The holidays are fast approaching, and it’s time to start thinking about how to deck your halls, windows, and doorways. Decorating for Thanksgiving and the fall season allows you to showcase your creativity and set the tone for a warm, festive atmosphere. When it comes to Thanksgiving decor, it’s all about embracing the rich autumnal colors, natural textures, and cozy vibe. From wreaths to window clings, there are so many ways to make your home inviting for family and friends.
When designing your Thanksgiving window decorations, consider creating a visual display that can be seen from both inside and outside your home. Focus on accenting the frames, panes, and sills of your windows with colorful leaves, gourds, mini pumpkins, berries, stems, and other foraged style elements. Use a mix of store-bought and DIY touches to develop a layered, collected look with plenty of warm candlelight.
Inspiring Thanksgiving window decorations
Natural Fall Wreaths
Nothing ushers in the essence of Thanksgiving quite like earthy wreaths made from fallen leaves, curly willow stems, pinecones, and twigs. Handcraft your own by wire-wrapping freshly foraged materials or fill store-bought wreath forms with whimsical fall finds from your backyard or the craft store. Accent with berries, baby’s breath, or dried pods and hang with wide ribbon in autumnal colors. Display on windows, doors, and even interior walls. For nighttime visual interest, nestle string lights or battery-operated candles into your wreath.
Mosaic Leaf Window Clings
Turn your glass panes into stained glass with tissue paper leaf window clings in warm shades of red, orange, yellow, and brown. Cut leaf shapes from tissue paper then saturate with a mixture of equal parts glycerin and water. Brush on the mixture and layer the leaves between two sheets of transparency film or laminating sheets. Trim into sections and adhere around window frames or create scattered leaf designs. The natural light will illuminate your beautiful creations from within.
Burlap Harvest Signs
Rustic burlap lends loads of cozy, textural appeal to Thanksgiving decor. Craft festive harvest signs using burlap, twine, and painted wood cutouts. Print or stencil seasonal words like “Give Thanks,” “Blessings,” “Gratitude,” or “Harvest.” Attach twine or raffia bows at the top and display in a front window or above the dining table. For a warm glow, adhere battery-powered string lights to the edges of the burlap.
Gourd Garlands
Incorporate natural elements like mini gourds, faux berries, and fall leaves into a Thanksgiving garland. Use a neutral twine or raffia and attach materials using hot glue or floral wire. Weave stems of curly willow or birch into the garland for added greenery. Drape your autumnal garland above kitchen sinks and windows or along the top edges of door frames. Accent with burlap bows, mini pumpkins, or acorns.
Twinkling String Lights
Set a magical mood with twinkling string lights lining your window frames, trees, and bushes outside. White lights represent purity and will shine bright on gloomy fall days. For extra warmth, try amber or soft white lights. Battery-operated options make decorating easier. Inside, drape lights along the tops of windows and along interior railings. Outline door and window frames both inside and out.
Fall Scene Setters
Capture the scenic feel of autumn with window clings that create a woodland backdrop. Select images with brilliant fall foliage, bare birch trees, and woodsy scenery. Apply the static cling scene setters to the outside of windows for dimension. From the interior, add faux leaves, twigs, pinecones, and other fall finds to the window sills to carry the theme inside.
Thankful Pumpkin Windowsills
Line your windowsills with petite pumpkins and gourds woven in with faux fall foliage stems. Paint or stencil words on the pumpkins like Thankful, Blessed, Kindness, and Family. Your windowsills will serve as a cheerful display to enjoy from inside and out. For bonus decor, set battery tealights among the pumpkins so they glow at night.
Harvest Place Card Holders
Dress up your Thanksgiving table with natural apple disc place card holders. Cut apples horizontally into thin rounds. Use a small cookie cutter or paring knife to cut out the core section. Write each guest’s name on a place card and slide it into the apple slice. Arrange on plates along your tablescape for organic, edible flair.
Botanical Fall Wreaths
Capture the colors of autumn with a vibrant botanical wreath on your front door or window. Start with a green grapevine base and affix an array of faux flowers, leaves, berries, fruit slices, and pods. Select a color palette of orange, red, yellow, brown, and purple. Accent with nuts, pinecones, feathers, and dried botanicals for an organic Thanksgiving look.
Grateful Window Candles
Create a warm, welcoming glow with windowsill candles in amber, sage, and cream. Choose taper candles, votives, or tea lights and arrange in groups. Download a printable “grateful” graphic and cut out letters to display in front of the candles. The soft lighting coupled with your gratitude message will set a serene mood.
Autumn Harvest Mantel
Your mantel is prime real estate for showcasing seasonal style. Decorate with faux maple leaves, mini gourds, acorns, and dried pods. Weave stems of wheat and curly willow for organic texture. Proudly display a handmade “Give Thanks” sign as the focal point. Accent with ceramic pumpkins, lanterns, and LED candles for ambiance. Extend the look to your windows to carry the harvest charm throughout the space.
Birchwood Sign with LED Lights
Rustic birch wood cut into the shape of the word “Grateful” makes for fitting Thanksgiving decor. Distress and whitewash the birch sign for an aged look. Adhere LED string lights to the edges so the sign gently glows, perfect for a front porch, mantel, or windowsill display.
Frosted Window Leaves
Bring eye-catching style to your glass windows with faux frosted leaf designs. Using acrylic paint pens, draw the outlines of leaves in varying shapes and sizes. Fill in the leaf shapes with whitewash or frosted window paint. For added dimension, use deeper toned acrylic pens to give veins to the leaves. Display your artistic autumn foliage on kitchen and bathroom windows for chic charm.
Cinnamon Pinecone Candles
Infuse your space with a scent as cozy as fall using pinecone candles. Arrange a few pinecones in ramekins or bowls. Fill the cups with cinnamon-scented wax or soy wax beads. As the wax warms, it will release a delicious cinnamon aroma. Dot ramekins along your windowsills and fireplace mantel for a natural holiday perfume that fills your home with Thanksgiving warmth.
Painted Pressed Leaves
Preserve gorgeous fall leaves at their peak by pressing and painting them. Choose colorful maple or oak leaves and place between parchment paper covered in books. Once dried and flattened, brush leaves with acrylic paints in autumnal hues. Attach metallic cord to the top and display your masterpieces on windows or group in mini frames on console tables.
Festive Fall Florals
A vase of seasonal blooms instantly enhances Thanksgiving decor. Opt for flowers in rich fall shades like rust, copper, plum, and mustard. Varieties like chrysanthemums, carnations, roses, and gerbera daisies are budget-friendly picks. Display your autumnal bouquet on a front hall console, mantel, or dining table. For extra flair, decorate the vase with burlap ribbon, twine, leaves, or pine sprigs.
DIY Autumn Arrangements
Embrace your crafty side by creating unique autumnal arrangements to adorn window sills, sideboards, and shelving. Gather up gourds, mini pumpkins, pinecones, acorns, and curly willow stems. Bundle magnolia branches, sage stems, or bare birch twigs for texture. Incorporate faux mums, berries, and leaves too. Display in galvanized buckets, wooden boxes, or terra cotta pots. Your handmade creations make for charming Thanksgiving decor.
Blessings Jar
A visible blessings jar serves as a meaningful centerpiece and conversation starter. Find a clear glass jar and decorate with burlap ribbon, leaves, and the word “Blessings.” Leave out strips of paper so guests can write what they’re thankful for this season and add to the jar as a keepsake. Display your blessings jar in a front window or on your Thanksgiving table.
Fall Tree Centerpiece
Bring the beauty of autumn trees indoors with a festive centerpiece display. Start with a glass cylinder vase filled with water. Insert bare branches into the vase so they fan out in tree-form. Weave in sprigs of wheat and leaves. Accent with mini gourds, berries, and faux mums at the base for stunning seasonal style perfect for windowsills and tablescapes.
Pumpkin Patch Windows
Turn your home into a cozy pumpkin patch scene. Cut out pumpkin shapes from orange and white paper. Create vines using strips of green paper. Apply pumpkin shapes in cluster formations on windows with removable adhesive dots. Add white pumpkins for variety and place “vines” to connect groupings. Fill in any empty space with leaves die cuts. Your homemade pumpkin patch stickers create seasonal charm all season long.
Wood Slice Accent Plates
Natural wood touches lend autumnal appeal for Thanksgiving meals. Slice wood logs into 1-2 inch thick rounds and add food safe resin for decorative accent plates. Adorn your Thanksgiving table by topping the wood slices with succulents, mini pumpkins, or rolled napkins. Cluster the plates down the center of the table or place one under each plate setting.
Thanksgiving Tree Centerpieces
For an impressive focal point, craft miniature Thanksgiving trees and dot them down your table. Start with a small styrofoam cone as the base. Insert sprigs of fresh rosemary into the form to mimic an evergreen. Decorate with faux leaves, berries, and blossoms. Use twine to attach tiny pumpkins, gourds, and pinecones for ornaments. Display the mini trees on candle plates along your holiday table for natural charm.
Autumn Harvest Candles
Infuse your Thanksgiving table with all the comforting scents of the season. Place votive candles in amber, sage, and cream within clear glass holders. Arrange pine sprigs, cinnamon sticks, and dried leaves around the candles. When lit, the candles will melt and mix with the autumn garnish, releasing a delicious aroma of fall. Cluster your harvest candles down the table or on the windowsills.
Painted Acorns
Spark up plain brown acorns by giving them a dash of color for festive flair. Gather acorns from your yard and let them dry indoors. Remove the caps and paint the tops with acrylic craft paint in yellow, teal, plum, red, and copper metallic. Replace the caps and tie a piece of hemp cord around the acorn’s waist to hang them. Group colorful acorns along your window frames or on mini pumpkins.
FAQs
What are good Thanksgiving window decor themes and motifs?
Some popular Thanksgiving window decor themes and motifs include fall foliage, bare trees and woodland creatures, harvests of gourds and pumpkins, wreaths and garlands, and messages of gratitude, gatherings, blessings, and giving thanks. Rustic farmhouse and neutral autumnal color palettes pair well with Thanksgiving décor.
How can I make Thanksgiving window cling decorations?
Create window clings by cutting out harvest-inspired shapes from vinyl, tissue paper, contact paper, or laminating sheets. Affix to windows with water or static electricity for an easy decorative touch. For removeable clings, use parchment paper or temporary adhesive. Add led lights or battery-operated candles behind window clings to create a fun silhouette scene.
What natural elements work for DIY Thanksgiving window decor?
Incorporate foraged and natural items like leaves, pinecones, acorns, twigs, cinnamon sticks, dried pods, gourds, mini pumpkins, and fresh branches. Display loose or wire to twine and hang for organized texture. Add faux florals and greenery for more color options. Group items in containers like galvanized buckets for organic appeal.
How can I decorate a front window or door for Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving wreaths made from mini gourds, nuts, dried foliage, and harvest fruits make a classic statement on entry doors and windows. Place a wooden welcome sign or bouquet of flowers on a front porch to invite guests. Line the walkway with pumpkins or luminaries. Hang burlap banners and outdoor string lights to dress up exterior windows.
What are quick and easy Thanksgiving window decor ideas?
For fast, simple decor, try window clings in leaf shapes or fall scenes, LED string lights, window candles, temporary leaf decals, thankful signs, removable fall stickers, and window paint pens for drawn on leaves and berries. Arrange mini pumpkins along the windowsill or hang a ready-made fall wreath.
In Summary
Thanksgiving window decorations allow you to set a seasonal ambiance inside and outside your home. Focus on embracing natural textures, warm autumnal colors, and rustic handmade elements. Create your own wreaths, garlands, banners, and arrangements or buy pre-made pieces to customize. Enhance the warmth of your home this Thanksgiving with festive Thanksgiving ornaments, including LED candles, signs, pumpkins, and gourds beautifully displayed in windows and along the sills, setting a thankful mood that invites creativity and holiday spirit for loved ones and guests approaching your home.
