How to Spruce Up Your Home for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is the homiest of holidays. Think crisp autumn air, incredible smells, and the ultimate comfort food mixed with family, friends, laughter and wine. Kids playing football in the yard while siblings catch up in the kitchen, and usually a few folks dozing off in front of the Cowboys game. This is a day when your house is truly a home, and the autumn season is perfect for decorating with warm and festive accents. Here’s a few of our favorite décor tips for the holiday.

Let Mother Nature Help

While spring and summer decorations usually involve lots of live blooms and arrangements, the fall months let you get creative with the parts of nature that are heading towards winter. Fallen leaves, gourds, bare branches and pinecones are examples that signify the coming of autumn, and you can incorporate these in many imaginative ways. Try bundles of thin branches in a pitcher or bucket filled partly with sand or rocks as an anchor; bonus if you find berries or dried flowers attached. Flint corn, small gourds and pumpkins, and even pomegranates on a small plate or bowl can give end tables and bathroom counters that harvest feel. Feel free to get creative with acorns, pinecones, and colorful fallen leaves strewn tastefully around your dining room table, and if glitter is your thing, make them sparkle! Wreathes also provide a beautiful welcome to visitors in warm autumn colors.

All About Family

Even though the food is the highlight of the day, Thanksgiving is really about family and friends. Make the day special by getting them involved in decorating your home. Put the kids to work early cutting colorful leaves out of construction paper, then leave them around the house with markers nearby for guests to write out what they’re thankful for. Chalkboards are also great to list reasons for gratitude…you can find them in vintage and antique stores, or find a new one and hang it in a distressed frame. Try finding old pictures of your family members and surprise them with prints throughout the house. Handwritten name tags on the dinner plate are a great touch; use artfully torn handmade paper and a gold paint pen for a classy touch. And make sure to give them something to remember on their way out (besides leftovers!)…a small potted plant makes a perfect memory.

At the Center of It All

The dinner table is where the best part of the holiday happens. Everyone gathers around to eat, drink and be merry, so make your spread special. Instead of the typical tablecloth, try a colorful runner down the middle of the table; it will accent the beautiful natural wood of your table, and provides a perfect stage for all of your table décor. Candles are a must, and varying widths and heights make for warm yet eclectic lighting. Homemade napkin rings can be made from rustic twine, birch bark, or dried grape vine. Lastly, the centerpiece draws the table together. It can be elegantly understated or provide a pop of floral colors, and even have a candelabrum in the center. Just make sure it’s not too tall, so everyone can see each other smiling. Helpful hint: consider using high-quality artificial plants, wreaths, and arrangements. No maintenance needed, and you can reuse them year after year.

How do you decorate your Thanksgiving home? Comment below with your own personal tips!