A Minnesota Thanksgiving in Print: Regional Stories Told Through Seasonal Design

The Thanksgiving holiday is a time when folks feel innately drawn to tradition. While the present is often stressful, what with all the cooking, cleaning, and schlepping it requires, reminders of happy celebrations gone by are particularly comforting. And the more localized these memories are, the bigger their impact. Family stories, town histories, regional legends - these kinds of tales, full of intimate personal meaning, hold extra nostalgic power during the holidays.

With that in mind, we thought we’d create a guide to designing Thanksgiving prints that resonate more deeply with a Minnesotan audience. From artistic inspo to vintage callbacks, these ideas will help your materials tap into local nostalgic sentiments. It’s time to think beyond vague allusions to regional casserole preferences, and go for that real Minnesota holiday magic.

Scandinavian Design Roots

Minnesota is home to people of countless cultures and heritages. As such, depending on your audience, you could make a case that almost any kind of culturally specific motif would resonate with Minnesotans. However, if you’re looking to specifically speak to some of the most dedicated and entrenched Thanksgiving celebrators in the state, then it’s hard to get more impactful than traditional Scandinavian designs.

Scandinavian folk arts such as rosemaling, paper cuts, dala horses, and hardanger embroidery are rife with motifs that naturally lend themselves to print design. They can be incorporated into just about anything, but we’d especially recommend them for materials with a sentimental, celebratory, or decorative purpose such as greeting cards, wrapping paper, and gift tags.

Northwoods-Inspired Palettes + Motifs

Many of Minnesota’s most iconic images and stories involve the Northwoods. Renowned for their breathtaking natural beauty and the rugged adventures they host, their colors and imagery make for excellent holiday prints with strong regional appeal. 

Specifically for Thanksgiving, a Northwoods palette of forest green, cranberry red, and birch bark white blends beautifully with the holiday’s traditional shades of brown and orange. As for which motifs to use, the rustic, traditional nature of the Northwoods aesthetic means most of its imagery fits quite naturally into Thanksgiving vignettes, including:

• Pine trees
• Wildlife (deer, moose, bears, loons, etc.)
• Cabins
• Canoes
• Lakes and streams

A ‘Holiday in the Northwoods’ aesthetic can even be channeled in the materials you print on, such as with the more rustic feel of certain uncoated paper stocks, or the gentle, nostalgic matte texture imparted by a soft-touch finish.

Vintage Minneapolis Aesthetic (Buzza Style)

Finally, to lean into a ‘Minnesota of Yesteryear’ vibe, consider channeling a bit of the state’s print history with an homage to antique Buzza greeting cards. Their cards were an nation-wide smash hit back in the day, and every single one was printed and painted in Minneapolis. Some of their defining design traits include:

• Classic script fonts.
• Warm, sentimental messaging.
• Colorful art deco-style illustrations.
• Poster-style layouts.
• Metallic embellishments.
• Colorful and textured paper stock.

A vintage throwback design is perfect for putting recipients in mind of sweet, sentimental holidays gone by. It’s a particularly effective approach for materials that are reminiscent of Buzza's original greeting card and motto prints, such as package inserts, promotional holiday mailers, and thank you notes.

Are you ready to bring some big Minnesota charm to your Holiday printing? Then congratulations, you’ve found the premier Minnesota commercial print shop that can help make that happen! With more than 90 years experience refining print designs, curating print materials, and delivering stunning results worthy of the holidays they’re tied to, you won’t find a more qualified or dedicated print partner than Wallace Carlson. Contact our team today and let's get started.