Are you searching for a clever theme for your Thanksgiving table? Try looking to nature to dress your holiday spread—whether you are inspired by autumnal colors, coastal charm, the fall harvest, rustic wood tones, or desert style, there are many ways to use organic embellishments in your holiday decor.

Colorful gourds and foliage

A lively way to celebrate the season is by bringing in the deep and varied hues of fall. Try scattering mini pumpkins or gourds on your table runner, stack them in a glass vase, or display them in a ceramic bowl. Mini pumpkins can serve as place holders—tie cardstock labels marked with your guests’ names onto the pumpkins with twine or carve slits into the pumpkins’ stems and slip the labels into them. Scatter vibrant fall leaves on the center of your table or glue them onto mason jars that can double as simple candle holders. If you want a glam look for your fall foliage, pumpkins, and gourds, paint them with a mixture of Mod Podge and glitter. You can also give seasonal color to green leaves with a coat of acrylic paint.

Desert elements

Fall leaves and gourds aren’t the only choices for dressing a Thanksgiving table. One alternative is to select cacti and succulents for a Southwestern or boho look. You could place these desert plants in mini glass vases or settle them in rustic wood planters. Antlers and dried grasses and plants can bring texture in your desert theme. For a personal touch, write each guests’ name on a terra cotta pot, and fill the planters with succulents and cacti.

Coastal charm

If you love the beach, a seaside theme might be the way to go for your get-together. Your holiday centerpiece could include candles sunk into sand and shells, ocean-washed pieces of coral, starfish of various sizes, and rustic pieces of driftwood.

Bountiful harvest

Thanksgiving is a celebration of the fall bounty, so why not bring some of nature’s gifts into your design? Foods like apples, pears, grapes, cranberries, and dried corn can bring both color and texture to your table. Hollowed out apples can be used as colorful votive holders. Fill bowls with fruit and nestle candles in dried corn kernels. Create a deliciously scented centerpiece by mixing dried slices of apples and oranges with cranberries and pine cones on a wood platter.

Natural woodland

If the forest is more your vibe, you could bring rustic wood elements into your decorating scheme. Textured wood rounds can substitute for traditional plate chargers. Branches with colorful foliage can lend color to your theme. A long wooden dough bowl piled high with pine cones, leaves, and a black or copper lantern can serve as your centerpiece. For place settings, you could inscribe your guests’ names on mini wood rounds with permanent marker.

Candlelit ambience

Adding organic wax candles to your Thanksgiving spread can infuse texture and ambiance. Eco-friendly choices include candles made from beeswax, soy, vegetable, and coconut wax. Candles can give a room a rustic or elegant feel, depending on whether you select long tapers, votives, or chunky pillar candles. When lit, your candles will spark a warm and cozy feeling in the room. For a fall aroma, trying lighting scented candles.

These are just some of the many ways you can incorporate natural decor into your table’s holiday look—the opportunities are endless!