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Outdoor Fall/Thanksgiving Decorating with Pumpkins

Pumpkins are just what you need to bring the Thanksgiving spirit to your outdoors. Be it a yard or a garden or the front porch steps, pumpkins or various sizes grouped together or even a couple of miniature pumpkins placed among fall foliage will add easy and natural flair to your outdoor Thanksgiving decorations throughout the autumn season.

Display the Bounty of Harvest Season

If you have pumpkins in plenty, there is no better to decorate for Thanksgiving than displaying the gorgeous yellow gourds in your front yard.

Outdoor Fall/Thanksgiving Decorating with Pumpkins
A Garden Wheelbarrow is filled with Fall pumpkins for a lovely outdoor display

On a Bed of Hay

Hay and pumpkins go together naturally and are perfect for Fall decorations. Lay pumpkins on a bed of hay or bundles of dried grass whether you plan to display them on the ground or inside a wooden structure.

Pumpkins displayed on a hay stack for Fall or Thanksgiving decoration
Abundance is what the harvest season is all about. A rich display of fall pumpkins makes this beautiful house look even prettier.

Smaller Pumpkin Displays

For fall decorations that last through Halloween to Thanksgiving, you can create smaller focal points in your outdoor space by decorating with pumpkins.

Outdoor Fall Yard Decorations with Pumpkins
Fill up little wagons with gorgeous orange pumpkins to create attractive small fall decorations in your yard

A Flash of Orange with Miniature Pumpkins

Do not despair if you are short of pumpkins. You do not always need a cartload of pumpkins to decorate for fall holidays.

Add these little orange delights to any part of your garden or lawn and liven it up. Look around and choose suitable spots where a flash of orange would bring holiday cheer.

Outdoor Fall Decorating with Miniature Pumpkins

Outdoor Thanksgiving Decorating with Miniature Pumpkins


Even the front steps can be decorated by placing little pumpkins on each step.

Outdoor Thanksgiving Decorating with Miniature PumpkinsHidden Spots

A walk around the garden will help you identify little observed secluded corners where you can add mini pumpkins near the foot of a tree or a thick bush. What a surprise for anyone who decided to walk around your garden while waiting for other guests to arrive!

Adding Fall Elements

You can ‘spice up’ things by introducing other elements such as fall flowers, dried flowers, crude ‘Giving Thanks’ plaques made using tree bark etc. but keep things simple and follow the ‘natural and seasonal’ theme throughout.

Fallen leaves, a piece of tree bark, a dried branch, twigs etc. will all add to the rustic, fall look without seeming too made-up.

Pumpkin Luminarias at Night

At night, turn your miniature pumpkins into luminarias.

Hollow the top center of mini pumpkins just to fit in votive holders. Place votives in the hollowed space and light the candles at night. Light up your pathway or just the steps.

Pumpkin Luminarias
Pumpkin Luminarias

You can also keep these luminaria pumpkins somewhere near your porch railing to give them a shelter and protect the candle from getting blown out.

Thanksgiving Pumpkin Carving

That’s right. Pumpkin Carving is not just for Halloween. If you can lay your hands on one of the larger pumpkins suitable for carving, carve fall and Thanksgiving patterns onto them. Motifs like fall leaves, turkeys etc. will look beautiful. Light candles inside the carved pumpkins just as you would do for Halloween. You can decorate with these illuminated pumpkins inside out.