One of the best things about our house is undoubtedly the huge magnolia tree in our backyard. It has saved me a lot of money on centerpieces and mantel decorations over the past 3 years, and the more I use it, the more I love it!

We hosted Thanksgiving at our house this year (our first time hosting a big holiday in our home), and I knew I wanted something simple for the centerpiece. Something that wasn’t too tall so that everyone could see each other. I decided to cut some fresh magnolia and sprinkle in a few gold pumpkins and gourds, a handful of small crystal glasses with white flowers, and just three brass candlesticks. It was easily my favorite tablescape yet!

By the way, I posted this photo and have had several people ask me about this yummy cake. I made this fresh apple cake for the first time and I think it’s a new favorite!

Ok, back to the magnolia. I’ll be sharing our Christmas house tour a little later in the season…I don’t want to cut the magnolia too early and have brown leaves! So today I wanted to share some of my favorite uses of magnolia for the holidays.

Click on photos for source.

You can see a lot more of my holiday decor favorites here. Have you finished your Christmas decorating? Do you ever use magnolia? Any tips for making it last longer?

PS – There’s still time to enter the #SeasonalScapeChallenge giveaway!