Thanksgiving will be here before you know it. This is the holiday when family visits; they eat, relax, and play games! So, besides dressing up your house, don’t forget to dress up your deck and outdoor spaces – like your porch or patio. Here is a list of some fun fall décor and attractive decorating ideas that lend themselves to the holiday season and help you and your family to enjoy the outdoors and being inside, too.

1. Create a cozy nook underneath

After a grand Thanksgiving dinner, all you want to do is relax. Let the turkey’s tryptophan take effect while enjoying some quiet time underneath your deck. Install a small table with an attractive tablecloth, a table runner, and some easy fall decorations so you and your guests can relax, talk, and digest your fantastic (and filling) feast.

2. Utilize fall colors

Match those gorgeous trees outside with orange, yellow, red, and beautiful brown hues by incorporating sunflowers and fall leaves. Autumn has an amazing color palette and will likely inspire you to make your house and outdoor space even more festive by using fall colors to celebrate. Then, add a fall wreath for a splash of color and seasonal elegance.

3. Harvest-themed décor

Celebrate the arrival of fall and crisp evenings with traditional and harvest-style decorations. Combine cornstalks, hay bales, and rustic lanterns to make it a “down home” theme that your guests will love. If you have burlap, make a DIY scarecrow! Whimsical decorations always elevate the mood; your family and friends will like the novelty.

4. Plan your seating

Yes, with family coming and friends dropping by, you need to think about some extra chairs – and where to place them. It’s advisable to make up a couple of little enclaves for sitting, as family members will want to catch up. Some well-placed chairs, benches, and pillows will beckon guests to mingle. Also, incorporate a few Thanksgiving decorations, like pumpkins, gourds, and seasonal throw rugs around the seating areas.

5. Dress up your entryway

The first thing your guests will see will be your front door. Use fall decorations, such as white and orange pumpkins, Indian corn, and an autumn wreath, to dress up your front door and the surrounding area. Make it look both exciting and inviting. Friends and family who drop by will be immediately transformed into a festive mood when they see your holiday cheer.

6. Make use of subtle and dark colors

We think of red for Valentine’s Day, green for Saint Patricks, and pastel shades for Easter. Are you somebody who likes more neutral colors? Well, Thanksgiving is the perfect time to employ those darker colors, like browns, grays, and maybe even a little black. If you sneak in a bit of burnt orange, you will have the ideal colors to show off your Thanksgiving decorations.

7. Go big or go home!

Wait – what does that mean? That idiom refers to “go to the full extent or don’t worry about it.” Thanksgiving is the perfect holiday to go full force into decorating. It’s sandwiched between Halloween and whichever winter holiday you celebrate, so you can use Thanksgiving to transition from one to the other. Use trending country or farmhouse-style decors, such as a rustic wagon, an old wood sled, and wooden crates to help create your sense of style.

8. Keeping it on the simpler side

Conversely, if you want to take a more relaxed approach, use some minimalist decorations. That’s fine too, especially if you plan to travel during the holidays. Perhaps a faux pumpkin or squash and a friendly Thanksgiving (or holiday) well-wishes sign will convey the holiday mood.

9. Creative lighting

Illuminate your back patio, front porch, or deck with a pretty holiday lantern or string lights. Make a festive centerpiece with mason jars. You can use faux candles, or if it’s safe, use large candle holders to surround real candles. Remember, if you enjoy your fall decorations by candlelight, please do not leave any candles unattended. Save your long candlesticks for the dinner table.

10. Cozy up your porch swing

Not all of us are lucky enough to have a porch swing, but if you do, take the time to decorate it. Use a couple of throw pillows and a festive Thanksgiving blanket, and let the porch swing be your quiet escape after dinner. Enjoy your porch swing and make it inviting, whether it’s a mellow conversation with a friend or relative, time on your tablet, or snoozing for a stretch.

11. Holiday table decorations

Turn your Thanksgiving decor ideas into assembling a beautiful holiday table. Set out celebratory table decor by choosing creative colors, fall produce, candles, and pinecones. The tablescape can reflect the holidays, including Halloween and the start of winter. A cornucopia filled with harvested veggies may entice your guests to have a seat and enjoy their Thanksgiving dinner.

12. Fall harvest baskets

Simply using baskets of different shapes, sizes, and colors is an attractive and simple idea. Baskets come in many different materials and can hold things like mums, colorful Indian corn, and other fall decorations. Add a few flameless candles, and watch your easy decorating idea blossom into something artistic.

13. Fall season cocktail bar

As the fall season turns into the holiday season, food and beverages are not far from people’s minds. How about setting up your entertaining area to accommodate a few cocktails? Or mocktails? Get a portable cart, such as a tea cart or a baker’s rack, with a couple of liqueurs and mulling spices, and bring out attractive holiday-themed drink glasses. Cheers!

14. Perfect and pretty pumpkin stand

This one is fun! Borrow a little bit from the pumpkin patch by taking advantage of all the autumn produce, which arrives when the weather gets cooler. Squashes, pumpkins, and gourds are ripe for the pickin’ for this stand. Utilize fall leaves, cornstalks, and bales of straw to complete this look. You can add wooden berry-picking buckets to complete the farm feel if you like.

15. Throw in some store-bought goodies!

We know that stores like HomeGoods or Michael’s will put out engaging decorations. It’s fun to go in and browse – and these decorations usually spur creativity. Often, holiday decorations from stores will enhance what you already have, so setting up a funny holiday sign near something like a DIY scarecrow or carved pumpkin adds some humor and warmth to your Thanksgiving decor.

16. Curating a seasonal bar

We mentioned a holiday cocktail bar before, but let’s take it a little further, shall we? If you’re somebody with many kids in the family or have relatives who don’t drink, your tea cart can be the home to tea (right?), gourmet hot chocolate, and warm cider. Yum! Decorate it with a holiday table runner and/or a few flameless candles to give it some ambiance. Now we’re ready for pumpkin pie!

17. White candles with striking sculptural holders

This is a different idea: borrow the Greek revival for this cool decorating tip. Use some pillar candles with Panhellenic-style statuettes. The candles add more of a reserved mood to your holiday decor. Utilize some greenery, such as spruce or pine, to make this both a breathtaking and eye-catching display.

18. Pumpkin place cards

Here is a fun idea for the whole family to do. Kids love this because they can help out with the preparation. Colorful pumpkin stickers can be used, or draw freehand on a tiny pumpkin (squash) or pen a favorite Thanksgiving doodle on a place card for your Thanksgiving guests. Place cards are a fun and inexpensive (and useful) way to engage kids and adults alike to help out with dinner planning.

19. Corn husk wreath

A creative and simple idea is to make a wreath with corn husks. These can be bought at craft stores, or if you live in the country, you will likely find these blown into your yard from the wind. Gather these and shape these around a foam circle form. You can decorate with bright autumn-colored ribbon, small pinecones, and pumpkin stencils. This is a very easy DIY project!

20. Vibrant gooseberry branches

Gooseberry branches, which can be ordered, are beautiful and dramatic additions to your holiday decor. Place on tables, hang on the wall or grace your front entryway. If desired, you can also spray these to a beautiful metallic silver or gold color. Finally, mix in some pine cones for extra effect. These will last from Thanksgiving until the end of the year.

21. Handmade cornucopia centerpiece

Another stunning addition to your Thanksgiving dinner table is a cornucopia. The cornucopia has dual purposes based on the Greek idea of showing off beautiful vegetables and fruit. Besides being a gorgeous centerpiece to whet the appetite, guests can also eat from it! You can add unlimited fruits and veggies to the cornucopia. Dress it up with small mums to create a visually pleasing table display.

22. DIY lead calendar

Put the kids to work by creating an “old school” calendar. Get out a few turkeys and/or pumpkin stencils and lead into the next year with this DIY calendar. Be sure to include significant dates that your family will celebrate. Kids will learn to cherish moments like this, as it helps them plan exciting events and brings them closer to their families.

23. Outdoor string lights

What better way to celebrate Thanksgiving Day than to incorporate some illumination? Use string lights, along with some of the other decorations mentioned here. String lights will liven up your outdoor space and make your guests excited to enter your home. Lights come in a variety of colors, including fall colors, like yellow, gold (amber), and orange. If you want, you can add some white lights for contrast. It will make for a striking display.

 

24. Custom Thanksgiving banner

Another Thanksgiving decor idea for the whole family to partake in is to design a fun fall-like Thanksgiving banner. Get the kids to draw (Yes, they can trace their hands!) and add colorful fall leaves to a large banner. You can place this over your Thanksgiving porch so you can boast your holiday spirit and welcome your guests for Thanksgiving dinner.

25. Hay bales as seating?

Sure! These bales of hay (or straw) can be useful for several things. They make a fabulous farmhouse display, and you can use them in your outdoor area for seating. They get the job done in a pinch, and when the fall season is over, you can even spread the straw out in your yard to protect the ground from cooler temperatures and frost.