Thanksgiving is a wonderful time to spruce up your outdoor space with decorations, including do-it-yourself wreaths. The holiday is traditionally a celebration of the harvest season, which can be reflected in your front yard decor. Use items from the outdoors, or use your creativity; decorating for Thanksgiving can be fun and satisfying.
Thanksgiving Wreath
There is nothing more welcoming than a beautiful, colourful wreath that reflects the season, whether hung on your front door, window, or wall. Although you can purchase a ready-made wreath, there are some easy-to-make wreaths that can enhance your outdoor Thanksgiving decorations:
- A simple wheat wreath may add elegance to your front door. This minimalist wheat wreath only requires four easy-to-find and affordable supplies. See the “how-to” instructions here.
- Adorn a grapevine wreath with mini pumpkins, berries and ribbons. Hang a small picture frame with a sweet message to welcome your guests. View the tutorial here.
- Make corn husks the your centrepiece of your Thanksgiving wreath. These elegant wreaths are easy to make. Follow these instructions.
- Use branches to make a whimsical Thanksgiving wreath. Give it a pop of colour with some mini pumpkins and orange berry bush. This will give your wreath a more natural and wispy appeal. Refer here for more instructions.
- With all the acorns scattered on the ground, why not use them to make a Thanksgiving wreath? Gather a few simple items and you’ll have a festive wreath in no time. Get full tutorial here.
Given the early arrival of Thanksgiving in Canada this year, you can also add maple leaves to your wreath to add a blast of colour and whimsy.
Welcoming Entrance
Since a porch and entranceway are the first part of the house your guests will notice when arriving for Thanksgiving dinner, make it as appealing as possible. Here are some ideas to consider to step up your outdoor décor game this season:
- Climbing vines never fail to a make porch look incredible. Add a rustic touch by placing lanterns and baskets (along with colourful pumpkins) on either side of the steps. See the inspiration here.
- Set off a rainbow of colour by placing pots with different flowers and an array of pumpkins on your front porch. Click here for more information.
- A pull cart loaded with pumpkins, dried sunflowers, wheat husks, hay bales, and twigs will look great on your porch. This simple outdoor Thanksgiving decoration idea does not require any special installation. Hay bales and large gourds create a solid base for other decorations and create a sense of balance.
Outdoor String Lights
Lighting up your outdoor area with soft, frosted string lights helps set a warm and inviting mood. There are many options depending on what you have in your front yard. Some suggestions include:
- Draping several strings of light across shrubs and trees.
- Planting two posts on either end of an outdoor table and hanging strings of light across for a romantic dining space.
- Placing strings into transparent buckets to create beautiful lanterns and hanging them on your porch or tree branches.
Pruning Trees
Before starting any outdoor decorating, ensure your trees and shrubs are in the best possible shape. Contact a professional tree service company to remove damaged branches as these serve as an entry point for pests and can cause disease and fungus. Pruning helps make your tree look better and stay healthier.
- Trees are less susceptible to disease when pruned in autumn because they are dormant during this season and less sap is lost during the pruning process. Insects and fungus are also less likely to cause further damage to the tree. Hire a certified arborist to avoid risking the health of the tree.
Bring the Outside — In
After you have taken care of the outside decorating, think about bringing the spirit of the holiday inside to your dining table. Here are some colourful centrepiece suggestions using ideas inspired by nature:
- Make your table setting warm and inviting by using a green and copper colour palette. Add kraft paper cards at each place to encourage guests to write down the things for which they are thankful.
- For a nature-inspired centrepiece, place pine cones, evergreen branches, clementines, and pillar candles in the middle of the table.
- If you prefer a casual Thanksgiving centrepiece, repurpose vintage Bundt cake pans. Transform some of these cake pans into a vase for ilex berry poppins by placing a small glass of water in the hole or display an apple pie on an upside-down cake pan. You can also liven up the setting by arranging pine or spruce branches surrounding the pans.
- Since Thanksgiving celebrates the harvest, create a table centrepiece using maize and wheat. Place dry floral foam in the bottom of a galvanized bucket, then insert the wheat stalks into the foam and fan them out around the edges of the container. Place multicoloured ears of corn on top of the wheat arrangement.
- Because pies are commonly served at Thanksgiving, why not use them as centrepieces? Simply place the pies on cake stands in the centre of the table. Use birch tree stumps as pedestals for the pies, and add maple leaves and fruits to the table to complete the arrangement.
Get inspired this Thanksgiving and create a warm and inviting space both inside and out. Be sure to have your trees and shrubs professionally cared for prior to starting any decorating. If you need the assistance of professional tree-trimmers or arborists to make sure your front garden or yard is ready for winter, call the experts. Do an internet search for a tree expert in your area, so your canopy comes back beautiful and full come springtime.
For professional tree service in Richmond Hill, call Dave Lund Tree Service and Forestry Co Ltd. at (905) 884-0511 to book an appointment or use our contact form. We have been serving the York Region with our family owned-and-operated business for more than 40 years. Our team of International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) certified arborists has years of experience in the art of planting, caring, and maintaining different types of trees using state-of-the-art tools and equipment for the best tree care and removal.