Center Decorating

Why spend hundreds of dollars on Thanksgiving decorations? Take a note from the book of Grade School: make it yourself; it is so much more fun and fashionable. I don't mean for you to pull out your scissors and glue to make a hand print turkey for your wall, we are adults now after all, most of us physically and mentally. You can have fun making Thanksgiving decorations that will leave your guests awe struck.

The centerpiece is the hardest part to choose for my Thanksgiving table. There isn't much room for a centerpiece even when most of the dishes are all put onto extra tables. I always manage to dream up something inspirational and invaluable. I believe function should coincide with fashion; while fashion is a good thing, it is even better if there is purpose from its creation. Therefore, all decorations must be functional. I like the simplicity and complexity of cornucopias, so I made one that is very functional, reusable, and a lot of fun to make.

Right before Thanksgiving most hobby and craft stores are desperately getting rid of fall inventory to make room for Winter Holiday items. You can usually find a cornucopia horn or the design for one. You can also find some bits of artificial straw, wheat, corn husks or stalks or fall flowers and plants. If you cannot find the horn itself it can be made from a balloon and a funnel. Just blow up the balloon until it is just big enough to fill the funnel's circumference and about 1/3 of the balloon goes into the funnel. Papier mache around both balloon and funnel, but leave the top of the balloon open for the opening of the horn. Pop the balloon and remove the funnel, presto instant cornucopia! Fill the horn with squash, small pumpkins, tomatoes, potatoes, an ear of corn, or other fall produce that you can eat. Don't forget the wheat sheaths or fall flowers as accent filler to your cornucopia.

After the feast you can then use the food in your horn of plenty to help create some variety for those days of leftovers. Bake the butternut squash with some brown sugar and walnuts in the center. Prepare the pumpkins for a delicious pumpkin cheesecake. Corn and potatoes and tomatoes go with just about any meal! You can eat the best of the cornucopia, then save the horn and artificial accents for next year. It's a fun and functional way to make your table beautiful for Thanksgiving.