Want to have a festive looking table for your Thanksgiving dinner? Here’s a quick and easy idea for creating a beautiful Thanksgiving centerpiece to give your big meal just the right touch.
The idea for this centerpiece actually came from my very creative friend Emily who was kind enough to share it with me. We thought it was such a cute idea that we wanted to share it with all of you, too! And the best part is, it was pretty quick and easy to put together, so you could easily pull this off last minute if necessary.
And it’s a fun activity to do with friends! My good friend Amber, Emily and I made a little afternoon out of it and had a great time putting these together. (And also, Prosecco. I highly recommend sharing a bottle of Prosecco to get the creative juices flowing. Just a suggestion.)
How to Make Your Thanksgiving Centerpiece
What You Need:
- Craft pumpkin (*option to use a real pumpkin or gourd)
- Glass jar
- Pencil
- Sharp knife with serrated edge
- Kitchen shears and/or pruning shears
- Your choice of flowers and greenery
Step 1: Cut Out an Opening
The first step in creating your centerpiece is to cut an opening out of the top of the pumpkin for the flowers to go in. First, we placed the glass jar upside down over the stem and then traced a circle around the jar with a pencil.
Next, cut out the circle you just traced with the serrated knife and remove the top (with the stem).
We found that a spaghetti sauce jar worked really well because it was round and was just the right height to fit inside the pumpkin. But you can use any small glass jar or vase you have around the house, just as long as it isn’t taller than your pumpkin. And if you use a mason jar that has more of a square shape on the bottom, you may have to cut your opening a little wider so it will fit.
*If you don’t have a faux pumpkin, you can always use a real pumpkin instead. Just keep in mind that a real pumpkin will start to rot pretty quickly indoors, so you’ll want to make your centerpiece no sooner than a day or two in advance so it will keep. (Or maybe even try using a sturdier gourd.) Also, hallowing out a real pumpkin will obviously be a little more involved as you will have to scoop out the insides, but still totally doable.
Step 2: Insert Glass Jar
Once you’ve cut out the opening, insert your glass jar so that it stands up on the inside. Then use a measuring glass to fill it with water.
Step 3: Add flowers
Now for the fun part: arranging your flowers! We used a selection of fresh flowers from Costco plus some greenery from Emily’s backyard and nearby Eucalyptus trees.
Cut the stems as you go so they stand a little bit above the opening of the pumpkin. You want your flowers in varying heights but keeping with a full, rounded look. Cutting the stems too long will make them stand up too high and look awkward. Once you have a good arrangement of flowers, fill in the bottom and any sparse areas with greenery to fill it out.
Sticking to a fall-themed color palette works best, but feel free to use whatever you have available. Dried leaves and woody stems would work really well too.
And, if flower arranging doesn’t sound fun or too time-consuming, you can just by a pre-arranged assortment from your local florist or grocery store and pop it right in!
Step 4: Admire your Work!
Ta da! A simple and beautiful Thanksgiving centerpiece! What do you think?
The great thing about using a faux pumpkin is that you can use it over and over again! Save it for next year and incorporate it into your decor throughout the fall season. How cool is that?
Let me know if you make this for Thanksgiving; I’d love to see your creations!