21 DIY Thanksgiving Decorations to Make This Weekend

Store bought fall decor adds up fast, and half of it looks the same in every house on the street. Handmade pieces feel warmer, cost less and actually mean something.

These diy thanksgiving decorations use simple supplies like mason jars, pumpkins, paper, twine, pinecones and fallen leaves. You will find easy centerpieces, candle holders, garlands, wall hangings and a few crafts the kids can help with.

Most projects take less than an hour and cost under $15. Pick two or three for Saturday, put on a playlist, and by Sunday evening your home will feel ready for the holiday.

1. Mason Jar Candle Holders

Mason jar candle holders are the easiest fall centerpiece you can make in 15 minutes. Fill each jar a third of the way with dried corn, coffee beans or split peas, then nestle a tea light or small pillar candle on top. The filler keeps the candle steady and adds color.

Wrap the rim with jute twine or a strip of burlap, and tie on a small faux leaf or cinnamon stick. Group three jars of different heights down the table. Always use LED candles if kids or pets are around, and never leave real flames unattended.

2. Pumpkin Candlesticks

Pumpkin candlesticks look elegant and cost about $1 each.

• Choose small pumpkins with flat bottoms so they stand steady.
• Cut a hole in the top the width of your taper, about 3/4 inch.
• Push the taper in about 1 inch deep so it stays upright.
• Line five to seven pumpkins down the table at different heights.
• Tuck eucalyptus or faux leaves between them to connect the row.

Real pumpkins last about a week once cut, so make these a few days before Thanksgiving. For a longer lasting version, use craft pumpkins and a drill bit the size of your candle. Use a small knife slowly and cut away from your hand for safety.

3. Gratitude Tree Branches

Quick Tip: Put a small basket of blank paper leaves and a pen next to the tree. Guests can add what they are thankful for all through the day.

Collect a few bare branches, place them in a tall vase filled with stones, and hang kraft paper leaves with twine. This thankful craft becomes a meaningful Thanksgiving centerpiece. Save the leaves each year in an envelope to read later.

4. Paper Leaf Garland

Before: A bare mantel or empty window looks plain, and a store bought leaf garland costs $25 and looks a little plastic.

After: A handmade paper leaf garland in rust, mustard and olive brings real texture and warmth. It cost almost nothing and looks custom.

Trace a leaf template onto cardstock, cut 30 to 40 leaves, and fold each one down the middle for dimension. Punch a hole in the stem end and thread them onto twine. It is one of the best paper fall decor projects for adults and older kids.

5. Wood Slice Place Cards

Wood slice place cards add a rustic, personal touch to every seat.

1. Buy a bag of 3 inch wood slices, about $10 for 20 pieces.
2. Lightly sand the tops so the paint goes on smoothly.
3. Write each guest’s name with a white or gold paint pen.
4. Hot glue a small acorn or faux leaf to the edge.
5. Let them dry for 30 minutes before setting the table.

Guests often take these home as a keepsake. You can also write the date or a word like grateful on the back. Keep hot glue guns away from little hands, and let an adult handle that step when kids are helping.

6. Painted Pumpkin Trio

Painted pumpkins update your fall decor without buying anything new. Here is how two paint options compare.

Feature	Chalk Paint	Acrylic Craft Paint
Finish	Soft matte, velvety	Can be matte or glossy
Coats needed	1 to 2	2 to 3
Cost	$10 to $15 a jar	$2 a bottle
Best for	Modern neutral look	Colorful designs and pumpkin art

Choose a palette of three colors, like sage, cream and terracotta, for a modern look. Paint the stems gold for a little shine. Faux pumpkins last for years, so you can repaint them next season in new colors.

7. Tin Can Lanterns

Tin can lanterns turn recycling into glowing fall decor.

Do:

• Fill clean cans with water and freeze them overnight before punching.
• Use a hammer and nail to punch a simple leaf or dot pattern.
• Spray paint the outside in cream, copper or black.
• Add LED tea lights for a safe, flickering glow.

Don’t:

• Punch holes in an empty can, which will dent and bend.
• Skip sanding the sharp edges around the rim.
• Let kids handle the hammer and nail without an adult.

These can crafts cost almost nothing and look beautiful on a porch or windowsill. The ice gives the metal support while you punch, and it melts out when you are done. Group cans of different sizes for the best effect.

8. Thankful Letter Banner

Cost: About $8 | Time: 1 hour | Skill Level: Beginner

A burlap banner is a classic wall hanging for Thanksgiving. Cut eight triangles from burlap, stencil one letter on each with cream paint, and hot glue the tops over a length of twine. Hang it over a mantel, doorway or dessert table.

9. Dried Orange Garland

Dried orange slices glow like stained glass when light shines through them. Slice 4 or 5 oranges about 1/4 inch thick, pat them dry, and bake on a rack at 200°F for 3 to 4 hours, flipping every hour. They should feel dry and leathery, not sticky.

Thread the slices onto jute twine with a large needle, adding cinnamon sticks and bay leaves between them. Hang the garland in a window, across a mantel or on a door. It smells lovely, costs about $5 and stays up right through Christmas.

10. Pinecone Turkeys for Kids

Pinecone turkeys are a favorite fall craft for kids.

• Collect dry pinecones and let them sit indoors for a day.
• Cut feather shapes from colored felt or cardstock.
• Tuck the feathers into the back scales of the pinecone.
• Glue on googly eyes, a small orange beak and a red wattle.
• Write each child’s name on a feather to use as a place card.

This craft keeps kids busy while the adults cook, and it only needs school glue for most steps. Use hot glue only with an adult. The finished turkeys make a sweet kids table centerpiece and a fun keepsake for grandparents.

11. Faux Leaf Wreath

Quick Tip: Buy faux leaf stems at the end of September sales and cut them apart. One $5 bunch covers a quarter of a standard 18 inch wreath.

Start with a grapevine base and hot glue individual faux leaves in overlapping layers, all facing the same direction. Mix three or four colors for depth. Add a burlap or velvet bow at the bottom, and your door is ready for guests.

12. Burlap Table Runner

Before: A bare wooden table looks plain, and linen runners from home stores cost $30 or more.

After: A fringed burlap runner with a stenciled wheat design gives the table texture and a farmhouse feel for about $8.

Cut burlap to the length of your table plus 12 inches, then pull threads from each end to create fringe. Stencil a simple pattern with fabric paint. Burlap sheds, so shake it outside first and place a thin liner underneath.

13. Cinnamon Stick Candles

Cinnamon stick candles look and smell like the coziest part of fall.

1. Choose a 3 inch wide pillar candle, ideally a flameless LED one.
2. Line up cinnamon sticks around the candle so they touch.
3. Secure them with a rubber band while you work.
4. Tie jute twine or ribbon over the band to hide it.
5. Tuck in a sprig of eucalyptus or a star anise.

These make lovely hostess gifts as well as table decor. If you use real wax candles, keep the flame well below the top of the cinnamon sticks and never leave it burning unattended. Flameless candles are the safest choice for this craft.

14. Wheat Bundle Centerpiece

Dried wheat bundles bring a classic harvest look. Here is how two options compare.

Feature	Standing Wheat Bundle	Wheat in a Vase
Look	Sculptural and rustic	Soft and relaxed
Stability	Needs a flat trimmed base	Very stable
Cost	About $12	About $10
Best for	Center of the table	Side tables and mantels

Buy a bundle of dried wheat from a craft store, trim the stems flat and tie them tightly with ribbon at the middle. Spread the base slightly so it stands. Keep it away from candles, since dried wheat is very flammable.

15. Pressed Leaf Votives

Pressed leaf votives capture real autumn leaves in candlelight.

Do:

• Press leaves between book pages for 3 to 5 days first.
• Use small, flat leaves that fit the curve of the glass.
• Brush decoupage glue under and over each leaf.

Don’t:

• Use fresh leaves, which curl and turn brown.
• Apply thick layers of glue that stay cloudy.
• Use real candles near dry leaves without a glass barrier.

These autumn leaves crafts work beautifully with kids and adults alike. Collect leaves on a family walk, press them overnight in a heavy book, and craft together on Sunday. Use LED tea lights to keep the glow safe.

16. Paper Pumpkins

Cost: Under $5 | Time: 30 minutes for 4 pumpkins | Skill Level: Beginner

Cut 8 strips of cardstock about 1 inch wide and 11 inches long. Stack them, punch a hole at each end, and push a brad through both ends to form a sphere. Add a paper stem and twine tendril. These are cute DIY fall decor for shelves and kids rooms.

17. Embroidery Hoop Wreath

An embroidery hoop wreath looks modern, light and very Pinterest worthy. Use a 12 inch wooden hoop and hot glue a small cluster of faux eucalyptus, dried wheat and a few orange blooms to one side. Leaving most of the hoop bare keeps the design clean and minimal.

This is a perfect fall room decor idea for bedrooms, entryways or small apartment doors. Hang it with a velvet ribbon in rust or olive. After Thanksgiving, swap the fall stems for pine and berries, and the same hoop becomes a winter wreath.

18. Chalkboard Menu Sign

A chalkboard menu tells guests what is on the buffet and doubles as decor.

• Paint a thrifted frame’s glass or a wood board with chalkboard paint.
• Let it cure for 24 hours, then season it by rubbing chalk over the surface.
• Write the menu with a chalk marker for crisp lines.
• Add small leaves or wheat doodles in the corners.
• Prop it on an easel near the food table.

Chalk markers wipe off with a damp cloth, so you can reuse the sign for Christmas and birthdays. It helps guests with allergies spot what they can eat. Label dishes with the name of the friend who brought them for a sweet touch.

19. Gilded Acorn Bowl

Quick Tip: Bake collected acorns at 175°F for 2 hours before crafting. It dries them out and kills any tiny insects hiding inside.

Paint just the caps with gold leaf paint or metallic acrylic and leave the nuts natural. The contrast looks elegant and expensive. Fill a small wooden bowl, add a candle nearby, and you have a quick decorative piece for any table.

20. Handprint Turkey Art

Before: Kids art from school gets tucked into a drawer and forgotten after the holiday.

After: A handprint turkey in a simple frame becomes Thanksgiving art you pull out every November. Each year shows how much little hands have grown.

Paint each finger a different fall color, press the hand onto thick paper, and add a brown body, eyes and beak. Write the child’s name and year below. Use washable paint and keep wipes nearby for easy cleanup.

21. Twine Wrapped Bottles

Twine wrapped bottles turn empty wine and olive oil bottles into rustic vases.

1. Clean the bottles and remove labels with warm soapy water.
2. Add a line of hot glue at the base and start wrapping jute twine.
3. Keep wrapping tightly upward, adding small dots of glue every few rows.
4. Stop just below the neck and glue the end in place.
5. Add one or two dried stems or faux leaves to each bottle.

Group three bottles of different heights for the most natural look. These easy homemade fall decorations cost almost nothing and suit shelves, mantels and bathroom counters. Work slowly with hot glue, since the twine gets warm as you press it down.

Final Thoughts

Handmade decor makes a home feel lived in and loved, especially when friends and family gather around the table.

Pick two or three of these diy thanksgiving decorations that fit your space and your weekend, like a garland, a centerpiece and one kids craft. Gather supplies on Saturday morning and craft in the afternoon. My favorite trick is choosing one project the whole family can help make.

Save this post to your Pinterest board for easy planning. Try one idea this weekend and share it with the friend who loves crafting as much as you do.