Thanksgiving Table Decor on a Budget

If you’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner, you’re probably already planning for the big day. From the guest list, to the turkey, and everything in between, hosting Thanksgiving can be overwhelming. And let’s be honest, it can be a little expensive to cook for a lot of people. One place where you can trim down your budget is with the table decor.

By using things I already had and staying on a tight budget, I created three different table settings that will make your Thanksgiving table look like a million bucks – but won’t cost it.

Traditional

This table is decorated with traditional fall colors and Thanksgiving symbols.

Most of this table is made of things I already had. The most expensive item on this table is the burlap table runner, which cost. The natural character of the burlap serves as the perfect base for the traditional Thanksgiving table.

I was at the farmer’s market earlier this fall, and I picked up some gourds that I’ve had sitting at my desk as a little fall decoration. They add some more color to the browns from the table and table runner.

The centerpiece is one that I already had, but it could be recreated easily! Use a large jar, vase or wicker basket as the base. You can buy a piece of Styrofoam that fits in your container for a few bucks at your local craft store. Then, pick up leaves and twigs from your yard. Fill the jar with the leaves (and cover your Styrofoam) and stick the twigs into the Styrofoam so they stand upright. So simple and inexpensive!

It’s a holiday, so I pulled out the nice dinnerware. My plates have gold in them, but even nice white plates will look great! For an extra special touch, I made nametags for each place setting. By using a clothespin, some brown cardstock and a gold sharpie, I made rustic-looking nametags that guests will love!

Top it off with a few details like tea lights and a stuffed turkey, and you’re all set to host a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

Modern

Black, white and a splash of gold: This table is a modern take on Thanksgiving.

Don’t let these placemats confuse you, they’re actually just black paper. I used a white paint pen to write on them. Talk about easy clean up – you can just throw them away when you’re done.

To make the nametags, I grabbed a few leaves from my yard and sprayed them with gold spray paint. It’s an inexpensive task that adds an extra special touch to the place settings.

The centerpiece is made out of fake pumpkins left over from Halloween. To bring in the gold a little more, I bought a glass turkey at the dollar store and spray painted it gold, along with some mason jars I had in the cupboard. Add in a couple of tea lights, and you’re ready to go!

Kids’ Table

Fall colors are typically used for Thanksgiving decorations, but the kids’ table is the perfect excuse to play around with color!

I used craft paper for the placemats. The neutral color still ties in that Thanksgiving feel. I topped it with colorful dinnerware and wrapped the napkins with neon feathers poked through ribbon.

My favorite part of this table is the thankful tree. I grabbed one of the sticks from the yard, and I balanced it in a large vase with glass pebbles. Then, I cut various leaf shapes out of colorful cardstock. In a little tin, I provided bright colored pens and tape, so the kids can write what they’re thankful for and attach it to the tree. This might be at the kids table, but it’s a fun thing for all the guests to do.

With the left over cardstock, I used a hole punch to create colorful confetti to sprinkle on the table.

There you have it – three Thanksgiving table decorations that didn’t break the bank!

Which one was your favorite? Let us know in the comments section.