The fall season finds many of us spending more time indoors entertaining and dining with family and friends. Holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving create opportunities to decorate our homes with symbols of the season and setting a beautiful table is the perfect gift for your guests. Create a harvest tablescape using the interesting colors and shapes found in your fall garden.
Cornucopias
A cornucopia centerpiece has become a symbol of the Thanksgiving holiday. The cornucopia is a cone shaped container most often made from woven materials such as rattan and wicker. However, they are available in several other materials including ceramic, metal and clear glass. The cone is filled with the bounty of the season including fruits, vegetables, gourds, pumpkins and nuts. It is placed in the center of the table or buffet and some of the contents are allowed to spill out, representing an abundant harvest. While the cornucopia is a lovely addition to any holiday setting it is also an appropriate decoration for the entire fall season.
Corn
Corn has a long and interesting history. When the Mexicans first began growing corn over 7000 years ago they had no idea this funny looking vegetable would become a symbol of abundance or plenty hundreds of years later. As a valuable commodity corn was used as a means to pay taxes in ancient Rome. And, of course, every young child in America knows that the Indians taught the Pilgrims to grow corn which is what saved them during the harsh winter of that first Thanksgiving. For all of these reasons corn is the perfect symbol of the harvest to use in your holiday decorating.
• How about an interesting and unusual vase in the shape of an ear of corn? Fill this vase with sunflowers or wheat stalks for a beautiful fall centerpiece. The soft maize color and unusual shape are pretty enough to display year round.
• Tie several stalks of corn together to create a welcoming sign of the harvest on your front door.
• Gather different varieties of colorful Indian corn and use as place cards on your table. Simply attach a tag to the stalk of the corn and write your guests name in sharpie. The red, orange, black, gold and yellow colors are perfect compliments to your holiday linens.
However you choose to celebrate the sights, smells and holidays of the autumn season, a beautiful harvest tablescape will add to your enjoyment.
