How to Make Your House Feel Extra Festive for Thanksgiving

The season of giving thanks is already upon us – it’s hard to believe the time has flown by so fast! This year has been full of ups, downs, twists, and turns. It’s important now more than ever to spend time with our family and friends and show gratitude for the good things we have in our lives – even if we’ve encountered some not-so-good along the way.

This Thanksgiving, why not go all-out? The world could use some extra festive cheer, including those around you! Break out your tablecloths, dig out the good china, and flip through that trusty book of family recipes. And while you’re at it, sprinkle the Thanksgiving spirit throughout your home! How? Glad you asked. Here’s how to make your house feel extra festive for Thanksgiving.

Make Way!


First things first, you’ve got to make room for all of the people and décor pieces that are about to fill your home! We’ve all been confined to our houses for a few months, so things need freshened up, cleared out, and decluttered.

Start with your shared living spaces – dining room, living room, kitchen – and make piles of things you want to throw out, donate, or keep. Once you have your piles, find a residential dumpster service to haul the “Trash” piles away for you. You’ve got enough going on in your busy life! Check out JCS-Group to find easy, affordable, professional residential waste removal services that can take the junk off your hands.

Decorate the Dining Room


Thanksgiving is all about breaking bread together, so focus on bringing your dining room to life! Harvest season brings vibrant colors and distinct themes, so there’s no right or wrong when choosing your décor.

Need some help getting started? Start with a bare table and work your way up. First, figure out the table runner you want. You could lay down garlands of magnolia or eucalyptus or go with the simple, rustic theme and roll out some burlap. Next, sprinkle in some accent pieces. Copper dishes or vases make a striking statement, terracotta dishware is warm yet simple, and dried flowers complement anything you choose!

Instead of formally serving dessert after dinner, set up a rustic dessert bar at one end of the dining room. Set all the pies, cakes, cookies, and treats on simple cake stands, wooden platters, bowls, or baskets.

Liven the Living Space


Your dining room is important, but it’s not the only area of your home that needs attention! Sprinkle the festive Thanksgiving spirit throughout your home, including the living room and other common areas. You can make simple switches that make a big difference in the room’s appearance, like switching all clear glass vases and votives with amber glass. Amber brings so much warmth and coziness to any space! Set up some amber pieces on your mantel, the coffee table, or floating shelves on the wall. To add even more warmth, fill the amber glass with candles – real candles or battery-powered will do – to transform the lighting in your living area!

While you’re working on the living room, don’t be afraid to add some fall foliage. Whether you purchase faux flowers and garlands at a craft store or harvest some from your backyard, show it off for all your guests to see! Add the foliage to your amber glass setup, hang some over picture frames and mirrors, or make your own wreath. You can even gather some pinecones from outside and display them in a rustic wooden bowl. When it comes to foliage, anything and everything is fair game!

Send in the Pumpkins


We would be remiss if we didn’t include pumpkins – yes, even for indoor décor! The quintessential squash makes the perfect decoration for the dining room, living room, front porch, guest bedrooms… the list goes on and on.

Now, there are two ways to go about decorating with pumpkins. You can simply buy a bunch of minis and sprinkle them throughout your space, which is a sweet and straightforward approach. Or you can paint your pumpkins to match your existing theme or color scheme! Paint them an off-white color for a sophisticated, neutral tone, or paint them in varying shades of reds and oranges to create an ombre effect. Cascading ombre pumpkins make a stunning centerpiece for your dining room table!

Feeling extra ambitious? Hollow out a medium-sized pumpkin and wash out the inside. Gather your favorite fall foliage, maybe some stunning red berry branches and wheat stalks, and place them inside the pumpkin like you would with a vase. Place your creation in the center of your dining room table for a festive statement centerpiece! If you’d like, you can even paint the pumpkin to complement your chosen color scheme.

Spice it Up


Thanksgiving season is all about rich colors and rich smells. Think of the savory scent of turkey or ham in the oven and the sweet smell of apple pie cooling on the countertop. Though, there is one thing missing to balance out that aromatic equation – spice!

Create your own spicy scent with clove-spiked citrus, some cinnamon sticks, or even an essential oil diffuser. Place your spicy creation on the coffee table or near the front door so that it’s the first thing your guests will smell. You can even make your own simmer pot to fill the whole house with festive fragrance without much effort involved. The warm, inviting aromas will make your guests feel comfy-cozy the moment they step through the door!

The power of spice doesn’t stop there, though. Bundle cinnamon sticks together with festive twine or yarn, then slip your table place cards in the natural crevice to make your own unique place card holders! It’s a simple way to dress up your dining room table even more, and it beckons guests to the table with the lingering scent of comforting cinnamon.

How do you make your home extra festive for Thanksgiving? Have you tried any of these ideas? We want to hear from you! Find JCS-Group on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to find even more inspiration to make your home the best that it can be.