Three Easy Thanksgiving Place Cards

Why spend extra money this Thanksgiving on impersonal storebought place cards? Charming Thanksgiving place cards are inexpensive, easy, and fun to make yourself. Before you begin, make a list of all guests names. Double check the spelling of guests names; especially if the guest is a new addition to your Thanksgiving party. Be sure to have a few blank place cards on hand in case of unexpected guests or damaged place cards. Collect all the supplies you will beforehand.

Leaf Place Cards

You can use fabric, paper, or real leaves for these leaf place cards. Before you shake your maple bare, though, check the leaves' ability to the ink you wish to use and be sure no one on your Thanksgiving guest list has a rare plant allergy. If you use real leaves, wipe them with a lightly moistened dish cloth or paper towel before inscribing your guest's names.

When choosing fabric leaves, look for a variety of colors and autumnal shapes.

If you plan to make your own paper leaves, choose paper the color of autumn leaves or use preprinted scrapbooking designs. When choosing a scrapbooking paper, you can go with more traditional pictures of natural autumn leaves or use designs featuring foods and words of thanks. If you find the paper you have chosen will not except the ink you will be using, choose a complimentary plain color of paper to write the guest's name on and paste it to the finished leaf cut-out.

Turkey Feather Arrangements

For a feather arrangement, make a simple turkey design out of cardstock and carefully hot glue feathers along the top. When purchasing feathers to use for these place cards, avoid downy, fluffy feathers; pieces of these can easily drift over to your Thanksgiving dishes. Look for feathers that compliment your cardstock and your Thanksgiving centerpiece.

If there will be a wait between guests arriving and dinner being served, you can entertain the younger kids by letting them make their own Thanksgiving feather place cards. Have them do a simple hand trace turkey and write their names in the center. Instead of hot glue, have an adult help kids poke holes to place their feathers into their place cards. You may want to purchase more colorful feathers just for kids, and be sure to have enough supplies for a few extra place cards. You never know who will want to make one.

Recipe Place Cards

If guests always request a certain recipe after Thanksgiving dinner, you can supply it in advance with a recipe place card. Find attractive Thanksgiving recipe cards. On one side write your recipe, on the other write the guest's name in your calligraphy. If you choose to print your own recipe cards, take a picture of the dish, or find a close facsimile on the internet, and use it as a background on the side you will use for your guest's name.