Giving Thanks
Thanksgiving is a celebration of being thankful for what we have and for all the possibilities to come.
For me, Thanksgiving is about spending time with the loved ones in your life and just being with them uninterrupted, listening, laughing, and enjoying each others company and we can not forget about the incredible dinners we get to share with friends and family. Of course, I love flowers and like to bring a harvest arrangement full of blooms like goldenrods, and sunflowers for the host.
Creating your own Thanksgiving arrangement is easier than you may think. I’ve added some of my favorite simple and easy tips and inspiration for you below.
What Thanksgiving traditions do you have?
Here in Canada, we celebrated Thanksgiving in October but, with so many friends, customers and colleagues in the US, I always make a point of celebrating a second time. Can you blame me?
Like many of you, we toast to the past year gone by and the many things to be grateful and thankful for, even when it’s harder to see the good things. It’s important to gather and remember the many things, big and small, that make our lives beautiful. Often, after dinner, I convince my loved ones to come outside and go for a walk to breathe in the fresh air and enjoy those last moments of peace and quiet before the busy holiday season begins. And you all know how busy Christmas gets.
Create Your Own Thanksgiving or Harvest Arrangement
If you have never made your own Thanksgiving or harvest arrangement this year is the time to do it! I urge you to get creative and make your dining table pop with beautiful and colorful natural arrangements. It is more simple than you think!
Here are a few simple tips to create your harvest arrangement:
Have fun with the color, texture, and size of your base: it creates the foundation of your arrangement and can help make the style pop whether you are going for a more rustic or modern feel. You can be creative with it and use anything from a basket or a pail to a clay pot or even more of a platter or tray instead of a typical container.
Find seasonal gifts from Mother Nature: you can find fallen leaves, pine cones and twigs to add to your floral arrangement to create a more rustic and fall feel. Or, if available, pick some flowers or grass from a field to bring some nature inside, if not, use the colors and flowers you see on your walk as inspiration and pick up some flowers from a local florist, grocery store, or craft store. Stay local where you can.
Strive for balance not symmetry: most people strive to create symmetry in a floral arrangement, but balance can be just as pleasing to the eye and visually impactful. Create balance with equal distribution of weight (equal amount of large pieces and/or bundles of small elements) and color throughout the arrangement.
Use seasonal fruit and vegetables to create a fun and festive centrepiece! Apples, squashes, mini pumpkins, or even dried flowers instead of real flowers to incorporate your own style and uniqueness into your arrangement.
Do you love traditional centrepieces? Get inspired by a cornucopia; a hollow, horn-shaped wicker basket filled with various kinds of festive fruit and vegetables. Traditionally used by fruit pickers in antiquity times, it is now associated with Thanksgiving in North America and symbolizes prosperity, abundance, and nourishment. It is a gorgeous sight to behold. Whatever kind of Thanksgiving arrangement you make will be beautiful! I wish you and your family a Happy Thanksgiving!
XO
Lisa