Thanksgiving falls on November 28, this year (a Thursday, of course), which may mean that it’s time to book plane tickets or plan a road trip to make the journey to see family and friends — unless you’re hosting Thanksgiving at your house this year! Regardless of where you find yourself this holiday of giving gratitude, we have a few delightful, crafty decor ideas that you can try out. You’ll have fun making these little celebratory decorations, and your company will adore how it brightens your Thanksgiving supper!

Before we get started, though, we’d like to take a moment to give thanks to all those who have supported us here at Fred Lake over the years. We’re ecstatic to carry on a tradition of creating stamps, embossers, seals, and other items that help you to leave a lasting impression. We’ve been in operation since 1889, and look forward to continually working with the people that we cherish. Thank you, and Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Pinecone Turkeys

Pinecone turkeys can be used as a creative centerpiece, they can be placed around the house to spread that thankful spirit, and they can be used as nameplates to show guests where they’re seated. Plus, you can get the kids involved, keeping them busy as you socialize and tend to the turkey in the kitchen. Feel free to get creative, and add whatever special touch you’d like to your pinecone turkeys!

What you’ll need:

Pinecones
One package of small googly eyes
Construction paper
Pens, pencils, or markers
Scissors
Hot glue gun
Candy corn

How to make them: Each pinecone can become a turkey with a little construction paper for the tail feathers, two googly eyes, and a candy corn beak. Start by cutting the construction paper into individual feathers, or, if you’d like, you can have the kids create tail feathers for their turkeys by tracing their hands on construction paper — help them to safely cut out the outline of their hands. Once you have the feathers, googly eyes, and candy corn ready, it’s time to get the glue gun to attach them all to the pinecone “body” of the turkey. Orient the pinecone sideways or upright — either works — and attach each piece with a dab of hot glue.

Bonus: Before you attach the tail feathers on your pinecone turkeys, you can have everyone write down things that they’re thankful for. Have each participant write down five things that they’re thankful for, so that everyone can share in their gratitude.

Creative Kids’ Table-“Cloth”

Kids love drawing on things, especially drawing where they aren’t supposed to (like the walls and floors of your home). Today, give the kids the chance to draw on the Thanksgiving table. If you have a kids’ table at your Thanksgiving celebration, then you can cover it with a paper tablecloth and spread around coloring supplies to give the little ones plenty of space to get creative while they enjoy their meal. Plus, once the chaos of this grand meal is over, you can simply crumple this food-splattered tablecloth up (since the kids are sure to make a mess), making cleanup as easy as possible.

What you’ll need:

Roll of butcher paper (or similar paper)
Tape
Stamps
Crayons, markers, and other coloring supplies

How to make it: Set-up is easy: Simply roll out a few sections of paper, tape them together so that they overlap, and tape your new tablecloth to the kids’ table — you’ll want to ensure that it’s “tethered” down with tape, since the kids may pull on the paper. Then, scatter the stamps and coloring supplies around the table for the kids to share. Voila! As always, if you don’t have stamps in your crafting collection, you can find a variety of creative stamps in our catalog, or create your own custom stamp to celebrate the occasion!

Paper Chains

Like streamers, paper chains make a home look and feel festive! Plus, making paper chains is a fun, easy activity that everyone can enjoy. Buy a pack of multi-color construction paper and spread it around to all those who want to participate. Within minutes, you’ll have paper chains spanning from corner to corner throughout your home. If you’re working with kids, be sure to hang the chains carefully yourself, and take over using the scissors if they aren’t old enough yet.

What you’ll need:
Construction paper
Scissors
Tape or a stapler and staples

How to make it: Making paper chains is as easy as making paper planes — actually it’s easier. Simply cut the construction paper into strips, and use tape or a stapler to create chain links, adding one after the other. You can alternate colors, create big chain circles, make knots, et cetera. You can even write down something that you’re thankful for on every link to celebrate the holiday! Get creative!

Thanks Again, From Fred Lake

Thank you once again for stopping by, reading our articles, and checking out all that we have to offer. We hope you, your friends, and your family the best this coming Thanksgiving! As always, you can count on your friends here at Fred Lake to connect you with the supplies you need to make an impression, including custom embossers, stamps, seals, and much more!