Thanksgiving Centerpiece

Save a spot between the mashed potatoes and candied yams for a pretty, fresh centerpiece—again this year we’ve put together a special combination for Thanksgiving. Now, this is not a red and white Christmas arrangement to set out early; it’s meant for the harvest dinner table, crafted in autumn shades to celebrate this bountiful holiday.

Our starting point is a lush yellow poinsettia. From there we get creative with colorful seasonal accent plants: alyssum, bracteantha, erysimum, ferns, lysimachia, and ornamental cabbage and kale. The result is a festive, unique arrangement with a personality all its own. Since each combination is different, an assortment—but not necessarily all—of the accents listed above will appear in any given one.

As beautiful as our Thanksgiving centerpiece is, we assume dinner guests would rather look at each other as they chat over the holiday meal. With this in mind, we’ve kept the design low and unobtrusive—about 15 inches tall and 15–18 inches wide—so that everyone will be able to see over and around the tablescape easily.

This arrangement comes in a 12-inch fiber planter for an earthy, rustic look. If you like, set it inside a wicker basket or fancy tray before placing it on the holiday table. Remember: centerpieces make great holiday and host/hostess gifts. Ours are nice and fresh so they’ll bring several more weeks of enjoyment after that last sliver of pumpkin pie has been devoured.