Thanksgiving Decorating on a Dime

Decorations and family activities help make Thanksgiving it a memorable day.  Decorating for the holidays can run up a hefty bill, but this year it doesn’t have to. Your décor can be traditional and fun all while remaining budget friendly.

Decorating on a Dime Tips:

Search Around your House: Buy scented candles and then hunt around for old crystal glasses or small bowls, they make perfect candle holders. You can place these all around the house and they’re the perfect holiday accents.

Reuse Halloween: Don’t worry about using the same decorations twice in one year. It is frugal to get the most out of your purchases. Pumpkins make great Thanksgiving decorations, especially outside or on the porch with some bushels of corn. Throw up a scarecrow and you have a full harvest theme in your yard.

Do-It-Yourself Placemats: Creating your own placements is an inexpensive and easy way to add a personal touch to your Thanksgiving meal. This is also a great activity for kids. All you need is colored construction paper, wax paper, and an iron. Place drawings or leaves in between 2 sheets of wax paper, iron the wax paper, and cut the edges. Then glue the designs on the construction paper for disposable and fun placemats!

Put a New Spin on a Cornucopia:Fill a large basket with fresh fruits such as apples, oranges and pears. Throw in some pine cones and you have the perfect Thanksgiving centerpiece – maybe tie a ribbon or bow around the basket to give it that expensive store-bought appearance. Stick with reds, browns, oranges and other natural fall colors.

For more Thanksgiving decorating tips on a dime, check out our 2011 Thanksgiving survival guide!