How to Set a Thanksgiving Table for Less

If you're like me, you love to add special touches to your holiday tables and you want to do something different every year. That could get expensive if not for dollar store shopping and a touch of imagination.

Here's a Thanksgiving table that recycles items already on hand to create a one-of-a-kind dining experience for your guests.

You can create a pair of hurricane lamps by combining hurricane vases and candlesticks. The faux oak leaves are from a stem of decorative leaves that were used in a vase last year. The orange pillar candles cost $1.50 each at a dollar store.

Use a strong glue to make these permanent or, as I prefer, simply sit the vases on top of the candlesticks so that each piece can be reused in a different way next time.

If you use the second method, make sure that the vases sit solidly on top of whatever candlestick you use, so there is no chance of rocking or tipping. The candlesticks we've used here are slightly wider than the base of the vases, are flat on top and have a raised rim.

A holiday place setting need only hint at the occasion. We highlighted the white dinner plates by using a paper napkin as a placemat. This 3-ply dinner sized napkin, which comes in a package of 15 for a buck, contains an autumn red that fits in well with the season.

Paper placemats should only be used on top of a tablecloth or regular placemats so as to prevent heat damage to a wood tabletop. The napkins add a hit of color and will help to protect your good tablecloth from spills, making clean-up easier.

To make the napkin rings, we used the leaves and berries from a decorative stem. The leaves come off of the stem as a pair, so all you have to do is thread some raffia through the hole that once held the leaves to the stem, through the hole in the berry bunch and repeatedly wrap the raffia around the napkin and silverware until it is secured. Finish by tying a knot in the raffia at the base of the leaves. Make sure you don't tie it too tight. You want your guests to be able to access their cutlery and napkin and not just admire your handiwork.