Here are some creative, inexpensive, easy ideas for creating a beautiful dining room centerpiece for your Thanksgiving feast.

Thanksgiving Centerpiece: Cornucopia

This is the easiest and most traditional Thanksgiving centerpiece decoration. From a craft store, purchase a simple cornucopia basket; its curved cone shape is iconic of Thanksgiving- the symbol for a bountiful harvest. You can use real fruits and gourds - or, while you’re at the craft store, purchase silk or sugared plastic fruits and gourds - you’ll be able to use them year after year. Simply place the cornucopia basket at the center of your table, and fill it to overflowing with your gourds and fruits. Add candles on each side to illuminate your harvest!

Scented Candle Forest

This idea will look elegant and simple for your Thanksgiving table. Start with a large oval or rectangular mirror- an antique mirror looks best, but even an inexpensive new mirror has the same effect. Choose a single color for your table. If you have plum colored napkins, choose plum colored candles in different sizes (from tea lights and votives to short and tall pillar candles). Cluster the candles together with the largest in the middle until you have created a varying-level ‘candle forest’ which will beautifully illuminate your Thanksgiving table.

As Simple As Potted Mums

Choose a potted mum color that matches your tablecloth and napkins. Purchase several sizes of the same color chrysanthemums. If you don’t have matching containers, you can spray paint terra cotta pots in varying sizes in which to place the mums, or get colored foil sheets from the florist to cover the containers. Placing the plants at varying levels, with candles on either side makes for a fresh, lovely table centerpiece.

Pilgrim Hat Centerpiece

Feeling creative? A pilgrim hat is another iconic symbol of Thanksgiving. Family Fun magazine came out with the Pilgrim Hat centerpiece, pictured, as a way of bringing this icon to the holiday table. It’s quick, easy and inexpensive! Supplies include a terra cotta pot, black felt, and black and yellow poster board. Consider adding glitter on the buckle for a bit of bling on your Thanksgiving table! Large silk sunflowers would look gorgeous inside your pilgrim hat centerpiece.