SUPER SIMPLE THANKSGIVING TABLE DECOR

Pumpkin-mania swept the land this Fall; it's the new peanut of agrarian consumerism (goes with sweet, goes with salty - but does NOT cause asphyxia). Being of the pumpkin persuasion myself, I saw nothing at all regrettable about this, although friends from other countries found it rather baffling. As a food, the pumpkin also has a surprising alter-ego as a decorative object. For instance, no one on Pinterest this year offered chevron painted turkeys, or stenciled marshmallows, but painted pumpkins were all the rage. Best of all, pumpkins make an incredibly simple, yet lovely addition to the Thanksgiving table. Below are a few easy ideas for adding beauty to your board this Thursday.

Larger pumpkins interspersed with candles make a pleasant centerpiece (if you do have time to DIY, paint a few in metallic shades; the shimmer will go nicely with your holiday china and sterling).

If berries are still booming in your area, twining them around a few pumpkins brings a festive note to the table (and you can always cheat with a few branches of berries from Hobby Lobby!).

Don't put away your summer vases just yet - they'll look marvelous filled with baby pumpkins.

If you're really short on time, grab a small serving tray and let nature do the rest.

And my favorite - a pumpkin cooler!

/Images/ White pumpkin centerpiece via HGTV/ Berry-wreathed pumpkins by photo stylist Karin Lidbeck/ Orange pumpkins in glass/ White pumpkins in glass, via Better Homes and Gardens/ Pumpkin line-up via Good Housekeeping/ Pumpkin party cooler via Martha Stewart/

Now, how hard was that?