Thanksgiving Crafts | Decorate A Thrifted Cornucopia

There are not many Thanksgiving crafts that I can really think of besides the many pilgrim inspired hats and turkey handprints I made as a kid in grade school. But the one thing that stands out to me as a classic Thanksgiving decoration is the old fashioned cornucopia centerpiece. The cornucopia is latin for “horn of plenty,” which becomes obvious when you realize that the cornucopia basket is in the shape of a horn and it is filled with plenty of flowers and items to feast on. The tradition of the cornucopia actually comes from the ancient Greeks.

Like most holiday symbols, the cornucopia is a pagan symbol. In the times of the ancient Greeks, it was believed that it came from Zues’s childhood nurse who was a goat named Amalthea. Legend has it that baby Zeus broke off one of her horns and from that horn came an endless supply of food. The horn of plenty has since been a symbol of abundance and has graced many a festivity as a decoration since.

Historians believe that it is still used today because of traditions from European harvest festivals, which used this ancient symbol of prosperity at harvest times, which takes place in autumn near the American Thanksgiving. The cornucopia does not have any association with the history of Thanksgiving other than a symbol of the harvest, but it has become an iconic symbol of the holiday nonetheless. I love the tradition of cornucopias and have decided to decorate one of my own this year.

Where can I find a cornucopia?

A new cornucopia basket can get expensive so I thrifted mine. They are often available at many craft stores this time of year. If you are looking to thrift yours, you can often find them at GoodWill, local thrift shops, and online thrifting sites such as Etsy between $3-40. The best prices will typically be found at Goodwill or even a local tag sale. If you’re looking around, perhaps a relative has an old one they no longer use in a box in their attic. You never know. A craft store is also a good place to find them this time of year. And if you are looking online, I have found a few for you under $40:

You do not have to get a wicker cornucopia. They now come in all sorts of materials including glass vases or wire baskets. However, I prefer the traditional wicker. When searching online you can look up cornucopias or search for a “horn of plenty,” as they are also called.

This is the cornucopia basket I thrifted on Etsy.

What do you fill it with?

Traditionally, I have seen most cornucopias filled with either flowers or mini pumpkins and gourds. It can be filled with fresh fruits or even snacks and candies. You can forage for plants outside, pick up flowers from a local shop, use pine branches, and find mini pumpkins at your local farm stand. I like to reuse some of my Halloween decorations as Thanksgiving decorations so you may already have a few laying around for decoration. Citrus and squash also make great edible decorations. You can make citrus pomanders for a sensational smelling centerpiece. (You can find how to make commanders by clicking here.)

This year, for my first cornucopia, I’m going traditional with a mix of flowers and leaves, found foraged objects like this pinecone I found, mini pumpkins, mini flint corn, gourds, acorn squash, and some citrus if I can fit it in.

I found these items at a local farmer’s market before Halloween and it feels nice being able to repurpose them for another holiday before they go bad.

For the base of the horn of plenty I am using fake flowers from the craft store. I didn’t have a way to keep fresh flowers from wilting and I worried that the moisture would ruin the basket. I used a simple off-white flower for the bottom and some mini sunflowers for a splash of autumnal color.

Next, I gently placed my gourd and a white mini pumpkin on top of the foliage. My basket is quite small so I couldn’t fit in any citrus or my squash, but if you have the room it would make a fun addition, the squash especially.

My mini flint corn was tied together with a rubber band. I found some ribbon in my craft cabinet and tied a little bow on top to hide the rubber band and add an element of decoration.

I decided to place my basket on a serving tray to make it easy to move it out of the way if I needed the table space. After the horn of plenty was prepared, I took my extra pumpkins and pinecone and placed them around the basket to complete the look.

I am very happy with how my first cornucopia turned out! It feels so festive for Thanksgiving.

I always pictured having a cornucopia of my own one day when I owned a kitchen table. For our first Thanksgiving in our new home, it is the perfect touch to welcome in the spirit of gratitude and to celebrate the autumn harvest.