Easy Thanksgiving Centerpieces

 

Having Thanksgiving at your house?  Whipping up a table centerpiece now will save you a lot of time on Thanksgiving Day.

Living on a pretty large property (2 acres), is a lot of work with weeding, pruning, mulching, etc. The chores are endless. But it is all worth it when I look out my window and see the makings of a Thanksgiving centerpiece, there for the taking. Evergreens, berries, peppers ripening, pine cones, and pods, were at my fingertips. Fresh cut sunflowers, oasis, and picking up a few colorful veggies,  were the only things that I had to purchase to come up with a dynamite centerpiece. Keeping for weeks with regular application of water and misting, you can segue this same centerpiece into a Christmas themed one with different flowers and accessories.

Surprisingly easy if you have access to greens, you can always poach on your friends and neighbors properties if you come up short. Ask first though! Usually people are happy for you to prune or thin their evergreens.

Starting out with a 10″ oasis ring on an inexpensive charger plate, I had an old glass hurricane shade that I pull out for each Christmas to act as the focal point. If you can’t find an oasis wreath, then just cut your wet oasis into chunks and piece together a wreath shape.  Inserting a cranberry colored candle in the hurricane shade, I dropped some shriveled mini pumpkins (See pumpkin on a stick) and some mini hardy oranges into the space around the candle. Other options are fresh cranberries, dried corn and beans, or nuts.

Insert your greens first, trying to cover as much of the oasis as you can. But leave room for your other berries, veggies, and flowers. This should only take about 15 minutes. For my centerpiece greens, I used Thujopsis, Nandina, Golden Arborvitae, Leucothoe, and Aucuba.

Once Thanksgiving is over, set the wreath in a cool place, not freezing, and bring it back in at Christmas and add seasonal naturals such as roses, pomegranates, and red carnations. Even a small birds nest or snowmen would add a nice touch.

Materials

Here is a list of suggested materials. Just explore your yard or the woods and you can find many others to make it more interesting.

Evergreens

• Aucuba
• Rhododendron
• Cherry Laurel
• False Cypress
• Juniper
• Nandina-foliage and greenery
• Andromeda
• Boxwood
• Pachysandra
• Hellebore
• Pine
• Oakleaf Hydrangea

Vegetables

• Brussel Sprouts
• Lady Apples
• Cabbage
• Lemons
• Limes
• Artichokes
• Broccoli
• Small Pumpkins
• Gourds
• Grapes
• Radishes
• Turnips
• Mini Peppers

 Berries and Flowers

• Gerber Daisy
• Mums
• Winterberry
• Beauty Berry
• Sunflower
• Wax Flower
• Lilies
• Grapevine tendrils
• Roses
• Hydrangea
• Bittersweet
• Lotus Pods
• Pine Cones
• Pepper Berries
•  Hydrangea
• Rose Hips

Step By Step

1. Place oasis ring in warm water and soak for 30 minutes until heavy. Or piece together a ring with chunks of oasis
2. Place ring on charger and set your hurricane glass in the center
3. Fill the glass with a candle surrounded by your choice of beans or fruit
4. Insert cut pieces (3-5″ long) of greens into oasis ring so that the oasis is covered
5. Insert your chosen veggies after first inserting picks. If you don’t have picks, use short twigs
6. Add berries, pods, or nuts
7. Sunflowers go in last. Other suggestions for flowers are carnations, dahlias, roses, lilies, and mums

For another pumpkin centerpiece idea, go to my post Thanksgiving Centerpiece .  

For a totally different look, try making the one below with candles and gourds, ready to go in 30 minutes.