Bring in Mother Nature this Thanksgiving

With Thanksgiving this week, I thought I’d seek a little input from my friend, Krisztina Fellner, Principal Designer and Owner of Modern Washingtonian Interiors, on how to dress up your home and table to make it extra special this year. Together, we’ve put together a few ideas for you on how to use Mother Nature’s decorations and colors to make your home a little extra special for Thanksgiving.

Tip of the Week: Use seasonal items and colors to make your home extra special for Thanksgiving this year.

It’s said that the Pilgrims probably dined on pumpkins, squash, turnips, carrots, and wild nuts at the first Thanksgiving. Today, we still incorporate those traditional items into our Thanksgiving feast, but much differently. Items such as pumpkins, squash, and carrots make their way into casseroles and pies, or are added as a garnish to a dish. This year however, I challenge you to keep some of those items intact, and serve or decorate your home with them - perhaps just the way the pilgrims did. With the help of Krisztina Fellner, Principal Designer at Modern Washingtonian Interiors, we’ve put together a few ideas to bring out the natural beauty of Thanksgiving, and just maybe experience it a little more like the Pilgrims.

1) Keep Food Items Whole: This year while you’re shopping for Thanksgiving dinner pick up a few extra apples, squash, and pumpkins to use for your tablescape or as a centerpiece.  As a special twist, use those extras vegetables and fruits to tell a story about your menu by placing them next to the item being served. Another great tip from Modern Washingtonian Interiors, is to group together squash and multicolored mini-pumpkins of various heights to make impressive mantle or table arrangements. 

2) Use Nuts, Acorns, Pinecones and Ivy: Have you looked at the ground lately? Sure there may be fewer flowers blooming, but there sure is an abundance of acorns, pinecones, and nuts. It couldn’t be easier to fill these items in glass bowls or vases and use them as part of your table décor – even consider pinecones as place card holders. If you have an abundance of ivy growing around your home, Modern Washingtonian Interiors recommends using it to make a gorgeous centerpiece.  Just take a plate and wrap ivy like a wreath around the outer edges, using a little wire if necessary, and add gourds, apples, pears, and pinecones to the center.  Even top it off with grapes!

3) Natural Cloths & Colors: For Thanksgiving Day, your food is really the main event, and nothing accomplishes that like a beautiful, simple white or cream place setting with minimal decoration. Also, instead of using polyester and other manmade textiles, consider using cotton, linen, or burlap to decorate and dress your table. Modern Washingtonian Interiors recommends tying napkins with raffia or ribbon around a cinnamon stick. The cinnamon stick acts as both an accessory and later an addition to a hot glass of spiced cider during or after the feast. Pick another spice, or herb like sage, if cinnamon isn’t to your liking.

4) Treat Guests to a Signature Drink: Finally, no occasion, especially Thanksgiving would be complete without wonderful a nice hot drink. Here’s a spiced hot toddy recipe that is sure to impress and relax your dinner guests after a big meal!

1 1/2 cups water

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons honey

1/2 cup fresh lemon juice

2 cups apple brandy, preferably Calvados

Eight 3-inch cinnamon stick

In small saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the honey until dissolved. Stir in the lemon juice and apple brandy. Set a cinnamon stick in each of 8 mugs or heatproof glasses, pour in the hot liquid and serve. Enjoy!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Aaron Gorski

Owner, The Greener Side Lawn & Landscaping LLC

Visit The Greener Side Lawn & Landscaping LLC or follow me on Facebook and Twitter for more landscaping, gardening, and home maintenance tips, tricks, and techniques!

For more information about Modern Washingtonian Interiors or to contact Krisztina Fellner, visit her Website, Facebook Page, or email her directly at info@modernwashingtonian.com

Please send all of your landscaping, fall gardening, and home maintenance questions to: PatchQuestions@GreenerSideLLC.com.