish it too far ahead of time.

• Trim your pumpkin carefully. Pumpkin can be thick and tough to cut, so make sure you keep your hands and fingers well out of range.

• Do not allow children to use sharp knives unsupervised. A centerpiece is a nice family project, but never allow young people to use sharp utensils without proper supervision.