A Beautiful No-Fail Thanksgiving Centerpiece Anyone Can Make

Last Thanksgiving, I put together an easy centerpiece for the table. I gathered greens and leaves from the yard, placed them in a big circle in the center of the table, and then nestled an assortment of fresh fruits and vegetables (plus some twinkly votive candles!) into the greens.

I love how it turned out! It gives that cornucopia feeling of plenty. You can use all the fruits and veggies when it’s done being a centerpiece — so nothing goes to waste. And I love that it sits low on the table, making it easy for people seated across from each other to have a conversation.

Some years, we have the food in the center of the table, and we have to keep the centerpiece much smaller. But when “the family” expands to 20+ people, and spills to more than one table, we keep the food on the kitchen island and let guests serve themselves buffet style. In those situations, the center of the tables remains open, and I get to be more generous with the table decorations.

Thinking some of you might want to try a centerpiece like this too, I thought I’d share some tips and instructions here.

thanksgiving-centerpiece 9
thanksgiving-centerpiece-ideas 7
ideas-for-thanksgiving-table
thanksgiving-table-ideas

The how-to for this table centerpiece is a subjective sort of thing. Use what you like and what you can find. Adjust it fit the table, while making sure to leave space for the place settings. And, most importantly, make it look good to you. It takes some moving things around to figure out the right balance but the end result is gorgeous. And it’s a cinch to put together.

thanksgiving-centerpiece 1
thanksgiving-centerpiece 4

Supplies:

Think of these as suggestions and then shop your produce department or farmers market and see what you have access to locally. Happily, anything in rich fall colors seems to work well. You’ll also want to walk around your yard or neighborhood and see what sorts of leaves and greens you can gather.

– pomegranates
– artichokes
– red onions
– yellow onions
– persimmons
– apples
– pears
– gold beets – scrub and lightly oil to help keep their color
– small pumpkins and gourds
– leaves
– grasses
– red berries
– twigs
– scissors
– candle votives, optional

Create a Beautiful Thanksgiving Table Centerpiece | Design Mom

Tips for making a centerpiece:

– Remove produce stickers and if needed, wipe the produce down with a dry cloth. Using water can make them shrivel and mold quicker.

– If you are using foliage, begin the arrangement with it. Start by making a base layer in the desired shape — a circle or a long line down a rectangle table — and then start building.

– Start with the larger pieces first (like the pumpkins) and space them out. Then add in the next largest and work your way down to the littlest pieces.

– Single leaves, small branches and berry sprigs can be tucked into open spots near the end.

– Use a hand-vac or the extension of the vacuum to clean off the bits of dust or debris that falls off while the centerpiece is built.

– More natural-looking (wax-coating-free) produce can be found at natural food stores.

– Be very careful when using votives with dried branches or flowers. Practice fire safety.

thanksgiving-centerpiece 6.2

Tada! Your centerpiece is finished. It’s time to get out the holiday dishes and set that gorgeous table. Enjoy the family, the food and have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

thanksgiving-centerpiece 8
thanksgiving-centerpiece 12

Credits: Images by Amy Christie.

15 thoughts on “A Beautiful No-Fail Thanksgiving Centerpiece Anyone Can Make”

  1. Pretty, but that second to last picture makes it look like a serious fire hazard. That twig is seconds away from catching fire, then the tablecloth…. yikes.

    Maybe it would be better to consider flameless candles.

  2. I love this! I’ve been looking for a centerpiece that doesn’t require throwing out dead flowers at the end and this is perfect. Can we get a ‘recipe’ for what you used? Looks like small pumpkins, pears, pomegranates, artichokes, onions?, apples, some sort of squash. Anything I’m missing? Any aromatic concerns?

  3. Oops! So sorry that I missed the complete list you provided right there!

    But I am still wondering about aromatics with the onions? I assume they don’t smell?

  4. Oh my goodness, so pretty? Gabrielle, in your post from a year ago where did you get those pretty white napkins with the red stripes?

  5. I absolutely love how simple this is, but how beautiful it looks when it all comes together. I think I may try my hand at this for our Thanksgiving table. Thank you so much for the idea!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top