My thrifty Thanksgiving tablescape

by Aimee

There are few things I like better than creating something beautiful with items I already have on hand. It’s been a running theme in my holiday table decor.

Last December I used vintage sheet music found the bench of a piano we inherited to make place mats for a festive Christmas dinner tablescape. This past April I brought in spring flowers and our own brown eggs for a pretty, yet simple Easter holiday table. Both tables were decorated in a rustic way that suits our little homestead.

I gravitate toward natural elements for my holiday tables, mixing wood, textiles and metals. A touch of nature, be it fir bows, spring flowers, or seasonal produce, brings the pop of colour and contrast.

Canadian Thanksgiving is this weekend and my table is set.

I’ve kept it simple again. White dishes on wood. Napkins tucked into mason jar rings. A seasonal centrepiece. And a winter squash tureen, of course.

These soft Whole Wheat Buttermilk Rolls add a touch of cute, baked and served in 4-oz mason jars. They’ve been a Thanksgiving favourite for several years now.

The centrepiece above was assembled from produce I had on hand to work with and a few candles that were given to me. In the end I loved the colours with the wood table.

My pickling streak is over for the season, which means my leftover  flowering fresh dill heads made the super simple floral arrangement. Because I like to throw in some old metal to the mix, their ‘vase’ is the insert for my old-fashioned ice cream churn.

This year for Thanksgiving decor, I really blew the budget. Okay, maybe not. The only thing I bought was a $3 cheesecloth.

The cheesecloth was intended for usual purposes of course, but when I opened the package, it fell into a long, delicate sheath that reminded me of a table runner. Sure enough, it looked perfect.

It’s not always easy, but the trick is to keep it simple. After I set a formal table, I study everything and then usually remove one thing. This time it was a handful of adorable felted acorns that I bought on Etsy ages ago. Cute, but too much.

Lastly, homemade pickles. Under no circumstances should you go without! You can have a vegan, vegetarian, or paleo Thanksgiving, but don’t leave out the pickle platter. A few of our favourites are asparagus, dills, and fiddleheads.

I recently served up Butternut Squash & Leek Soup in a squash tureen and paired it with homemade whole wheat dinner rolls, soft chevre and pickles.

This simple and seasonal menu would make a delicious start to any holiday meal.

What is your decorating style?

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