45 DIY Turkey Day Decoration Ideas To Feel Grateful For

While it is not celebrated globally, Thanksgiving is one of the most loved holidays in North America. No matter which religion you come from or where you were raised, this is one of the few times of the year that every family makes sure to get together to eat – we mean, celebrate. Just like other significant celebrations, Thanksgiving wouldn’t be Thanksgiving if it weren’t for the decorations. Like all festive seasons, the decor is a massive part of this holiday, and many people like to go all out to ensure that they have the nicest table on the block. If you are celebrating Thanksgiving and want to try something new, why not try some fun projects? Here are 45 DIY Thanksgiving decoration ideas for you to try this year!

#1: Homemade fabric wreaths

If you are not exactly the most skilled person when it comes to crafting, don’t worry. Design is a talent that not everyone possesses, but some things are easier to make than others. For instance, a homemade wreath is one of those things.

While the wreath in the picture looks quite elaborate, it is not hard to recreate. All you are going to need is a metal wreath frame and some burlap fabric. Cut the burlap in leaf shapes and then wrap it around the metal frame. When you’re done, you’ll have a lovely, rustic wreath!

#2: A wreath made of pine cones.

Autumn is the season for pine cones to fall off their trees, which coincides perfectly with Thanksgiving. So why not use pine cones to make a beautiful DIY wreath? It’s a straightforward decoration that can’t go wrong. Here’s how you can do it:

Collect as many pine cones as you can (we can’t estimate exactly how many you’ll need), buy a metal wreath frame at basically any store or online, and then glue the pine cones to the edge. You can wrap burlap fabric around the frame and glue the cones on the material to make things even easier.

#3: An adorable turkey wreath.

Just like every other major holiday, there are items that represent Thanksgiving. Without these, this holiday is just not the same — can you imagine what Thanksgiving would be like without having turkey for dinner? It would be too weird!

If you want to express your love for that delicious turkey meal that you have every Thanksgiving, make a turkey wreath! Wouldn’t it be fun to forgo the traditional wreath and go with this cute one instead? You only have to buy the metal frame, wrap colorful ribbons around it and decorate a styrofoam ball to look like the head of a turkey.

#4: A wreath to make with the children.

When we are parents, one of the best parts of the holidays is crafting with our kids. Getting the children involved with the decoration process is a lot of fun for the whole family! It makes it memorable for them, and you get unique decorations.

If you want your children to help with this year’s DIY Thanksgiving decorations, you can try making this corn wreath with them. Grab a metal wreath frame, paper, and yellow, orange, and red paints. Cut the paper in the shape of a corn cob and get to painting!

#5: An actual corn wreath!

Corn has been present in Thanksgiving dinners since the first celebration, so it’s understandable why one would want to decorate things with corn. Now, if you wish to make a corn wreath but want to take things to a whole new level, you can follow this next tip. 

Instead of using paper to make cobs, you can use actual Indian corn to create these wreaths. The best part is that they come in different colors, so your wreath will look creative and colorful, which is certainly a plus!

#6: Using logs as placemats.

If you are into rustic decorations, you are probably going to appreciate this next idea. If you are having an outdoor get-together with the family, you can use logs as placemats on the dinner table. It may require a couple of equipment, but it’s pretty simple to do:

Find a tree log, cut it into round pieces of about 5 inches. This idea works especially well if you live in regions where there are lots of trees available. The good news is that, even if you don’t have any trees in your backyard, you can easily buy these “tree slices.”

#7: A different type of centerpiece.

Let’s say that, after reading the previous idea, you decided to try it out and managed to get a log. You cut all the placemats you needed, but you still have most of the tree left. If that happens, don’t the rest with the firewood yet!

What you can do instead is use this log as a centerpiece. Spread a sheet on the floor, put the log on it, and surround the log with pumpkins, leaves, and pine cones, and you’re done. This is especially helpful for those who don’t have a centerpiece yet.

#8: Mason jars decorated with Thanksgiving quotes.

If there is one thing present in every household, that thing has to be a mason jar. They are everywhere — which makes a lot of sense, considering how reliable they are. If you have some extras lying around, you can use them to create Thanksgiving decorations!

All you need is special paint, masking tape, or thick letter stickers that will peel off easily. Stick them on and paint over them. Once the paint is dry, remove the tape and use a different color to cover the blank left by tape. (Be sure everything is spelled correctly when you put the stickers on.)

#9: Wooden pallets are also great for decorations.

Here is another way of decorating your home with things that you make with your own hands. If you have a wooden pallet hidden somewhere in the garage, you can use it to create a simple yet meaningful decoration for Thanksgiving.

Even if you don’t have one, you can buy one online or at the nearest hardware store. To decorate the pallet with a Thanksgiving message, you probably will need to be skilled at lettering — but, hey, it is the intention that truly counts!

#10: The perfect decoration for the dinner table.

If you want to give a different purpose to your mason jars than the one we proposed earlier (or if you don’t want to paint them), here is another decoration idea for Thanksgiving. Not only is this a simple idea, but it is also adorable.

To create this piece, you will need mason jars, leaves, fairy lights, and glue. When you have the materials, all you have to do is glue the leaves inside the mason jar and then put the fairy lights inside the jar. If you want to make it even prettier, maybe wrap a ribbon or fabric around the top.

#11: Decorate banners with stencils.

We like to say many things on Thanksgiving — it is the day of giving thanks, after all. And that is why people want to write messages and meaningful phrases and plaster them around the house for the Thanksgiving dinner.

If you want to decorate your home with these banners, you just have to buy alphabet stencils (preferably the large ones in which the letters come separated) and spray paint. With these two materials, you can paint any phrase you want on any surface of the house.

#12: Make a banner of origamis.

Banners are a must in many households during Thanksgiving. While you can buy ready-made banners, you have the option of making your own. And the best part is that this is not a difficult task — plus you can get your children to help!

All you need is to buy origami paper in different colors (preferably yellow, orange, red, and burgundy) and fold them in the shape of traditional banners. Young children are always eager to help with these types of tasks, so you can always ask your kids to help you — you will have a lot of fun in the process!

#13: Or make a banner of pumpkin pies!

Speaking of Thanksgiving banners, why not make a pumpkin pie banner? Pumpkin pie is a given when it comes to this holiday, so making this banner would make your house even more festive — after all, nothing screams “Thanksgiving” like pie.

You can use orange paper or felt fabric. Then, you cut the material of your choice into triangular shapes and glue brown felt to the top of the orange felt. To represent the whipped cream, you can use white pom-poms or cotton balls!

#14: Creating a festive banner.

The third and final banner we are going to show you is much simpler than the previous ones. This project is perfect for those who want to make DIY Thanksgiving decorations but don’t have much available time to craft them.

This festive Thanksgiving banner is quite simple to make because all you will need are a few small decorations (such as mini pine cones and chestnuts), yarn, and hot glue. Get the pine cones and chestnuts and glue them to the yarn thread, then hang it up somewhere in your house, and you’re done!

#15: A pumpkin centerpiece.

If you are looking for centerpiece ideas, look no further. We are about to show you the perfect centerpiece to make your Thanksgiving decorations look even better. Not only is this centerpiece cute, but it is also relatively easy to make on your own.

Stuff olive green or orange felt with beans (or pebbles, or stuffing) and cotton before sewing it at the top, as you can see in the picture. The final touch of this pumpkin centerpiece is the stem at the top — which can be a real stem if you have one available!

#16: Make paper pumpkins with the family.

Who said that pumpkins are exclusive for Halloween? When it’s time for Thanksgiving, pumpkins make their comeback for the second time of the year! If you want to decorate your home with themed props, here is an idea: paper pumpkins!

To make these cute paper pumpkins, you will only need to cut orange paper into thin strips and green paper into leaf shapes. To make this decoration even better, you can ask your family members to write what they’re thankful for on the strips before you glue all of them together!

#17: Yarn pumpkins are also a great idea.

If you are still looking for ideas on making pumpkin-based Thanksgiving decorations for your dinner party this year, here is another one. You’ll need to purchase a bunch of orange yarn (or you can paint plain twine) and balloons for this decoration.

Fill the balloon with air before wrapping the painted yarn all around it. Now, pour the glue into a bowl big enough to fit the balloon. Dip the yarn-wrapped balloon in the glue and remove it once the yarn is soaked. When the glue is dry, pop the balloon and remove it. You just have to find something to be the stem!

#18: What about recycling for Thanksgiving?

If you are particularly interested in environment-friendly Thanksgiving decorations, you will certainly like this next DIY decor idea. You will have to find a bunch of unused lids that you can recycle. If you already have a stash of them, that’s even better.

To make these lid pumpkins, you’ll need to paint the lids with acrylic paint, the best paint for metal. Then, tie the tops together using yarn or other flexible materials to keep them in place. On top, you can use cinnamon sticks or maybe an actual stem, if you have one.

#19: This is not for book lovers!

Now, this next idea on making a DIY Thanksgiving pumpkin decoration is not for the faint of heart — especially not if you are a book lover! If you are wondering why we’re saying this, brace yourself for the impact: we’re going to show you a book pumpkin!

No, your eyes are not deceiving you. You see a book-turned-pumpkin! You can round the pages of a book, glue the front cover to the back cover, and paint the edges as you wish. Even as book lovers, we think this is spectacular.

#20: Have yourself a “gourdgeous” and colorful Thanksgiving!

What is Thanksgiving without gourds? These fruits (yes, they are fruits) are not always edible, which means they make for the perfect Thanksgiving decorations! If you can get a hold of gourds, you can certainly try out this next idea:

All you have to do is dip the gourds in paint and wait until they dry. That’s it. Once you have these colorful gourds, you can use them as centerpieces and use them to decorate the whole house for your Thanksgiving dinner party!

#21: Paint your pine cones.

Just like gourds and pumpkins, pine cones remind us of Thanksgiving. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with pine cones, we all have to agree that they do look a bit bland. If you want to decorate your home with these Thanksgiving symbols but want to make them look prettier, check this out:

Painting the tips of the pine cones is quite simple and wouldn’t take a lot of your time — but the results will look stunning and make your Thanksgiving decoration a bit livelier this year. This tip is particularly interesting for those who want to make their decorations but have little time!

#22: A bowl made of autumn leaves.

Thanksgiving is the holiday that marks autumn (or fall, or however you call it). This is a beautiful season and this holiday only makes it even more special. If you want to express your appreciation of this season, you might like this idea:

You can’t put anything too heavy on this bowl, but it will work perfectly with those pine cones. You need leaves (natural or fake ones), water-based glue (like Mod Podge), and a balloon. Fill the balloon and glue the leave across its bottom. When the glue is dry, carefully remove the balloon, and you’re good to go!

#23: Reusing Halloween decorations.

Considering that Thanksgiving takes place less than a month after Halloween, it makes sense that some people like to reuse the decorations. You get to save yourself some money, and you also get to craft your own DIY Thanksgiving decorations!

Here is a simple yet efficient idea if you are unsure about what to do with the decorations around the house: get those mini pumpkins you bought for Halloween and paint them. If you use metallic colors, the Halloween-turned-Thanksgiving pumpkins will look even better; just saying!

#24: Rustic decor is chic.

Everyone has different tastes when it comes to decor. Not everyone likes extravagant decorations, and some people would prefer to keep things more rustic and simple. If that is your case, here’s a DIY Thanksgiving decoration idea that you may like:

This bucket may not look like it is serving as decoration for a Thanksgiving dinner party, but that is precisely the appeal of it. If you don’t like over-the-top things, you can buy a steel bucket and use stencils to paint a cute phrase on it!

#25: A wooden pumpkin for woodwork lovers.

Are you someone who is into woodworking? If yes, you must undoubtedly be looking for ideas on how to incorporate your passion into this year’s Thanksgiving celebrations. If that is the case, have you ever thought of making a wooden pumpkin?

This wooden pumpkin is simple to make and doesn’t require a lot of materials. You just have to cut a pumpkin-shaped piece from a sheet of wood. You can leave it at that, or you can use spray paint to make the pumpkin look more realistic.

#26: Use gourds to make festive candles.

Celebrating Thanksgiving and decorating your home for this holiday means that there will be at least one pumpkin in your home on the last Thursday of November. If you are looking forward to making your home as festive as possible, try gourd candles!

Mini pumpkins are all you need to make your DIY Thanksgiving candles. Cut them in half and clean out the insides. Once it is empty and clean, drop hot wax inside the hollow pumpkin, and you’ll have your very own natural pumpkin-scented candle!

#27: Autumn-themed candles are also nice.

Thanksgiving preparations require a lot of time, effort, and hard work — especially if you are decorating your home and preparing the dinner all by yourself! In case you don’t have a lot of time on your hands, you will like the following idea:

If you want to make DIY Thanksgiving decorations but are already busy with other preparations, this autumn leaves candle will look appealing. You just have to buy some candles, collect some leaves from your backyard and tie the leaves to the candle using a thread of yarn.

#28: DIY pumpkin plushie!

Pumpkin plush toys are charming, but they can also be quite expensive during this time of the year. The good news is that, instead of spending a lot of money on plush toys, you can make them for way less money!

You’ll need orange fabric, elastic bands, stuffing (polyester, cotton, wool — you choose the material), hot glue, and twigs. Tie the ends of the fabric with the elastic band and fill it with the stuffing of your choice. Then, tie the other ends before you use hot glue to add the “stem” on top of your pumpkin plushie!

#29: Reuse fabric to make a table runner.

Are you into patchwork? If so, you will certainly like this DYI Thanksgiving idea. If you have lots of old sheets at home, but you’re not sure what to do with them, we suggest that you reuse them to make a table runner.

While table runners are not necessarily exclusive to Thanksgiving, you could reuse fabrics with Thanksgiving colors, such as red, orange, yellow, burgundy, and olive green, among others. We are sure that your guests will be impressed when you tell them that you made this gorgeous table runner yourself!

#30: What about mixing Thanksgiving symbols?

When we think of Thanksgiving, some things immediately pop into our minds — things like pumpkins, autumn leaves, beautiful skies, and turkeys. What if you mixed these symbols to make a cute DIY Thanksgiving decoration? Here is a great idea:

These pumpkin turkeys are quite simple to make because all you will have to do is craft a turkey head (and its feet) using special paper or foam. Then, you just have to glue it to a pumpkin, and you’ll have a cute centerpiece!

#31: Crafting an adorable basket.

Not everyone has the natural talent required to make DIY crafts — but that doesn’t mean that you can’t at least try making your own Thanksgiving decorations! If you want to start with something a bit easier, here’s a DIY Thanksgiving-themed basket.

In addition to making a cute basket where you can put bread or other foods, you can also use the feathers of this turkey basket to write a Thanksgiving message addressed to each of your guests — we are sure they’re going to love this idea!

#32: Wear festive pins on your clothes.

Until now, we have only given you tips on creating DIY Thanksgiving decorations for your house. But the thing is: you can add fun accessories to your clothes (or maybe even your hair, if you want) for this special occasion!

This adorable turkey pin will look great with any outfit you wear for this year’s turkey dinner. Cut a piece of felt into a shape that remotely resembles a turkey. While you have many options to make the turkey’s tail, your pin will look even cuter if you use a flower.

#33: Making pom-pom turkeys as souvenirs.

When we are preparing our house to receive guests on Thanksgiving, we focus a bit too much on the decoration and the foods that will be served. While there is nothing wrong with that, all that focus on those things may make you forget some details — like souvenirs!

You don’t necessarily have to hand out souvenirs to your guests, but think of pleased they will be to receive these adorable pom-pom turkeys. Glue two pom-poms of different sizes together and cut pieces of felt in layers (to make the turkey’s tail), and you’re done!

#34: Get your bottles to look a bit fancier.

We bet that when you think of decorating your home for Thanksgiving, the very last thing on your mind would be old bottles. Well, this is not a far-fetched idea and, once you take a look at this picture, we are certain that you will want to know how to do it.

Instead of going over budget just to buy some cute centerpieces, you can reuse those empty wine bottles that you probably have somewhere in the house. You don’t have to do much — just wrap the bottle in twine until it is completely covered. Then, use hot glue to add exterior details to the bottle to make them pretty.

#35: Another way of dolling up bottles.

If the previous idea did not do it for you, here is another way of decorating empty bottles to use them as centerpieces. For this DIY Thanksgiving decoration idea, you’ll need to buy spray paint in three colors (orange, yellow, and white).

The difference between this idea and the previous one is that, for this one, you can use any empty bottles you have at home, regardless of their material. Plastic bottles, glass bottles — it doesn’t matter. Just use the spray paint and do your best at painting the bottles to look like candy corn!

#36: Use wine bottle corks to make a pumpkin.

If you collect wine bottle corks, you could put them to good use during this year’s celebrations. Collecting is fun, but reusing these corks to make beautiful DIY decorations for Thanksgiving is even more exciting! Check out this fantastic idea:

This pumpkin made of corks is adorable — and the best part about it is that it is effortless to make. Dip the corks in orange paint and wait until the paint dries. When it does, glue the corks together in the shape of a pumpkin; that’s it!

#37: Assign seats using corks.

Here is one final idea on how to reuse those corks you have been collecting all these years. If you have guests over for Thanksgiving dinner, you may want to assign seats at the table. Maybe you have a new member of the family and want to make them comfortable.

Use corks to assign seats. Draw turkey feathers on a piece of paper before you cut it and paint it. Then, make a small cut on the top of a cork and stick the feathers in. Once you do that, you just have to write your guests’ names on a piece of paper and glue it to a toothpick and stick it in the cork!

#38: Autumn-inspired drink coasters.

Look, we are well aware that most people simply ignore drink coasters. You may buy as many of them as you want, and we are sure that someone in your house will still put their cup directly on the table anyway!

Regardless, nothing should stop you from wanting to make these beautiful drink coasters to complement this year’s DIY Thanksgiving decorations. Buy some Thanksgiving colors-inspired felt fabric and cut it so you can get coasters that look like the ones in the picture.

#39: Don’t buy special napkins; improve the ones you have at home!

We supposed that it is safe to say that you can find customized napkins for basically every occasion. If you can’t find them in stores, you can easily have them made for you. But what if we told you that you could make your own Thanksgiving napkins?

Don’t worry about buying new ones if you want to place fancy serviettes on the Thanksgiving dinner table. All you have to do is purchase stencils and paint over a white napkin. They’re going to look great, and you won’t have to spend much.

#40: Ask your kids to prepare art pieces.

One of Thanksgiving’s main traditions is getting the family together so everyone can share the things they are thankful for this year. Because this tradition is so essential, you can get your children acquainted with it from an early age.

One of the ways that you can get your children engaged in this celebration is to ask them to create art pieces to put on display for the guests. If the kids want to do something like the picture above, they just have to draw a tree and dip their fingertips in washable paint to paint the “leaves” of the tree.

#41: Show what you are thankful for with this tree.

Here is an excellent idea for a DIY Thanksgiving decoration: a Thanksgiving tree! While this may not be an innovative idea, it is still cool. And the best part is that you don’t need a lot of materials to make it — just wood and twine.

You will need a tree branch. Rid it of any leaves and replace them with ornaments. In these ornaments (which you can make however you want), you’ll write the things you are thankful for. Then, just put the tree branch inside a jar and decorate it to make it look presentable!

#42: Decorate your house with that old tomato cage.

If you are into gardening, you must probably have a tomato cage or two at home. What if we told you that you can make a beautiful DIY Thanksgiving decoration using this old tomato cage for your house? Check this out:

While you could probably try to get an actual tree for your Thanksgiving dinner party (much like we do on Christmas), you should give this fake tree a try. Collect fallen leaves and sew them together before you wrap them around the tomato cage.

#43: Did you know that you can also decorate the baby’s room for Thanksgiving?

We understand that you will probably not let your guests barge into your child’s room, but you could decorate it to give it a festive feel regardless. Your kid is probably going to love seeing this decoration in their room:

You and your kids can gather some fallen leaves (which we are certain will be no problem, especially not at this time of year) and attach them to a branch using sewing thread. Alternatively, you can make paper leaves and use those.

#44: Foam will make your flower arrangement look even prettier.

Let’s say that you picked some beautiful flowers from your beloved garden — or that you went to the nearest flower shop and bought flowers there. Now, you want to find a way of using those flowers to make a beautiful centerpiece for your Thanksgiving dinner.

If you throw the flowers in a vase, it will look unoriginal, won’t it? In case you have a fancy basket (or maybe just a presentable basket that will look good on your dinner table), you can put a piece of foam inside the basket and stick the flowers in the foam.

#45: Add a little glam to the autumn leaves!

Nowadays, nothing is enjoyable unless it is glamorous. The world is kind of a scary place, so we should be making the most of adding color and life to it every opportunity we have. Thanksgiving is the holiday to give thanks for all the good things in our life — so let’s add glam to it!

If you want to make a colorful DIY Thanksgiving decoration, here is a good idea: you know those leaves that we have been telling you to collect? In case you have any left, you can put them up around the house — but not before painting them with glitter!