Everyone wants a beautiful centerpiece for their holiday tables. Of course, you can always buy something from the store, but they aren’t always exactly what you want and can get pretty expensive. They also can be not so environmentally friendly, especially if they are the “toss after 1 use” type. Why not make something more environmentally friendly for your holiday table? You can even get the family involved! Not sure where to start? We will share our favorite 5 DIY environmentally friendly centerpieces for your holiday table:
1. Pinecone Basket
Pinecones are a great decoration for the table, as well as other areas of your home! You may even be fortunate enough to live in an area with pine trees, so you can simply collect some good looking ones from your yard. Just remember to bake them in the oven before decorating to remove any bugs! Simply find a cute wicker type basket, in whichever color you want, and place pinecones in it until they are coming out of the top. When the holiday is over, you can return the pinecones outside and reuse the basket for something else!
2. Pumpkins
There are so many ideas to use pumpkins for decorations! If you’re going more for an elegant than a rustic theme, get some of those tiny pumpkins (the ones that you can’t really cook or eat, but are so cute they fit in the palm of your hand) and place them in glass vases. You can even get different color pumpkins, like darker orange, light orange, and even white or cream-colored! For an added touch, you can add fairy lights to the vase if you have them. When the holiday is done, you can reuse the vases and the pumpkins will eventually breakdown - or you can use them in your compost!
3. Uncooked Corn Kernels
Yes, you read that right! You can use uncooked corn kernels for some unique holiday table decor! Get your favorite glass vase or hurricane vase and fill it with dry, uncooked corn kernels. You could also add a candle to the middle (we may recommend electric here, but use whichever candles at your own discretion. You don’t want the corn to heat up too much or it may pop!), and tie a ribbon in your favorite color around the vase. Voila! Add this to your table amongst your pumpkins and pinecones for a unique touch!
4. Name Card Holders
I know this one may not apply to everyone, but I loved this idea so much I had to toss it in! If you have a seating chart for your holiday table, instead of just putting a place card down by the plate or buying fancy place card holders, why not use a small pinecone instead? Like before, if you’re collecting from outside, make sure to bake them to remove the bugs. This simple touch adds a homey feel to the table (and wouldn’t take up any space to store, as you can put the pinecones back outside where you found them!)
5. Acorns
When I saw this one, I had to share it because it is not something I would’ve thought about! Gather up some acorns, whether from outside or the store, and use them to fill up glass vases or candle holders. It adds a nice, rustic autumn touch to the table that is not as common as pumpkins (although we love pumpkins too!).
You can add pretty much anything above to baskets, glass vases, or even just arrange them on a table runner down the center of the table. The possibilities are endless! We like these ideas because you can either reuse them or return them to nature. And you didn’t spend a fortune on floral arrangements (but those are amazing as well!). What do you use to decorate your table? Leave us a comment below!
Happy Thanksgiving!
XOXO,
Your Squeaky Green Team