Decorating for Thanksgiving: Front Yard

Thanksgiving is first and foremost a harvest festival. That is what the first Thanksgiving was. In actuality, it was held earlier in the year and the food they served was not what we serve today. And if they had any sports, it would have been a shooting match, not football. But it is possible to decorate your front yard for Thanksgiving using decorations that reflect the tradition of the First Thanksgiving and the ones that modern man has added to them. These suggestions for decorating your front yard for Thanksgiving are a combination of both. How much you can use depends on the size of your front yard, but even the smallest front yard can be turned into a Thanksgiving landscape.

1.Here is the country we have access to plenty of natural Thanksgiving decorations. Hay bales, corn stalks, pumpkins etc. But even if you do live in a big city, there are farms nearby where you can go and purchase them. A display of a hay bale surrounded by symbols of the harvest like corn stalks and pumpkins is a good start for decorating your front yard for Thanksgiving.

2. A scarecrow is one thing that you can add to the display. They are very easy to make. You can get some hay or straw from your local riding academy and just stuff an old pair of jeans with newspaper and have the straw hanging out. Do the same with an old flannel shirt. You can make his head out of a white plastic garbage bag and draw on a face. You can also buy a scarecrow like this guy and then use him in your garden in the spring.

3. Don't rake up those leaves until after Thanksgiving. That is unless you are in a place like I am where it is very likely that you might have snow on the ground. Leaves make a beautiful natural decoration.

4. If your house is a football house, it is perfectly ok to pay homage to your favorite sport. The crafty one can make a goal post out of wood dowels and cut a football shape to nail on so it looks like the perfect field goal.

5. Your door, entry way and/or porch are a part of your front yard as well. If you have a covered porch, create a dining display around a table. Use artificial food items and goards. Put an autumn themed wreath in the front door. Your guest will progress from the yard, to the entry and to the indoor decorations without missing a beat.

6. Inflatables like these are a great way to add a bit of whimsy to your front yard for Thanksgiving. And they can be put away and used year after year after year.

7. They certainly did not have lights at the first Thanksgiving, but you can for your display. You can either by special sets like this http://store.buyhammocks.com/reichali.html or this guy who goes in your window.

8. This site has some great ideas for decorating your front yard for Thanksgiving. They are waterproof and the pilgrims and Indians would look good around a table display.

9. Turn the kids loose with sidewalk chalk. Yes, it will wash away, but they will not mind doing it over again. Stores sell cardboard cut our pumpkins, pilgrims etc. They can trace them on the walkway and then color them in the way they want. It gives them the feeling of participating.

10. Use live flowers. Stores sell mums by the dozen at this time of year. Put the pots on the front steps or line the door way. They can be planted after the holiday in most places. If you have any doubt, check with your local garden supply store. They will tell you exactly what to do so that next year you will have mums growing.