Dress Up Your Dining Room Table for Thanksgiving

Table settings and decorations can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be that way. Your dining room table can look great this Thanksgiving with homemade decorations.

Using blank card stock, you can make your own place cards this Thanksgiving. Cut the card stock into rectangles, then fold them in half so they stand up like little tents. You can use a calligraphy pen for a formal touch, or let the kids go wild with markers or crayons.

You could also use card stock to make fun, disposable napkin rings for Thanksgiving. Just cut them in a strip about an inch and a half wide and long enough to wrap around the napkin and silverware. With these or the place cards, you can decorate with markers and crayons or you could even glue on some cutouts.

Take things a step further and make your own linen napkins this Thanksgiving. You could sew your own or use plain handkerchiefs/bandanas (which can usually be found at craft stores). Certain markers and paints work well with fabrics and would be an easy way to decorate your napkins. You could even try tie-dyeing them.

Try dressing up your salt and pepper shakers, too. You can find inexpensive ones at places like Target. Then use construction paper or felt to make shapes - hats, shoes, etc. Make your salt and pepper shakers look like little pilgrims. You could cut out a circle for the face and draw on a smile, too.

For a fun votive candle holder, consider using mini pumpkins this Thanksgiving. Hollow them out and put tea lights or small votive candles in them. Just watch them as the small pumpkins may not be heat resistant after several hours.

You can buy ready made candle holders and paint them to your liking, if you'd rather. This way you get something that looks exactly the way you want, without shopping for hours amidst other Thanksgiving preparations.

A great centerpiece can be made by doing your own cornucopia. You can find the basket itself at craft stores, and fill it with whatever strikes your fancy - pumpkins, squash, etc. If you use real produce for this, try to pick things you will use later in baking so the food doesn't end up in the trash.

Lastly, try doing your own placemats this Thanksgiving. You could weave your own with fabric or possibly thin rope. A quicker, kid friendlier version is good ol' construction paper. Use markers or cutouts, then laminate them so they'll be more durable.