Woman in Real Life

I had so much fun creating a spring tablescape using lovely, affordable finds from Giant Tiger, a Canadian-owned discount retailer that sells fashion, food, decor, linens and more. I'm pleased to partner with Giant Tiger again to bring you ideas for a budget-friendly yet beautiful Thanksgiving table. Thanksgiving is all about food, family, fun and, of course, gratitude. While those things should be the focus, it's nice to set the scene and welcome guests with a festive seasonal table. A tasty, colourful dessert doesn't hurt either! In that vein, I am sharing a new recipe for easy-to-make, family-friendly vegan strawberry mousse.

Read on for table decor ideas and a celebratory dessert recipe!

*This post is sponsored by Giant Tiger. All opinions are authentic and my own. Thank you for supporting the awesome companies that partner with Woman in Real Life.*




The inspiration for my table's red and white/cream colour scheme was this lovely red plaid tablecloth (priced at only $12!). Once I discovered that little beauty, I scoured the shelves of Giant Tiger for other tableware and accessories to match.


We have been using these white dishes from Giant Tiger for a few months now and they still feel fresh and fun to use. I like colourful dishes too, but I find it so easy to dress up (or down) basic white plates and bowls. For my Thanksgiving table, I also added this pretty Hampton Forge flatware.


I have a habit of decorating with fruit - it's colourful and you can eat it later! My local Giant Tiger has a lovely produce section and I was able to buy local Ontario blue grapes, purple grapes, Niagara pears, strawberries, mangoes and clementines to dress a bountiful Thanksgiving table. I placed the fruit in a red Hearthstone Ceramic Bakeware dish. (It came in a set of four and is oven, microwave, dishwasher and freezer safe.)


I was drawn to these large, lidded soup mugs - how great will they be for clutching warm soup in your hands in the winter? For the moment though, I decided to use them to hold a trio of inexpensive tropical plants from Giant Tiger for a colourful fall centrepiece.


I used pears as simple but pretty plate toppers. Nature makes the best decorations! In place of cloth napkins I used soft dish cloths in a deep red colour that matches the tablecloth. I folded the "napkins" in thirds and ironed them into place before laying them between the two plates at each table setting.


For simple table nibbles, I picked up cans of mixed nuts in Giant Tiger's grocery area.



I used my favourite crystal wine glasses to add a vintage touch to the Thanksgiving table decor. For water glasses, I picked up these Pasabahce All-Purpose Coolers, just $5 for 4 glasses. Glasses are always getting broken in this house so I'm happy for budget-friendly options to replace them.


I couldn't resist picking up a set of toque and antlers dish towels for fall.


For some totally free table decor, I trimmed a few branches from one of our Japanese maple trees. I love the rich hue of the leaves in fall. I added a couple of inexpensive pumpkins that can be cooked later.

I also chose a battery-powered LED deer bottle for another touch of fall decor - it has mini lights inside and the gold exterior looks really pretty when it's lit up at night.


A Thanksgiving table is not complete without a sweet dessert (or two). I found the fixings for an extremely simple vegan dessert in the grocery section of Giant Tiger, including strawberries, coconut milk, vanilla extract and dark chocolate. I also got maple syrup for an optional additional sweetener.


To make the Easy Vegan Strawberry Mousse recipe, start by chilling a can of full-fat coconut milk in the refrigerator for 24 hours. It's important that you choose full-fat, because the refrigeration process will cause the fat, creamy portion of the coconut milk to separate from the watery part. It's the thick, creamy stuff you'll need to make luscious coconut whipped cream for your strawberry mousse.

Making your own coconut whipped cream could not be easier. Turn the thick coconut cream out into a bowl that has been chilled in the fridge. Add icing sugar and vanilla extract and beat with a hand mixer until combined and creamy.


Make strawberry puree by blending fresh strawberries with sugar.


Combine part of the strawberry puree with coconut whipped cream and refrigerate for an hour or more to set. That becomes your strawberry mousse. To serve, layer remaining strawberry puree with the strawberry and coconut cream mousse. Top with more coconut whipped cream, sliced strawberries and chunks of dark, dairy-free chocolate.


The combination of thick coconut whipped cream with sweet strawberry puree is lightly decadent (if that even makes sense) and delicious. And this dessert is super easy to prepare. Just be sure to keep a can of coconut milk in the fridge so it's ready to go when you are.

The only hard part is waiting as your dessert chills in the fridge. This vegan strawberry mousse can even be prepared a day ahead of your Thanksgiving dinner. It gets more "moussey" the longer it stays in the fridge.


My daughter describes this vegan strawberry mousse as a perfect combo of strawberries and coconut - soft, delectable and light. (Yes, I went to my teen for adjectives, haha.) You can add as little or as much icing (powdered) sugar to the coconut whipped cream as you like, depending on your taste and preferences.

Tips for decorating your Thanksgiving table on a budget

To summarize, here are my ideas to create gorgeous Thanksgiving table decor without spending a ton of money:

• start with an inexpensive but pretty tablecloth
• dress up everyday white dishes
• re-purpose inexpensive dish cloths as napkins
• create a centrepiece with affordable plants and big mugs that can be used for soup later
• use pears or other fruit as a plate topper
• decorate with fruit and squash/pumpkins to celebrate the bounty of Thanksgiving (and eat your decorations later!)
• trim leaves from a Japanese maple or other tree for table decor
• add ambiance with affordable candles and lanterns
• mix new items with vintage items you already own
• explore the affordable home decor finds at Giant Tiger

Questions for you