Thanksgiving Ikebana for Children

Although Thanksgiving isn’t one of our traditional holidays, each year, we host Thanksgiving dinner for our American friends living in Madrid. This year, we decided to create ikebana table arrangements using some of the pumpkins left over from Halloween.

Cutting a small slice from the end of the pumpkin

To create a portable and fun arrangement for children we used a mini-pumpkin as a vase. My daughter first cut a small slice off one end of the pumpkin and scooped out the middle with a spoon.

Scooping out the middle of the pumpkin

She then placed a small plastic container inside the pumpkin and filled it with water.

Placing a small plastic container inside the pumpkin- for water.

With plenty of flowers leftover from class, she was spoilt for choice. She decided on a ton-sur-ton colour scheme and opted for Kangaroo Paw, Spray Chrysanthemums, and Nandina.

Cutting the Kangaroo Paw stem in water- this helps all flowers last longer.

She used a large Autumnal leaf as a tray and placed her pumpkin on it.

Using a large leaf as a tray and placing the flowers in her pumpkin 'vases'.

She then added the flowers to the vase and ensured that the plastic water container was covered by placing a few small Nandina leaves at the front of the arrangement.

Adding leaves to cover the mouth of the vase.

The final arrangement.