Make Your Home Inviting with a Colorful Thanksgiving Tiered Tray

This Thanksgiving Tiered Tray celebrates one of my favorite times of the year. It is beautiful outdoors; the air is crisp and the colors are wonderful. This harvest themed tiered tray celebrates all of those things as well as time with the family. Special meals and activities are plentiful this time of year and this tier tray celebrates all of them.

It’s during this time of year that I enjoy pulling out my fall decor and making sure things are ready for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and even New Years. More prep now = less stress later!

I have previously written about styling a tiered tray in general, but this post today is specific to Thanksgiving.

I keep my Thanksgiving tiered tray kit in a tub so I can easily pull it out when it’s that time of year. I store all of my themed kits in tubs which just helps with my organization. The most versatile one I have is the general decor kit tub as this has really fun items that I can use in most of my projects.

You’ll need to pull out your tiered tray for this project. You could either use a tray you already have, buy one online, or go thrifting and find a second-hand one in the style you like.

Tools Required

• Tiered tray
• Your collection of tiered tray decor
• Thanksgiving Tiered Tray Kit – you can buy the set and paint them yourself
• Natural/ organic items
• Yarn wrapped pumpkins

Location of your Thanksgiving Tiered Tray

Before you start assembling your tray, decide where you are going to display it. If you’re going to display it in a corner as I do, you only need to think about how you’re going to display your items about 3/4 of the way around your tray.

If your tray is going to be a centerpiece on your table, you’ll need to consider how it will look from all angles as people can sit around it.

Various Tray Options

This is your tray and it’s a personal choice of what style you are looking for.

Below are some options if you need help finding one:

Assembling Your Thanksgiving Tiered Tray

I just got this rustic two-level tiered tray and it is perfect for my Thanksgiving decor. I absolutely love it and am sure I’ll use it for other projects during the year.

Step 1:

Let’s start with the bottom tier.
I begin decorating by placing my antique truck on the bottom level. I find it good to have a focal piece that could also be a talking point. I love this little truck that I found when I was out one day going through the thrift stores. Consider doing the same and storing items until the season rolls around when you can use them.

In addition, look for items that have height and different shapes to create an interesting look that brings textures into your display. I have a pumpkin sign that says thankful that I made using my Cricut that I’ll place on the bottom tray too, and this will add dimension to my project. You can easily make your own sign in your choice of colors.

For the remainder of my base pieces, I’ve used the turkey and pie piece from our DIY Thanksgiving Tiered Tray Kit. Order a kit and paint it up yourself. I’m sure you’ll be proud of your creation.

Step 2:

Adding a themed garland is a fun way to add a splash of color to the outside of the tray. You can use one on just one level, or both, or all three if you’re using a three-level tiered tray.

I string my pumpkins along the top level. My husband has added cup hooks to the inside of the top tray so I can simply attach these to my twine.  This makes hanging this garland a lot easier.

Step 3:

I love the bright Fall colors of candy corn! I use this every year to add a splash of color to my display. Instead of just throwing it loosely on your tiers, where no one will ever see it, fill a small jar, a tube, or even a carafe and use this in your display.

Items from my grandmother always made me feel warm and at peace, so I like to include a doily that she crocheted and add a small piece of her memory to my tray.

Now that the foundational pieces (another term for main pieces) are in place, it’s time to fill the gaps!

Step 4:

I like to use a variety of colorful yarn-wrapped pumpkins which are so easy to make yourself and fill in the gaps on both the top and bottom levels.

Fall is the perfect time to collect bits and pieces of nature to add to your collection. Look for pinecones, nuts, acorns, and berries. Interesting sticks and fall leaves are always good ones to collect. There are brilliant shades, interesting shapes, and textures and they’ll all add dimension to your display.

Additional ideas

It seems traditional to include a truck in your Thanksgiving display. If you don’t have one, you can order a DIY antique truck base  with the Give Thanks Add-On from my online shop. It’ll slide right into your décor standing next to your tiered tray.

You could also add twinkle lights that are battery-operated and hide the switch and batteries in your tray.

Tingle all of the sensations by including a fragrant pumpkin-scented diffuser which is completely safe and can last for months. Imagine the gorgeous scents of pumpkin, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg wafting through your home.

And it’s really as simple as that! Once you’ve finished making yours, I’d love to see it. Please post it on your Facebook or Instagram and tag me. Happy Thanksgiving!