Nov. 27, 2025

Decorating With Food: Renewed Tradition and Fun

Decorating With Food: Renewed Tradition and Fun
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Home for the Holidays: The Lost Art of Decorating with Food

What if your next holiday centerpiece wasn’t from a store—but from your pantry? In this episode of Family Tree Food & Stories, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely help you rediscover the forgotten art and easy ways to decorate with food. It’s been a long-standing, even ancient tradition that’s fun and everyone can join in and help.

From hanging this year’s turkey wishbone and saving it for next year’s wish-making activities, to crafting apple-head dolls, hanging cookie tree ornaments, and stringing cranberry and popcorn garlands, there’s an interesting story with each of these holiday decorations.

There’s some pretty interesting history to many other food decorating traditions.  Nancy and Sylvia dig into the Greek legend of the cornucopia and the history of how the pineapple became a symbol of welcome in many New England towns.

You’ll also learn the story of how Otto, the cookie-loving poodle, managed to sneak his share of holiday food decorations, unbeknownst to his owners.  Then, give some of the other traditional edible craft decorations a try with your own family and friends, like orange-and-clove pomanders and more. 

This holiday season, try bringing a little nostalgia back into your home, things that your grandmother might have done, and get an early jump on decorating for the holidays, with food!

Nancy shares… “Food is art, food is memory—and decorating with always makes you happy.”

Whether you’re a crafter, foodie, or simply someone craving a warmer, more memorable type of holiday season in 2025, this episode will help you remember that every meal has a story, and every story is a feast.

Key Takeaways:

  • The history of edible decorations: from cornucopias to cookies and eggs
  • Holiday decorating ideas: garlands, pomander oranges, bread babies, and more
  • Regional food decorating stories from New England to Ecuador
  • Why food and decoration: memory-making magic for holidays, heritage, and home

📣 Want more?

Tune in to Family Tree Food & Stories at Podcast.FamilyTreeFoodStories.com or wherever you listen to podcasts and subscribe so you never miss an episode release.

Learn why oatmeal is more than breakfast—it’s a bridge between past and present, comfort and culture, nourishment and nostalgia.

Additional Links ❤️


About Your Award-Winning Hosts: Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely are the powerhouse team behind Family Tree, Food & Stories, a member of The Food Stories Media Network, which celebrates the rich traditions and connections everyone has around food, friends, and family meals. Nancy, an award-winning business leader, author, and podcaster, and Sylvia, a visionary author, lawyer, and former CEO, combine their expertise to bring captivating stories rooted in history, heritage, and food. Together, they weave stories that blend history, tradition, and the love of food, where generations connect and share intriguing mealtime stories and kitchen foibles.

"Every Meal Has a Story and Every Story is a Feast." (tm) is a trademark of Family Tree Food & Stories podcast and the hosts.

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