27 Easy Thanksgiving Table Decorations That Take Center Stage Create a festive centerpiece for your Thanksgiving feast. By Sarah Martens Sarah Martens Sarah Martens is the Senior Editor overseeing food at Better Homes & Gardens digital. She has been with the BHG brand for more than 10 years. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process and Savanna Bous Savanna Bous Savanna Bous is a digital editorial assistant at Better Homes and Gardens. She graduated from Drake University in the spring of 2022 with degrees in magazine media, advertising, and digital media production. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on October 21, 2024 Close Credit: Carson Downing Our easy Thanksgiving table decorations will turn your tabletop into a festive display. Whether it's a feast for the whole family or a simple Thanksgiving lunch for a few, easy embellishments like DIY centerpieces, place settings, and decor items, can turn any meal into a festive holiday affair. 01 of 27 Gratitude Garland Credit: Carson Downing This interactive Thanksgiving table decoration celebrates the most important parts of the holiday: gathering and giving thanks. Build the runner with cardstock leaves on twine-wrapped wire stems. Make enough extra leaves so guests can write something they’re thankful for on them and attach them to the garland. Get the free leaf templates 02 of 27 Woodland Creations Credit: Carson Downing Next time you’re on a nature walk, scoop up a handful of acorns for these napkin rings. Paint and glue acorns onto natural wrapped wire and set the tiny wreath atop a napkin. Continue the forest theme with toadstool napkin ties made with wood mushrooms covered in crepe paper. Glue strips of crepe paper and drill small holes through the tops of mini wood mushroom forms (ours are from Amazon) to insert twine. Bonus: The wreaths and mushrooms double as take-home gifts. Highlighting 100 Years of Thanksgiving Tables at BHG 03 of 27 Leaf Table Settings Credit: Carson Downing This fresh take on a fall look plays up the green and yellow shades of leaves, making the linens versatile enough to use throughout the year. Create custom table linens with DIY adhesive foam craft stamps and fabric paint. Cut leaves out of craft foam and glue them onto wood blocks to create the stamps. Then, stamp ready-made linens or make your own napkins and place mats out of cotton or linen fabric. They’re easy because the edges are frayed not hemmed—no sewing required. Get the free leaf stamp template 04 of 27 Shimmery Gourds Credit: Carson Downing We gave humble dried gourds the Midas touch to create this elevated table setting. Decoupage a dried gourd bowl (ours is from Amazon) with gold paper and insert a vase filled with flowers for the centerpiece. Apply gold leaf to mini dried pear gourds from Etsy for table accents. Attach cardstock leaves with guests’ names for place markers. Decorative gourd bowls for crafting can be found online. A straight top ensures the flowers will sit right in the opening. 05 of 27 Farmhouse Thanksgiving Table Decor Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Jay Wilde For a quirky twist on your Thanksgiving table decor, add plaid pumpkin soup bowls to each place setting. The little homage to farmhouse style is an easy way to bring a pop of rustic charm to your decor without fully having to buy a lot of new pieces. Create mood lighting with multiple candles in rustic holders and accessorize with a neutral centerpiece. 06 of 27 Magnolia Leaf Place Card Credit: Carson Downing Practice those DIY calligraphy skills and put them to good use with this simple place setting. On the underside of a magnolia leaf, use a metallic paint pen to write the name. Display the leaf on a simple folded white linen napkin. 07 of 27 Use Dark Thanksgiving Decorations Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Greg Scheidemann Skip over the bright reds, yellows, and oranges, and choose a unique color palette that'll wow your Thanksgiving dinner guests. Dark and moody tones are one of this season's most popular decor trends. Plus, this arrangement couldn't get any easier. Stock up on dark paper party decorations of various shapes and sizes, then scatter them across the middle of the table. Add a few paper leaves or pumpkins for a seasonal touch. Pair a dark-hued table centerpiece with dark dishes for cohesion. Add a pop of orange or gold to really give your table a moody Thanksgiving feel. 08 of 27 Magnolia Table Garland Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Marty Baldwin This DIY magnolia garland takes the place of a traditional table runner. Craft your own using seasonal greenery and decorative accents like fresh clementines. This centerpiece works best as a day-of project but can be stored in the refrigerator over night. 09 of 27 Wine Cork Place Card Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Adam Albright Get the FREE printable cards Create a rustic Thanksgiving tablescape with this Thanksgiving craft for adults. To make these adorable wine cork place cards, cut a horizontal slit across the top of the wine cork and slide in a place card. To make the place card stand on its own, cut a thin slice from the bottom of the cork so it sits flat on the tabletop. Finish your Thanksgiving place setting with printable cards designed by artist Esther Clark. 10 of 27 Use Gold Accents Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Kritsada Panichgul Give your next Thanksgiving gathering a sense of luxury with glittering gold elements on your table. Use a cake stand to showcase mini white pumpkins with painted gold stems. Arrange a garland across the table with natural elements and painted gold accents to tie the look together. 54 DIY Autumn Decor Ideas for a Festive Fall Home 11 of 27 Decorate with Jewel Tones Credit: Marty Baldwin Typically, warm colors are used to decorate for Thanksgiving. Switch things up this year by adopting a jewel toned palette with blues, greens, and purples. Use natural seasonal elements—like kale, mini pumpkins, and flowers—to create a show-stopping centerpiece. 25 Fun Ideas for Hosting Thanksgiving 12 of 27 Floral Napkin Ring Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Marty Baldwin A quick trip to the crafts store is all it takes to put together these faux floral napkin rings. Style your finished place settings with neutral plates, napkins, and dishware so the flowers are the star of the show. 50 Gorgeous DIY Thanksgiving Place Cards and Napkin Rings 13 of 27 Clementine Place Card Holder Credit: Marty Baldwin Get the free menu and place card Add a pop of traditional fall color to your fall table decorations with this adorable clementine place card holder. Cut a slit in the top of a clementine and add the place card. To prevent the card from becoming soggy, fold a piece of clear tape across the bottom of the card before inserting into the fruit. Tie the look together by adding orange slices to your favorite holiday sangria recipe. 14 of 27 Mini Pumpkin Place Setting Credit: Marty Baldwin A mini pumpkin makes big impact when filled with fresh seasonal flowers. To create your own pumpkin place setting, slice off the pumpkin's top, scoop out the seeds, and fill with soaked floral foam. Insert cut flowers like roses, mums, and decorative berries so they fall loosely over the top of the pumpkin. Finish with a small chalkboard sign. 15 of 27 Tassel Napkin Rings Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Jacob Fox Match each place setting to your existing decor with this easy Thanksgiving craft. Buy yarn or string in a color that matches or compliments the rest of your tablescape. To make the tassel, cut several long pieces (make sure they're all the same length) and fold so all of the ends face downward. Tie the top loop off with an additional piece of string, and attach to a small braid for a pretty napkin ring. 16 of 27 Succulent Napkin Ring Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Steven McDonald If you're going for a less traditional look this Thanksgiving, consider succulents! Real or faux, these pretty plants bring a pop of greenery with a modern spin to Thanksgiving table decor. To make succulent napkin rings, simply cut a wine cork in half and attach a few faux succulents with hot glue. 17 of 27 Pumpkin Centerpiece Credit: Peter Krumhardt Create the ultimate Thanksgiving centerpiece by using pumpkins to spell out a fall phrase. Use paint and alphabet stencils to add the letters to the pumpkins of your choice. They can be orange, white, or a mix of both. Then various faux fall leaves around the tops of each pumpkin to add more color to this classic white and black motif. 7 Days of Holiday Hosting: Countdown to Thanksgiving 18 of 27 Succulent Pumpkin Centerpiece Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Matthew Clark A gorgeous succulent centerpiece will be the star of the show this Thanksgiving. Plus, this pumpkin centerpiece craft is easier to create than you might think! Since succulents can last for years if well taken care of, make this ahead of time to enjoy all season long. 19 of 27 Rosemary Napkin Ring Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Tria Giovan Pull inspiration from natural elements and make rustic Thanksgiving table crafts this year. A full wreath of rosemary around crisp napkins will add a pop of nature to your tablescape this year. Plus, it smells amazing! 20 of 27 Tabletop Greenery Garland Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Adam Albright Wow your guests with this stunning DIY greenery garland. It's an easy Thanksgiving table decoration that adds a pop of freshness. Create bundles of eucalyptus and other greens, and attach the bundles to each other with floral wire to create a long garland. You won't believe how quick and easy it is to create this beautiful Thanksgiving centerpiece. 21 of 27 Acorn Napkin Ring Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Marty Baldwin Add some fun to Thanksgiving dinner this year with a set of felt acorn napkin rings. This easy Thanksgiving table decoration is the perfect way to incorporate a little color while still keeping the decor seasonal. To make the acorns, brush glue onto the tops and attach a pom-pom, then attach to a wood napkin ring. 22 of 27 Cupcake-Liner Turkeys Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Ryan Liebe Your kids will love making this easy Thanksgiving craft that doubles as a fun place card. Attach small white cupcake liners to larger pattern liners to create a fun paper turkey. Glue to brown paper place cards and use markers to add the turkey's feet and your guests' names. 23 of 27 DIY Copper Napkin Rings Credit: Marty Baldwin Get the free napkin ring pattern Give your Thanksgiving table decor a polished style with napkin rings made from copper tape. These luxe napkin rings are one of our favorite Thanksgiving crafts for adults! Use our free pattern and instructions to make your own in minutes! 24 of 27 Acorn Pom-Poms Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Ryan Liebe Have fun with your Thanksgiving table decor. Create a festive fall napkin ring by hot-gluing pom-poms and ribbon to the top of an acorn. Tie the ribbon around cloth napkins for a quick and easy place setting. 25 of 27 Paper Name Tag Credit: Jason Donnelly A simple place card helps make this bold napkin pop. To create your own, write a name on a plain paper gift tag. Use twine or string to tie it around a printed cloth napkin. Try making your own hand-dyed napkins—it's a great way to dress up white cotton or linen. 26 of 27 White Pumpkin Centerpiece Credit: Kritsada Panichgul This easy pumpkin centerpiece echoes the classic colors of fall. Wrap white pumpkins with real or faux bittersweet better vines and secure with hot glue. Display the decorated pumpkins on a bold plaid table runner. Try to find one with rich orange tones to match the vines. 27 of 27 DIY Planter Box Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Marty Baldwin This Thanksgiving, create your own spin on a cornucopia. Style a DIY planter box with your favorite fall bounty. Use dried flowers, gourds, pumpkins and Spanish moss to create a showstopping centerpiece. Explore more: Holidays & Entertaining Thanksgiving Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit