The saddest part of watching Halloween leave is the fact that, generally, it spells the end of pumpkin carving for the year. It’s hard to get your fill of pumpkin carving when you only cut up one or two each year. But you can carry on the fun of carving a pumpkin by making one for Thanksgiving. Not a jack-o-lantern-type carving but something a little more appropriate for Thanksgiving. And, when you’re finished carving, you’ll have a magnificent centerpiece for the holiday dinner table.
You’ll need a small pumpkin and a tall pillar candle to make the centerpiece. The candle should be at least a few inches taller than the pumpkin. Although you can make any design on the sides of the pumpkin, one really nice design is to carve diamonds. They allow you to see inside the pumpkin while adding a dazzling element to the centerpiece itself. Other choices of designs you could make include leaf images, or even the words “Happy Thanksgiving”. No matter what design you decide on, cut the top off of the pumpkin first. Make sure the circle you cut around the top is quite a bit larger around than the candle.
Scoop out the meat and seeds and then carve the designs you want. Some pumpkins will sit straight up – and that’s what you want for your centerpiece – but some won’t. If your pumpkin wants to sit lopsided just cut a thin slice off of the bottom to straighten the look. Set the carved pumpkin in the center of your table, set the pillar candle in an appropriate container, and place it in the pumpkin.
Stuff the open area around the candle with chosen embellishments. Slide long stems of leaves into the pumpkin or just take real leaves and stuff them in the opening. Let some of them spill out of the pumpkin and onto the table to complete the look. Other things you can add to the arrangement- around the candle or on the table – include pine cones, tiny gourds, acorns or other nuts, or even bark chips.
If you haven’t had enough of pumpkin carving for the year consider the pumpkin candle centerpiece. It’s stunning and can be quickly redone after Thanksgiving. Remove the leaves, take out the candle, and throw away the pumpkin. Save the leaves and candle for next year and you can make the centerpiece – with maybe a slightly different look – next Thanksgiving.
Pumpkin Candle Centerpiece