The whisper of Autumn’s approach echoes soft with the first frost of the season, glazing our green world like sweet, homemade doughnut. In our homes, the early morning light still lingers, and dreams of a bountiful Thanksgiving — celebrated with our family — blossoms.
When you take the time to prepare your home for the holidays, Thanksgiving will easily become a memorable, family day to cherish — one without cooking and decorating stress. Here’s some of our best tips and ideas on how to make that happen!
Welcome Visitors Right Away
Eager to know the secret behind a welcoming fall-inspired home, we asked our store decorators, Erla and Anna, for their Autumn decorating tips.
Porch displays are a wonderful way to welcome guests into your home before they even pass the threshold inside. Besides pumpkins, hay bales or straw bundles add a beautiful touch to your entryway.
If it’s a particularly cold fall, you may want to make sure home’s sidewalks are cleared of an early ice or the plentiful fallen, colorful leaves. A clean porch is sure to make all guests feel at ease once they see your home.
Warm up Your Home with Festive Décor
When decorating inside, our decorators advise staying with a color theme like white pumpkins with a touch of greenery and reds. Enjoy the chance to explore nature this season, sprinkling little touches of autumn around your home.
Autumn is definitely a season meant for pumpkin decorations galore. But what if you took that classic fall item and put an unique touch to it? You could write on your pumpkin (with a sharpie) a special phrase like “blessings” or “welcome.”
Furniture Feature: Invest in an unique way to store your holiday goodies. Our Small Pie Safe with Tin promises a comfortable place to store the extra snacks needed for holiday enjoyment. The wheat-tin door accent adds a fun, country touch to your warmly home.
To add a personal touch to your Thanksgiving table, you can add a fun favor to each place setting — a special way to thank your guests for the visit. Try a little festive note card, describing why you’re thankful for each individual. You can’t go wrong with an edible treat— like candied apples topped with sprinkles, peanuts or mini m&ms — to enjoy after the meal settles.
An burlap runner would give your Thanksgiving table a rustic feel, mixing well with any pumpkin or leaf decor. Don’t forget to light a few candles to add to the warm, welcoming atmosphere.
Prepare for a Bountiful Kitchen
Planning for the holiday meal may seem like a daunting task but with a little preparation, you may receive some much-needed peace of mind. Even if you’re not a natural planner, deciding what the Thanksgiving meal entails will help ease any day-of cooking stress. You’ll be able to gather all the necessary ingredients and recipes ahead of time. If you’re feeling especially motivated, you could even bake a few dishes ahead of time.
Furniture Feature: Looking for a perfect place to welcome the little Thanksgiving guests into your home? Check out our Child’s Rectangle Table Set and enjoy dreaming about the possibilities of a second dinner table — smaller but so much cuter!
Peaceful Valley Furniture Employee, Marilyn, even uses her fall decor for a second purpose. She decorates with a Crookneck pumpkin, then close to the holidays she cooks that very pumpkin for a delicious fall dessert: Pumpkin pie. She also recommends keeping family favorites on hand, whether its a Thanksgiving dessert or salty snack.
|| Check out our favorite, local recipes in the Grandma’s Kitchen section of our blog. For many Amish families, Thanksgiving wouldn’t quite be the same without the delicious Amish Roast or Traditional Pumpkin Pie.
Furniture Feature: If you need a little more table space for a relaxed Thanksgiving meal, we have the perfect solution for you — our handcrafted TV Tray Set. Ideal for a relaxed feast of delicious leftovers, these trays will add a few more places for dining.
Thanksgiving is more than a day to gather with family and feast on delicious food. It’s a day set aside to appreciate the many blessings in your life. It’s a chance to understand our forefather’s sacrifice for our young country. It’s a time to make your home the welcoming, warm place it was created to be.
