DIY a Dazzling Holiday Table With Dollar Store Finds

The key to hosting a picturesque holiday dinner party lies within the details. The dinner table will be the centerpiece of the evening, so it needs to be practical and functional, but most importantly, it needs to make a major impact. Instead of letting sticker shock get in the way of beautiful table decor, think outside the box and head to the dollar store.

Put Plates in Their Place

Before you get started, we have some good news: If you have a blanket scarf, you have a tablecloth. That’s a major money saver. Now that the background of your tablescape is taken care of, let’s focus on place settings. Instead of paying premium prices for stylish table chargers, buy cheap gold ones and accent with complementary chalk paint. Use painter’s tape to tape across the plate and paint a small portion with chalk paint for a beautiful modern charger that looks much more expensive than it is.

Serving Up Style

To upgrade your guest’s dining experience, offer a menu to guide them through the dishes. Quickly and easily make elegant menus by using your home printer to make copies on vellum paper. Then, cut the menus out in circles and place on top of the chargers and beneath a dollar store glass plate for a splash-proof display.

Bye-Bye Paper Products

Skip the paper napkins and repurpose cute kitchen towels as cloth napkins. Instead of rolling, opt for an accordion fold and slide the towels into a DIY napkin ring. To create the napkin rings, wrap strips of scrap fabric around shower curtain rings, secure with hot glue and finish off with a festive string tied in a bow.

Seating Made Easy

Ensure your guests know where to sit the moment they see the table with these adorable framed place cards. Just buy mini gold picture frames, slide out the sample pictures, flip them over and write your guests’ name on the backside. The framed place card and saved seat are sure to make them feel extra special!

Pump It Up With Pumpkins

Make your table ultra-festive by spreading an assortment of plastic pumpkins down the center. Upgrade the pumpkins’ aesthetic by painting them in various shades of chalk paint. If the original pumpkin color works with your overall look, leave a few unpainted to mix in.

Light Up The Night

Upgrade a standard pillar candle by writing or drawing on the outside using a gold paint pen. We chose to write the word “thankful” for the perfect nod to Thanksgiving.

Shake It Up

Instead of passing a single set of salt and pepper shakers around the table, spread several cute ceramic shakers around the table. To add a touch of style to them, simply coat them with a matte gold spray paint.

“Leaf” A Note of Thanks

As a final festive touch to your Thanksgiving feast, dress up your table by placing large stems in glass vases. Next, use a pencil to trace a leaf-shaped cookie cutter on construction paper and cut the leaves out using scissors. Spread the leaves around the table along with mini clothespins and pens to encourage your guests to write what they are thankful for and pin the leaves to the stems. It’s the perfect activity to end an even more perfect meal!