The star of the show at your Thanksgiving dinner may be the turkey, but there are plenty of other ways to wow your guests on Turkey Day. From beautifully unique table settings to fun and festive centerpieces, an eye-catching Thanksgiving table typically holds more than just food, and no table is complete without Thanksgiving place cards for each of your guests. If you want to make sure no one is left wandering around the table looking for their seat, then these DIY Thanksgiving place card ideas are just the thing you need to make everyone feel welcome.
Use some spray paint to freshen up fake leaves then use a Sharpie to elegantly write each of your guests' names in script, or if you're extra crafty, use transferable letters to emboss embroidery hoops for a place card everyone can take home after the meal is over. No matter your theme or color scheme, any one of these Thanksgiving name card ideas will be the perfect finishing touch to your Thanksgiving table this fall. And if you're looking for some Thanksgiving crafts to keep little ones busy before the big day, then they can help put these together as well.
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Turkey Feather Place Cards
Almost Makes Perfect
Use wine corks and toothpicks to create tiny feathered place cards for each of your guests.
Charm your dinner guests with these festive gobbler cards. Almonds, apples, Life Savers, and napkins combine to create the most adorable way to direct guests to their seats.
For a place card idea that truly rocks, brush gold craft paint on one side of a smooth stone, then write guests' names with metallic marker on the other half.
To make these pretty place cards, start with a pear that’s been wiped dry, then spray-paint two coats of opaque white. Let dry, then finish with a name tag hanging from the stem.
To make these simple place cards, hot-glue acorns to lengths of brown waxed twine and use it tie up rolled napkins. Then, apply gold paint to a portion of a preserved maple leaf and use a gold pen to mark with guest's initials.
Tell your loved ones how thankful you are for them with a hidden note inside their Thanksgiving dinner place card. To make, use a craft knife to cut a triangle in the end of a paper strip, then make a slit in the stem and slide it in. For the polka-dotted pattern, place small glue dots around the pumpkin and sprinkle with fine glitter. For the double-dipped pattern, apply spray paint to the pumpkin, then brush the bottom half with graft glue and gently press into a bowl of glitter.
Nothing says sophistication like a rose gold wishbone. To make, bend a 10-inch piece of armature wire into a "U" shape, then hammer the curved end to make a point. Use pliers to bend the point and the two ends of the wishbone slightly upward. Finally, wrap the wishbone in copper foil tape and add a place card.
An artistically folded napkin makes more of a statement than you think. Add a basic name tag and a sprig of flowers for a little added touch. To make, lay the napkin flat. Fold the napkin in half vertically from right to left, then bring the bottom up to fold in half again. Next, fold the top layer of the upper left corner down to the bottom right corner. Repeat with the second and third layers, tucking the corners underneath each previous layer about 1½ inches to create the folds. Flip the napkin over to the back. Fold the right side back over a third of the napkin, then do the same with the left side. Finally, flip back over to reveal the finished napkin. Tuck a flower sprig and a name tag card into the folds.
For the crafting queens (and kings) out there, these embossed embroidery hoops are just the DIY to try if you're in need of a challenge. To make, use a 3-inch embroidery hoop to frame plaid fabric. Then, iron on orange fabric initials or affix with fusible webbing.
A place card that's elegant and makes for easy clean up? Win, win! To make, cut an 18-inch-wide piece of kraft paper to desired runner length. In pencil, lightly draw three sides of a 16-inch square, leaving the top side open. Write the guest's name in the center of the open space, extending the lines on either side of the name to complete the square. Trace over the pencil lines with a white paint marker.
A simple setting that is so unique. Use fake leaves instead of real ones to eliminate mess, and scatter some extra down the center of the table for additional decor.
Help little ones find their seats at the kids' table with these personalized "turkey legs" stuffed with candy, popcorn, or other goodies. Tape a paper bag's opening shut and wrap frayed white paper around the end, and finish by adding the child's name with stickers.
Annie O’SullivanAssistant EditorAnnie O’Sullivan (she/her) covers holiday, gift guide, travel, and lifestyle content at Good Housekeeping.
Corinne SullivanContributing WriterCorinne Sullivan is a digital writer and editor who covers a variety of beats, including lifestyle, entertainment, relationships, holidays and more.
