Celebrate your guests and your kiddos this year and let them decorate your table for you! You won't have to worry about a tablecloth and you'll have a momento you can use for future celebrations!
1.Embroidered Guest Names
Remember all the guests who've graced your Thanksgiving table by creating a memory table runner. To make, have guests sign the runner with a disappearing pen, then embroider over the signatures. Shop for disappearing pens here. Shop for embroidery tools here.
2.Butcher Paper Guests Names and/or Favorite Thanksgiving Festivities
Lay out a sheet of butcher paper and/or notecards on an unused cabinet or table (if you have one of those amidst all the feasting going on) or hang one on the wall for all of your guests to sign. At the end of the day, ask everyone to write on it what their favorite part of the Thanksgiving festivities were, then fold the paper up and tuck it away somewhere special. Next year, lay the old sheets out along with the new one for everyone to look back on and remember Thanksgivings past, like a time capsule in ink and paper. Shop butcher paper here.
3.Kids Craft Cloth
Start a new tradition by having the kids decorate butcher paper and/or a tablecloth. They can do this for their own table if they have one and/or create one for the grown-up table! This can be used for years and once it gets worn out make a new one with the new kids in the family and guests.
All you need is butcher paper and some crayons or markers and let them decorate!
4.White Tablecloth Designs
Draw your thanks on the actual tablecloth rather than butcher paper for a keepsake that's also an activity. Cover the table with a white tablecloth and place cloth markers on the table. Ask your guests to draw what they’re thankful for or even something fun — like their favorite Thanksgiving memory. By the time the dishes are cleared, you'll have a reusable memento for years to come! Shop cloth markers here.
5.Place Cards/Decoration
Don’t worry about fancy Etsy-bought place cards. Instead, have the kids put their beloved art skills to good use.
Also, the kids can feel like they have helped with the dinner and the celebration without being in the kitchen. Have the kids make homemade place cards for all the family and guests!
Have them trace and cut out leaves and/or collect pine cones from the back yard and turn them into place cards. The act of collecting the items for the table decoration will give the kids and you a happy memory of the holiday!
