Natural Ways to Decorate Your Table for Holiday Dinners

The holidays are a perfect time to use natural decorations to bring eco-friendly touches to your dining table. Natural resources make your home feel warm and welcoming, inviting that cozy sense of ‘hygge’ to your holiday social gathering.

8 Natural Decorations

Use these eight ideas to bring some holiday warmth and cheer to your dining table.

Use fruits & vegetables for your centerpiece

Coloured corn in the husk, squashes, and acorns, coupled with candles make a beautiful centerpiece for your holiday table. Cranberries, pomegranates and cinnamon sticks surrounding candles make the perfect setting for the holiday season.

Garland ideas

Use grapevine or wiry tree branches to make garland. Lay them down the middle of your table along with some candles. You can also pick up fresh or decorative gourds or pumpkins and spray paint them gold as well to add more texture to your centerpiece.

Lighting

Candles, soft lights, and luminaries make a beautiful addition to your home at the holidays. Use them on your table as well as around your dining room to bring some soft, natural light into the room. Luminaries are used in many cultures to signify the holiday season. Be careful to use safer candles made of beeswax, soy, or coconut wax. They don’t contain the chemical fragrances found in conventional candles.

Tree branches

If you have mature trees in your yard or neighborhood, place branches and limbs on your sideboard to bring festive rich color and a natural element to your dining room. Nestle in miniature pumpkins, colourful leaves, cranberries, apples or pears, and straw to bring the decor alive. Natural outdoor touches bring in holiday themes without being overbearing.

Fresh flowers

Fresh flowers are a beautiful addition to any table. Use rich reds, oranges, and yellows for a stunning seasonal arrangement. Instead of placing them in a vase, hollow out a pumpkin or bread bowl, place some floral foam brick (also known as oasis) that has been soaked in water inside, then arrange your flowers in your pumpkin or bread for a show-stopping centerpiece.

Use leaves and pine cones

Leaves and pine cones mixed with berries, ribbon, and wire make a beautiful decor. Use strong leaves like Magnolia and Oak for coasters. Consider spray painting them with holiday colours to make them more festive. Let your kids make crafts and decorate them with glitter and beads then display them on your table and sideboard.

Place cards

To customize each place setting use a natural product for each plate. Hand write place cards and attach them to acorns, pumpkins, pine cones or fruit at each place setting. For a more formal dinner, write out the menu and place it alongside each table setting.

Holiday citrus air freshener

There are several air fresheners that come out during the holidays that may smell great, but aren’t good for you. Many chemicals used in these chemical fragrances are known or suspected carcinogens, hormone disruptors, allergens, and can induce asthma. Instead, make your own holiday citrus air freshener recipe, and after boiling it, place it in a bowl on your table. Not only will it look beautiful, it will smell great too.