How To Create Frugal & Festive Thanksgiving Tabletop Centerpieces

When it comes to Thanksgiving, I enjoy having my entire family in my home together to celebrate and give thanks.

But Thanksgiving can quickly start to turn into a crazy time of year, especially when you are entertaining guests.

Trying to keep everyone fed, the house clean enough, and still put together a Thanksgiving dinner is a real challenge.

One of the things we love doing each year is putting together a simple Thanksgiving centerpiece to put on our table for dinner.

I love to decorate for Thanksgiving, so making our home “Thanksgiving ready” can’t take a lot of time to do. We are just too busy.

That’s why these Thanksgiving table setting ideas are the best. They don’t require much “work” or effort to make them look beautiful!

Each year I get compliments on my simple DIY Thanksgiving centerpiece and it’s so easy to do!

You can put together a beautiful, festive, and cheap Thanksgiving tabletop decor in a short amount of time, and for a lot less than some of the store-bought ones!

Here are some tips I use to create inexpensive and festive Thanksgiving tabletop centerpieces for your Thanksgiving dinner table.

Tabletop Centerpieces Start With A Table Runner

Your table runner will set the stage for all your tabletop centerpieces.

I know this makes it sound like a lot of pressure, but I promise it’s not as difficult as it seems. A table runner sets the base for all your Thanksgiving table setting ideas.

When deciding what type of table runner to use, start by thinking of what colors and feel you want your simple DIY Thanksgiving centerpiece to have.

Are you going for a more rustic look? If so, then a burlap table runner for you simple Thanksgiving centerpiece would be appropriate.

In recent years, I’ve simply folded several long sheets of fabric I had buried in my sewing box. Once you drape them over the edge of the table for my Thanksgiving tabletop centerpieces. No one sees the ends to know it has not been fully sewn. Make it easy for yourself!

{Obviously, you can also skip this step if you’re on a super tight budget.}

Incorporate Seasonal Produce

On your tabletop centerpieces, the best way to decorate is to make sure you have something that is going to be front and center on the table.

For your Thanksgiving table setting ideas you could use a cornucopia, pumpkin, vase of fall colored flowers, or whatever you choose.

Pumpkins, squash, and other seasonal produce are abundant right now. That means you can score pumpkins and other fall produce for your simple DIY Thanksgiving centerpiece for less!

You can incorporate your seasonal produce into the main display of your Thanksgiving tabletop decor by converting a pumpkin into a vase, or by creating a gratitude pumpkin.

Pick varying sizes of produce to add height and dimension to your simple Thanksgiving centerpiece.

Just remember to focus on items that bring a pop of color to your table, without adding too much color variation (in other words, try to choose produce with complementary hues and only have a few in another bright color that stick out).

Add more shapes, sizes and textures to keep your Thanksgiving tabletop centerpieces interesting.

Incorporate Greenery

You can find fake greenery at your local dollar store, and these work perfectly for rounding out your Thanksgiving tabletop centerpieces.

Start your simple DIY Thanksgiving centerpiece by putting down your table runner, add your produce, other Thanksgiving tabletop decor, and then lastly, add some greenery in.

The greenery will give it a harvest feel, while adding some color to your Thanksgiving tabletop centerpieces. Plus, greenery helps “fill-in” the gaps making your simple Thanksgiving centerpiece look more full.

Stick To One Or Two Colors

If you are decorating pumpkins or other decorative pieces, you can save yourself a ton of money by sticking to one or two colors for your tabletop centerpieces.

This will keep your Thanksgiving table setting ideas simple and festive, as well as save you money on supplies.

Plus, it makes it super simple when you get to the store and you have an overwhelming number of choices. Just by sticking with a list for your simple DIY Thanksgiving centerpiece, you can focus on only choosing the items in your predetermined hues!

Coppers, silvers, browns, oranges, and golds are great choices because they can be displayed throughout the entire fall season, as well as making your simple Thanksgiving centerpiece look more elegant.

I made this glittered fruit centerpiece for less than $5 total! It’s a great addition to any Thanksgiving tabletop decor!

Kid’s Crafts

If your kids are in school, they are likely working on themes such as gratitude, turkey, and pilgrim crafts right now. These crafts can make a great addition to any Thanksgiving tabletop centerpieces!

Use those adorable decorations as the main piece on the table and then fill in with the other ideas listed above. If you have enough, use them as accent pieces on the table near the dessert table so everyone will notice and enjoy them.

Using these will give your Thanksgiving tabletop centerpieces a family touch, and also make your kids happy to see their artwork on display. #momwin 🙂

Check out these printable games and crafts for more ideas!

Less Is More

When it comes to decorating there are usually two types of people: those who go all out, and those who barely put anything up at all.

When it comes to your Thanksgiving tabletop centerpieces, you want to lean more on the side of simple, because it will benefit you in two ways:

1. Your table will not look cluttered.
2. It costs less.

If you feel your home needs some more Thanksgiving touches, add a couple of small pumpkins around the home. Add some more candles too and it will feel “Thanksgiving ready”.

Decorating this Thanksgiving won’t take a lot of time to do this year when you use these Thanksgiving table setting ideas.

These simple DIY Thanksgiving centerpiecs are the best because they don’t require much “work” or effort to make them look beautiful!

And you’ll get loads compliments on your Thanksgiving tabletop centerpieces even though they are so easy to do!

Your beautiful, festive, and cheap Thanksgiving tabletop decor will be done in no time, and for a lot less than some of the store-bought ones! Which is a mom win in my book!

Happy Thanksgiving!

YOUR TURN: Comment below with some more money saving Thanksgiving tabletop centerpieces ideas you’ve used in the past. I’d love to hear them!

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