Dining Table Decoration Ideas for Thanksgiving

Create a beautiful table this fall or Thanksgiving with these dining table decoration ideas utilizing pumpkins, flowers, and magnolia leaves.

Happy November! To welcome the start of one of my favorite months of the year and one of my favorite holidays, hello Thanksgiving (eeekkk I am so excited!), I thought I would share simple dining table decoration ideas to create a beautiful fall tablescape.

Now in full transparency, I actually had a different idea for this November 1st blog post. My original plan was to share how to make pumpkin candle holders with small white pumpkins. I had the whole blog post laid out and how I was going to stage & photograph the adorable pumpkin candle holders I had pictured in my mind.

Let’s just say my idea did not go as planned! When Dave broke out the power tools and pumpkin started flying all over my kitchen, I thought…there is no way I am going to share and recommend making pumpkin candle holders to my readers!

So, I had to turn to plan B. Dining table decoration ideas using pumpkins, gourds, flowers, magnolia leaves, and the now infamous pumpkin candle holders.

In all honesty, I am kind of glad my original blog post idea didn’t work out. I love how these fall dining table decoration ideas came together! The resulting tablescape is simple, natural, colorful, and elegant…perfect for entertaining Thanksgiving guests!

Dining Table Decoration Ideas: #1 Linens

Table linens are the base for setting your dining table. It’s the first piece that is added to the table and sets the tone for the entire tablescape.

For this fall tablescape, I added a white cotton tablecloth and then layered a cotton mustard colored gingham table throw (the table throw is no longer available, but this tablecloth has the same gingham pattern) over top.

I always love to layer linens when I can for depth and texture!

These other table linen options would be a beautiful base for a fall tablescape:

• Taupe Gingham Tablecloth (This has been one of my favorites all season, it’s inexpensive too!)
• Checked Linen Blend Tablecloth
• Striped Linen Blend Tablecloth
• Green Plaid Table Runner
• Garland Botanical Linen Blend Table Runner (This is gorgeous!)
• French Striped Organic Tablecloth

Dining Table Decoration Ideas: #2 Flower Centerpiece

Flowers are always a great option for dining table décor. They add beauty and freshness to any table in any season.

I like to keep my dining table flower arrangements at a lower height so that guests are able to easily see and speak to one another across the table.

I started this colorful flower arrangement with a small copper pot, then filled it with burgundy & pink flowers along with magnolia leaves & pine boughs.

Here is exactly what I used for materials to create this flower centerpiece. All plant material was purchased at our local Trader Joe’s.

• Small vintage copper pot
• 2 bunches of burgundy dahlias
• 1 bunch of pink mums
• 1 bunch of small burgundy mums
• 1 bunch of a seeded fall filler
• 1 bunch pine boughs
• 1 bunch magnolia leaves

I also sprinkled the magnolia leaves around the center of the table for a pop of color and texture.

Dining Table Decorations Ideas: #3 Pumpkins & Gourds

Pumpkins and gourds are a wonderful, natural, seasonal element to utilize in fall tablescapes!

I placed several pumpkins & gourds in varying sizes down the center of our fall table. For this colorful tablescape, I used pumpkins & gourds in shades of pale orange, which I thought looked pretty with the copper pot holding the flower arrangement.

Among the larger pale orange pumpkins & gourds, I layered in smaller white pumpkins around the center of the table.

Pro Tip: Wait to purchase your pumpkins/gourds until about 2 weeks before Halloween. Grocery stores and farmer’s markets will discount the pumpkins/gourds to move their stock out the door before the holiday.

Dining Table Decorations Ideas: #4 Pumpkin Candle Holders

I know…I said at the beginning of the post how these pumpkin candle holders did not go as planned! And that is very true!!!

However, once we did a little trial and error, I think Dave figured out how to successfully make these. That doesn’t mean these were necessarily easy to make or that pumpkin didn’t continue to fly throughout our kitchen. So, take it from me, if you are going to make these…do it outdoors and have a few extra pumpkins on hand in case one or two don’t go as planned!

I do think in the end, these pumpkin candle holders came out very cute! You could also simply use candlestick holders instead of the pumpkin candle holders for lighting and ambiance on your dining table.

Pumpkin Candle Holder Supplies

• Real mini white pumpkins (Any color small pumpkins will do.)
• Sharp utility knife
• Drill bit (The bit should be the size of the base of taper candle you will place in your pumpkin candle holder.)
• Taper candles

How to Make Pumpkin Candle Holders

Take a small white pumpkin and with a sharp utility knife, begin placing small cuts where the stem meets the pumpkin. Continue doing this all the way around the stem to loosen it from the the pumpkin. Once the stem is loose, pull it from the pumpkin. The entire stem should release in one piece.

Next, with a drill bit (the size of the base of the taper candle) drill straight into the hole where the stem was located. Drill about 1/2″ down, or down enough until you hit the center of the pumpkin. Be careful not to drill too far or through the other end of the pumpkin.

Place the candle inside the hole of the pumpkin, and you have the cutest pumpkin candle holder!

Pro tip: The easiest and cleanest way to make these pumpkin candle holders is by removing the entire stem before drilling. We did not do this at first, which resulted in the holes being off center and very messy.

Pro tip: Do this outside! Pieces of pumpkin will fly everywhere when drilling into the pumpkin.

More Dining Table Decoration Ideas

Here are a few other dining table decoration ideas that would be beautiful for fall or Thanksgiving.

I created this fall tablescape with neutral pieces along with accents of dried orange slices.

An heirloom pumpkin centerpiece would look gorgeous in the middle of a Thanksgiving table.

I love this Thanksgiving tablescape I created last year which included a beautiful handwritten table runner.

This holiday table was the perfect combination of Thanksgiving and the holidays with the use of pomegranates, pine boughs, and eucalyptus.

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