How to Make a Simple Thanksgiving Centerpiece

A cornucopia basket is useful in creating a centerpiece.

Creating a simple Thanksgiving centerpiece will give your dining room or buffet table an elegant look. Thanksgiving centerpieces typically focus on harvest, pilgrims, turkeys and seasonal decor. It is not difficult to put together a centerpiece quickly and inexpensively. It will serve as decor not only on Thanksgiving Day but for the time span between Halloween and pre-Christmas. You can put inexpensive supplies together to create an attractive and colorful arrangement for the room.

Things You'll Need

• One large horn-shaped basket (cornucopia)
• Brown or tan raffia-style packing straw
• 2 yards of fall-colored ribbon (red, orange, yellow or brown)
• Hot glue gun (optional)
• Gourds, pumpkins, silk autumn leaves and dried corn
• Rectangle-shaped serving tray
• Pillar candles or Thanksgiving turkey or Pilgrim figurines
• Clear, glass cylinder, shallow bowl or vase
• Dried corn

Instructions

Cornucopia Basket

1. Attach a ribbon around the wide end of your cornucopia basket. You can use a hot glue gun to attach it or weave it through the basket. Glue a decorative bow on the top of the basket with the same ribbon, if you desire.

2. Pad the bottom of the basket with the raffia straw.

3. Place assorted autumn-colored gourds, silk flowers and leaves, nuts and pine cones into the base of your cornucopia.

4. Set the cornucopia basket in the center of your table.

5. Allow some of the gourds, pine cones and other items to spill out of the cornucopia onto the table. This represents the overflowing bounty your family enjoys throughout the year. Add more items or re-arrange them if necessary.

Dried Corn Centerpiece

1. Set an inexpensive rectangle-shaped serving tray onto the center of your table.

2. Place two autumn-colored pillar candles near each end of the tray. Another idea is to use two turkey or pilgrim figurines instead of the candles.

3. Sprinkle dried corn around the candles. Use enough to cover the base of the tray.

4. Add pine cones, autumn leaves or other Thanksgiving decor throughout the tray to give it added decor and texture, if you desire.

5. Light the candles during your Thanksgiving celebration.

Tips & Warnings

• You can place a single pillar candle into the middle of a clear, glass cylinder, vase or shallow bowl. Fill the bottom third or half of the container with the dried corn.This is a quick and inexpensive arrangement you can use to decorate end tables and other areas of your home as well.

• You can find inexpensive serving trays at dollar or discount stores, particularly around the holidays.

• Autumn-colored gourds, corn, pine cones and nuts are available at grocery, discount or vegetable markets throughout the Thanksgiving season.

References

• Celebrations: Thanksgiving Decorations
• Real Simple: Easy Thanksgiving Centerpieces