What is a Thanksgiving table centerpiece called?
Picture it: You’re sitting there talking to your friend about your plans for hosting Thanksgiving and you’re trying to describe to her the cone you will decorate your table with… they look at you like you’re crazy, but you just can’t remember what it’s called. Well, we’re here to help: it’s called a cornucopia, and it’s a Thanksgiving table essential when you’re hosting the most delicious meal of the year.
You see, cornucopia is derived from a Latin word that literally means “horns of plenty.” It’s thought to originate in ancient Greek traditions when they would put a goat’s horn on the table (and according to Greek mythology, that’s what Zeus was fed out of as a kid, so you know it’s special). Nowadays, it’s a traditional staple on any Thanksgiving tablescape, there as a symbol of nourishment and abundance. Most often you’ll see them as hollow, horn shaped pieces that are made from a wicker material, the kind that’s used to make baskets, too. They are set in the middle of the table and can be filled with a variety of seasonally appropriate items, from flowers to gourds as well as nuts and fresh produce.
The fun part about cornucopias is that they come in all sizes and shapes, full of all sorts of goodies. It would be remiss of us if we didn’t mention our favorite cornucopia, the Thanksgiving Cornucopia. And can you blame us? Flowers are sort of our thing. Nothing makes a table full of stuffing, sweet potatoes, cranberries, and turkey look even more appealing than the cornucopia bursting at the seams with flowers. It has orange roses & lilies, as well as bronze daisies & poms, all the colors that really scream Thanksgiving.
If you’re into cornucopia centerpieces that offer a bit more variety, might we suggest the Happy Thanksgiving Harvest Cornucopia. This piece keeps it fun and casual with a sign that says, “Happy Thanksgiving.” You could place this in the center of your table to greet your guest, but also would be great in a variety of places around your home: in the kitchen where you’ll be serving your guests appetizers, or on a side table in the living room where they will be enjoying coffee and pumpkin pie after the meal. This cornucopia can also include some greenery, really building out this arrangement.
Finally, the autumn cornucopia offers a bit of color variety if that’s what you’re in the market for. Bursting with a bright and fun autumnal color palette, this centerpiece has everything: red roses, orange daisies, yellow alstroemeria, purple statice, and eucalyptus. It’s like the Skittles of cornucopias (taste the rainbow, get it?). It even has some fake fruit for even more variety, this cornucopia truly has it all.
You may be thinking to yourself, “okay, I have answered the question: what is a thanksgiving table centerpiece called? (Cornucopia, in case you missed it), but what if I’d like something else as my thanksgiving centerpiece?” Well, we have great news for you. Cornucopias aren’t the only option when it comes to Thanksgiving centerpieces. Thanksgiving centerpieces can be anything you want them to be, even just a simple bouquet of fall colored flowers. If you want to lean into more of a centerpiece theme though, you could go with a traditional Thanksgiving centerpiece which has a lovely arrangement of flowers that feature two candles in the middle to light during dinner. This can be more of an elegant touch to the table and can stay a centerpiece well past Thanksgiving so long as the flowers stay alive.
At the end of the day, Thanksgiving is about the people you’re sitting around the table with and all the things you have to be thankful for, but we say why not make that table you’re sitting around look nice while you’re at it.
