Embrace the spirit of the fall season: decorating for thanksgiving

As the leaves begin their vibrant transformation, and the air turns crisp with the promise of cooler days ahead, it's undeniable that autumn has arrived. This enchanting season brings with it a host of festivities and celebrations, with two standout stars on the horizon: Halloween and Thanksgiving. In this article, we'll take you on a creative journey to prepare your living space for the autumnal extravaganza, helping you strike the perfect balance between eerie elegance and cozy charm.

Decor that will work for Halloween and Thanksgiving

Decorating for fall can come with its challenges since fall contains not one, but two main holidays – Halloween and Thanksgiving. And even though there are some unifying decor elements between both of them (for example, pumpkins) they still bring totally different vibes into the house.

To fit the holiday theme you will need to adjust some decor for Halloween and Thanksgiving, but that said there are some decor pieces that you can use throughout all fall. Let’s see what they are!

Autumnal Wreath

Front door wreath is a proud tradition almost all homeowners keep alive. You need to have one for Autumn, one for Christmas, and one for Easter, and for the summer the front door can have a season off.

Autumn wreath consists of colored leaves (real or fake), some twigs, pumpkins, berries, acorns, and other elements associated with fall. This kind of wreath will be relevant for Halloween and Thanksgiving and will fit in with the rest of the decor.

If you feel creative, you can adjust the wreath according to the holiday. For example, you can add bats or little ghosts to the wreath for Halloween. Or better yet, just wrap a fake spider web on the wreath for the Spooky season and remove it for Thanksgiving.

Pumpkins

Pumpkins are the perfect decoration for Halloween and Thanksgiving and for fall in general. They represent the harvest season that fall is all about, they look cute and you can find them in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors.

You can use real pumpkins (and later in the winter have a huge pumpkin food-themed party), or invest in good fake pumpkins. And when you think “pumpkins” don’t just automatically assume they need to be orange and “real” looking. There are tons of fun pumpkin decors that are made of a variety of materials and serve different functions.

For example, there are glass and ceramic containers shaped like pumpkins, pumpkin-shaped plates, or plates with pumpkin images, pumpkins made out of ropes and pumpkin placemats, honeycomb pumpkins, and pumpkin-themed mugs.

The color scheme also can vary from the traditional orange to black and white, pink, red, gold, and so on.

So, if you don’t want to change out your decor for Halloween and then for Thanksgiving, go heavy on pumpkins and you will be set for both holidays.

Dried and Fresh Flowers

Flowers always revive a space and make it feel really thought of. There are plenty of fall flowers that will add to the beautiful autumnal color scheme, bring in beautiful and fresh scents for the house, and complement the rest of the decor.

Autumn is the season when good decor is fresh as well as dried flowers. Dried flowers will perfectly go with Halloween decor. If they don’t have anything extra spooky about them, they will transition well to the Thanksgiving theme as well.

You can dry flowers yourself or choose to purchase already-dried bouquets. Either way, it will be a very nice addition to your decor.

Branches and twigs

The autumnal decor has a very natural vibe because of the overall color scheme – orange, red, and brown. And because of that, different natural elements play perfectly into the autumn theme, for example, branches and twigs.

You can pick a good-looking branch from a walk around the neighborhood or find something in your own backyard. A branch can be hung by itself without any extra decorations or you can give it a boost by painting it or hanging themed elements on it.

If you decide to paint – great options are classical black or white, or something more natural as rusty brown or dark red.

To make the branch decor feel more on a theme, you can hang little ghosts, bats, jack-the-lanterns, skeletons, etc on it for Halloween. However, when Thanksgiving is approaching, change the decor to little turkeys or “Say Thanks” ornaments.

Specific decor pieces for Halloween

Once we have the basis for fall decor, it is time to experiment and express the spirit of each holiday through different decor items. Let’s see what Halloween has in store for us!

Wallpaper as a decor for Halloween

If you are feeling a little bit extra, wallpaper as decor for Halloween is one of the best options to elevate your Halloween interior to the next level. How to do it? Here are the tips!

1. To avoid any permanent changes to your house, choose peel and stick wallpaper.

2. Find a space in your house you want to turn into the most haunted corner.

3. There are 2 options – either you wallpaper a panel that you use as a backdrop and just back against the wall (that way your walls stay intact), or you go all in and wallpaper your actual walls.

4. If you choose to wallpaper the wall, make sure you are not adding wallpaper to the wallpaper, the base should be painted.

5. Choose a good Halloween-themed wallpaper. It can be something obvious like a ghost or bat print, or you can add Halloween flair with moody wallpaper. If you choose the latter, take a look at these wallpapers that might just fit the mood: Your Mystic and Dark Luxury.

6. Wallpaper the wall, decorate the area with other elements and you will have the best Halloween-inspired spot in the house, where to just chill or take amazing photos.

Ghosts and skeletons

A good Halloween decor will reference at least one ghost or some skeletons. They are a Halloween classic and definitely a party pleaser. You can choose how to execute the idea. Either go big and, for example, purchase skeletons of different sizes and arrange them around the house and front yard, or add a little skeleton detail here and there, for example, a skeleton hand napkin holder.

Brooms and witchy vibes

Halloween can have a good amount of mystical and magical aura to it. The witchy decor just amplifies this section of Halloween. You can combine some regular household items with special decor items to make a fun witchy corner. Look for decor that resembles witch hats, cauldrons, bats, straw brooms, spells, and so on. To make it more surprising you can swap the broom for a vacuum or make the basement or understairs cupboard your house’s witch’s lair.

Specific decor pieces for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving decor is a little bit more subtle than Halloween’s. To embrace the Thanksgiving spirit you need to lean on turkey decors, decors with thankful messages, and overall autumnal decorations.

Turkey decors

There are lots of fun decorations with a turkey theme. For example, woven turkeys, turkey-shaped containers made of glass or ceramics, Turkey party hats, plates shaped like turkeys, etc. Add a little bit of turkey here and there and you will definitely have the Thanksgiving vibe going on.

Garland

Garland is an easy option for bringing into the house some Thanksgiving feels. You can make garlands yourself or with your kids, or purchase already-made ones. The garland can contain some text, for example, “Give Thanks” or “Happy Thanksgiving” or it can be just an autumnal-themed garland with colored leaves or pumpkins.

Plaid patterns

Plaid is the pattern of colder seasons, including autumn. For autumnal feel choose plaid in orange, rusty brown, and red colors with a little bit of green, black, and white. For a more subtle decor for Thanksgiving, go for plaid! Have a plaid blanket, pillows, or napkins.

Wallpaper as a decor for Thanksgiving

The same as for Halloween, you can also amplify your Thanksgiving decorations by wallpapering a wall in the house with Thanksgiving wallpaper. You can also use the peel-and-stick wallpaper for different DIY Thanksgiving decor projects.

If you want more of a hint of Thanksgiving wallpaper, try this Taupe plaid. And if you cannot find just the right print, create your own! Now there is an option to use a print of your choice and create a wallpaper of your dreams. For Thanksgiving or different occasions, it is a perfect opportunity if you are a picky decorator. Check it out here!

What to decorate?

If you are a busy person (as we all are nowadays) you might not have the time or resources to decorate all of the house. It’s a lot of rooms! So, here is a short list of places to concentrate your energy on.

Front porch

A decorated front porch will make you happy every time you walk up to your front door, and it will also inspire your neighbors and put them in the holiday mood. Great ideas for the front porch are wreaths, garlands, and pumpkin stacks. For Halloween add some skeletons or other spooky decor.

Entryway

The entryway the same as the front porch is an area you will pass through every day. So to enjoy your own decor, it is a good idea to decorate this space! Decorate with things you can hang from the ceiling and add cute decor elements to the entryway table. For Halloween, you can write a spooky message on the mirror!

Living room

The living room is the place where usually all the celebration takes action. So to keep people in the holiday spirit, the living room should be decorated. If you have a fireplace, the fireplace mantel is a perfect spot for garlands and other decorations. Throw a themed blanket and pillows on the couch, and use the coffee table to display autumnal flowers.

In conclusion

With the right disposition, you can be ready for both fall holidays with little effort. Start with the basis and add elements that are relevant to the specific occasion. It is also a wise idea to start the decoration process early and add pieces week by week. Just remember that the main goal of holidays is to celebrate, catch up with friends and family, and have fun! Let decorations be a part of the process not a chore you have to do.