Thanksgiving is a beloved American holiday centering around family, food, and football. When we think of Thanksgiving colors, autumnal hues like orange, brown, yellow, and red come to mind. But could the color green have a place at the Thanksgiving table as well? In this article, we’ll explore some compelling reasons to incorporate green into your Thanksgiving decor and dishes.
The history of green at Thanksgiving
While autumnal colors reign supreme today, some accounts of early Thanksgiving celebrations describe green being present as well.
In Letters from an American Farmer, French-American writer J. Hector St. John de Crèvecoeur wrote this description of Thanksgiving in the late 1700s:
“The table is neatly spread with plates, dishes, knives, forks, etc. and covered with roast turkeys, chickens, hams, beef; yams, potatoes, pickles, cranberry tarts, apple pies, puddings, etc., all of which the labor of their hands hath produced.”
Yams and pickles suggest some green foods were part of early Thanksgiving meals. And cranberry tarts likely contained green streusel, leaves, or stems as decoration.
Some historians also note that Pilgrims and Native Americans decorated their Thanksgiving tables with green branches and pinecones as a symbol of the green world they relied on for sustenance.
So while oranges and browns dominate our vision of Thanksgiving today, there’s historical precedent for green having a place at the table too.
Green foods in traditional Thanksgiving meals
Even in modern Thanksgiving meals, green vegetables, herbs, and garnishes play an important role. Here are some standard green foods found on the Thanksgiving table:
Green beans – Usually roasted or cooked with crispy fried onions, green beans are a staple side dish.
Brussels sprouts – Roasted Brussels sprouts with garlic are a delicious and nutritious addition.
Broccoli – Broccoli casserole with cheese and breadcrumbs is a classic Thanksgiving dish.
Salads – Green salads with spinach, lettuce, kale and other greens provide color and nutrients.
Fresh herbs – Rosemary, thyme, sage bring big flavor to dishes like turkey, dressing and gravy.
Parsley – Curly green parsley garnishes like turkey, potatoes or cranberry sauce.
Limes – Lime wedges for cocktails and water add festive green touches.
So fresh green produce already plays an important role in many Thanksgiving meals. Keeping these traditional green foods on your menu ensures your meal is nutritious, flavorful and full of holiday color.
Adding more green foods
If you want to incorporate even more green to your Thanksgiving table, here are some ideas:
Green bean casserole – This classic with green beans, cream of mushroom soup and fried onions is a must.
Pistachio cranberry salad – Toss cranberries with chopped pistachios and lime juice for a festive salad.
Green chile cornbread – Add chopped green chilies to your cornbread batter for savory southern flavor.
Green apple pie – Swap traditional apple pie for a green Granny Smith version.
Kiwi – Slice the emerald green fruit as part of a fruit salad or cheese board.
Artichokes – Roast or stuff artichoke hearts for an elegant green dish.
Asparagus – Grill or roast fresh asparagus spears as a colorful side.
Avocado – Add avocado slices or guacamole to your appetizer spread.
Celery – Fill celery stalks with herbed cream cheese for a fresh green snack.
Getting creative with produce, herbs, nuts and other green ingredients allows you to easily add more green to your Thanksgiving menu.
Green drinks
Green cocktails, mocktails and other beverages let you incorporate green in thirst-quenching form. Try serving up:
Mint green tea – Brew a pitcher of refreshing mint green tea.
Basil lemonade – Muddle fresh basil into sparkling lemonade for a flavorful drink.
Green goddess smoothies – Blend spinach, kale, avocado, banana and milk for a nutrition packed sip.
Green beer or wine – Add food coloring to pilsners, lagers or chardonnay to give drinks a green tint.
Midori sours – Mix the melon liqueur with citrus juice and soda water for a fun green cocktail.
Offering green drinks provides a fun way to get more green on your Thanksgiving table that both kids and adults will enjoy.
Green garnishes and servingware
Creative plating and garnishes allow you to incorporate green in stunning ways beyond just food.
Kale, sage or rosemary sprigs – Use fresh herb sprigs to garnish main dishes or appetizers.
Citrus slices – Slice limes, lemons or rangpur limes as an elegant garnish.
Pistachio dust – Crush pistachios and sprinkle as edible green confetti over dishes.
Wasabi peas – Scatter crunchy wasabi peas over salad, cheese or dip platters.
Green plates/linens – Set your Thanksgiving table with hunter green or sage linens and serveware.
Grapevine wreaths – Hang mini wreaths made from grapevine on napkin rings or place card holders.
Getting creative with garnishes, linens and decor makes it easy to add green in non-edible ways.
Green table decor
Your Thanksgiving table decor also provides lots of options for adding green accents:
Pinecones – Arrange pinecones of varied sizes in centerpieces or garlands.
Eucalyptus – Drape fresh eucalyptus garlands down the center of the table.
succulents – Use mini succulents as place card holders or favors.
Moss – Cover table numbers or tea light holders with sheets of green moss.
Ferns – Tuck fluffy ferns around your Thanksgiving centerpiece.
Green candles – Place green glass votives or pillars down the table.
Incorporating organic materials like pinecones, herbs, moss and ferns provides easy ways to get more green on your Thanksgiving table.
DIY green projects
Crafting green decor yourself makes for a fun family activity leading up to Thanksgiving. Here are some DIY ideas:
Painted mason jars – Paint the inside of glass mason jars green for unique votives or vases.
Herbarium place cards – Preserve and dry autumn leaves and herbs under glass to make artistic place cards.
Felt leaf garland – Cut leaf shapes from green felt and string into a festive garland for your staircase or mantel.
Salt dough leaves – Make salt dough leaves stamped with nature motifs for napkin weights.
Wood slice pendants – Decorate wood slices with metallic green accents and string with ribbon to make woodland pendants.
Doing simple crafts and DIY projects together lets kids help decorate for Thanksgiving in green ways.
Green Thanksgiving outfits
Incorporating green through your Thanksgiving day outfits and accessories provides a simple way to get in the spirit:
Emerald green accessories – Don green statement earrings, hair clips or neck scarves.
Olive green tops or dresses – Opt for rich olive green hues in your clothing.
Green aprons – Cook up the feast wearing festive green aprons.
Green sneakers – Get kids involved by having them wear green sneakers or shoelaces.
Metallic green nails – Paint your nails a shimmery sage or metallic emerald hue.
Green ties and socks – Have the men sport festive green accessories.
Dressing in green brings a festive flair while still feeling fall appropriate.
When to use green
Knowing when to incorporate green can ensure it feels harmonious, rather than overly Christmassy. Here are some tips:
Use green as an accent – Green works best as an accent color against more dominant fall tones.
Incorporate organic green – Natural materials like herbs, plants and pinecones feel Thanksgiving appropriate.
Avoid bright Kelly green – Stick to softer, more muted green hues like sage.
Mix green with other colors – Combining green with browns, oranges, reds, and neutrals helps it feel autumnal.
Use green in moderation – Sprinkle green through the table, but don’t overdo it. The holidays are all about balance.
Focus green in select accent areas for the biggest impact, and stick to natural plant-based green tones. This helps green feel like a seamless part of your Thanksgiving palette.
Green pairs well with…
Certain color combinations help make green feel perfectly at home for Thanksgiving:
Browns – Mossy greens, dark browns and wood tones feel very organic and earthy.
Oranges – Sage greens pair beautifully with the warm orange hues of fall.
Blues – Mixing green with denim blue and slate gray has a stylish, soothing vibe.
Metallics – Gilded golds, coppers and bronzes make green tones pop.
Neutrals – Cream, beige and tan help soften and balance out deeper green shades.
Keeping these color combos in mind will ensure your green additions feel cohesive.
Benefits of green
Beyond providing beautiful visual appeal, green brings some nice benefits to your Thanksgiving as well:
Sets a peaceful mood – Green has soothing, relaxing properties that set a mellow mood.
Provides contrast – Green makes other fall colors like red and orange pop in contrast.
Feels fresh – Green’s association with vegetation keeps decor feeling cool and fresh.
Adds variety – Varying up colors makes for more interesting visual appeal.
Makes a statement – Green provides an element of fun and surprise.
So green not only looks lovely, it also enhances the entire look, feel and experience of your Thanksgiving.
Conclusion
While orange, yellow and brown tend to rule Thanksgiving, green can absolutely be incorporated in many fresh ways. From adding green foods and garnishes to crafting green decor, there are so many opportunities to pepper your Thanksgiving with green. Used thoughtfully as an accent, green can provide beautiful contrast and visual interest. Surprise your guests and add more great memories around the table this year with festive green additions.