Like most things, I like to keep it simple—especially when it comes to Christmas decor! The only holiday I usually decorate for is Christmas, but I always look forward to the process. Picking out a Christmas tree, hanging up lights, and setting out all my gnomes is one of my favorite parts of the season.
There’s always been a debate about whether or not you should decorate before Thanksgiving. Growing up, we’d typically wait until after. However, since living with my boyfriend and our love for plants, I just can’t resist bringing a huge tree into the house as soon as possible, which is usually about a week before Thanksgiving.
For the past few years, we’ve hosted a Thanksgiving dinner the night before the big day, so my house is already decorated with a tree, lights, and gnomes, so I go all in with a Christmassy tablescape, too.
My motto is to keep things simple and as sustainable as I can. While it’s tough to be perfectly sustainable, we try our best. This year, I kept my tablescape natural and minimal, using dried oranges, cranberries, pinecones, and clippings from the Christmas tree. I added two glass jars, tea candles, and a few wooden ornaments for extra charm. It turned out adorable—giving off a woodsy, organic Christmas vibe!
How To Dry The Oranges
To dry the oranges, I started by slicing two oranges thinly and laying them flat on a pan. While the oven preheated to 200°F, I patted the slices dry with a cloth. I set a timer for an hour, flipped them over, and let them bake for another hour. After flipping them again, I kept a close eye on them for the final hour until they were fully dried. This took about three hours, depending on the thickness of the slices.
To dry the oranges:
- Slice two oranges thinly.
- Preheat the oven to 200°F.
- Lay the oranges on a pan and pat dry.
- Flip every hour for about 3 hours.
The Tablescape
I picked up a bag of cranberries from the store and gathered pinecones from the yard. You can also use clippings from your Christmas tree or purchase small bundles for around $8 at places like Lowe’s. For the jars, I just filled them with water, added some tree clippings and cranberries, and placed a tea candle on top. I used Christmas-scented tea lights from Michaels, but any small candle will work.
Reusable Christmas Decor
The best part of this tablescape is that everything is reusable! You can repurpose the decor throughout your home or even in a festive drink. String the dried oranges together to make ornaments or use them to garnish a holiday drink. The cranberries also work as a garnish or can be used to make cranberry jelly or sauce. The pinecones can be used around the house, in a garland, or as part of a festive potpourri. They can even double as fire starters—truly a win-win!
You can reuse the jars with candles throughout the season just as they are, with the tea light still inside, or take them apart and use the pieces separately. The wooden ornaments? Well, you can use them as ornaments, of course!
I’d love to hear how you keep your Christmas decor simple and sustainable—do you decorate before or after Thanksgiving? Drop your thoughts in the comments! 🫣🎄
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