How to Make a Cornucopia

A cornucopia, also known as a horn of plenty, is a cone-shaped ornament or receptacle overflowing with abundance, signifying the wealth of the harvest at Thanksgiving.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Raffia
• Straws
• Miniature Pumpkins
• Autumn Fruits Or Vegetables
• Berries
• Cornucopia Baskets
• Nuts
• Kitchen Trays
• Fallen Leaves

1. 

   Purchase an actual ready-to-fill cornucopia, or a cone-shaped basket that can be shaped by steaming the narrow end and bending it slightly to resemble the horn of a goat.

2. Place a large tray or flat basket on a table.

3. 

   Gather colorful autumn leaves and place them on the tray, or use decorative fabric autumn leaves.

4. 

   Fill the cornucopia with straw, excelsior or raffia to act as a filler and to support the vegetables. This way, you don't have to use so many fruits and vegetables to fill the horn.

5. Set the cornucopia on top of the tray covered with leaves.

6. 

   Begin placing the largest vegetables and fruits inside the cornucopia to serve as the foundation of those to come.

7. Continue filling the cornucopia with fall-harvested fruits and vegetables such as gourds, pomegranates, small apples, miniature pumpkins, peppers, artichokes and dried ears of Indian corn.

8. Allow the fruits and vegetables to spill out of the cornucopia over the fall leaves on the tray.

9. 

   Spill a variety of nuts and berries over the arrangement. (Make sure to choose hardy berries, such as cranberries.) Allow them to drop into the cracks and spaces.

10. Finish by tucking more colorful leaves among the vegetables and fruit.

Tips & Warnings

• When you build the cornucopia on a tray, it becomes portable.

• Select colorful vegetables with waxy skin; these last the longest without refrigeration.

• You can expect your harvest display to last for one to two weeks.