50+ Happy Thanksgiving pictures, creative ideas and fun suggestions to try this holiday season

by John Griffith
Advertisement

Autumn is officially here – the weather is getting colder, the drinks are getting warmer and most of us are already looking forward to the festive season. With our Halloween preparations out of the way, and less than a month left until Thanksgiving, now is the perfect time to stock up on creative ideas and inspiration. Whether you need fun tutorials for DIY decorations, table setting suggestions or happy thanksgiving pictures to send to your friends and loved ones, you’ve come to the right place! Our treasure-trove of Thanksgiving ideas is worth exploring, and is guaranteed to brighten up even the rainiest of autumn days.

Finding the right center piece for your Thanksgiving dinner can be a daunting task – the market is full of overpriced and unoriginal goods. Why not opt for a more affordable and fun alternative? This golden pumpkin and glittering pine-cones display will add the perfect touch of stylish glamour to your table!

Glamorous and stylish, this is one of our favorite Happy Thanksgiving pictures. All you need to recreate it in your own home is some gold paint, a few pumpkins and your creativity!

happy thanksgiving pictures, a table with burlap tablecloth, gold-painted pumpkins, candle-holders, pine-cones and branches, white and yellow plates, clear glasses, light background

DIY pumpkin centrepiece

Materials:

3 differently sized lightly-colored pumpkins (preferablywith a smooth surface, without blemishes or scratches, as it will make the painting process easier)

several large pine-cones

2-3 budding twigs

acrylic gold paint (you can use also use latex paint or any other type, as long as it’s not watercolor)

big and small paint brushes

some old newspapers

craft sealant

a can of spray sealer (if desired)

Instructions:

  • Gently clean your pumpkins from any dust or grime with a dry or slightly damp cloth, being careful not to scratch their surface.
  • Put them on the old newspapers and spray them with sealer (optional). The sealer will help the paint on the pumpkins stay longer, and will lessen the chance of it rubbing off or fading. Use a brush to distribute the sealer evenly on the pumpkins’ surface and give it some time to dry before you start painting. If you do not have sealer – don’t worry! The end result will be just as pretty, if not as durable.
  • Start painting! We advise you to use acrylics but if you have other types of gold paint at home and want to use them instead, first try them on a small portion of the pumpkin to be safe. Some paint types do not stick well smooth surfaces.
  • When you finish painting, leave the pumpkins aside an let them dry completely. Then, spray them with craft sealant.
  • Now it’s time to make your golden pine-cones and budding branches. With a small paint brush dipped in golden paint, color the buds of the branches and the tips of the pine-cones’ scales. Leave them aside to dry and arrange your beautiful center piece!

This cute and simple paper pumpkin ornament is another fun suggestion for a DIY project. It can be yours in six easy steps!

thanksgiving pics paper, paper pumpkins, made from orange and blue paper, with leaf shaped cutouts, on a wooden table

DIY pumpkin ornament

Materials:

several sheets of decorative paper in your preferred colors

some masking tape

a pair of scissors

glue

binder clips

Instructions:

  • First you need to outline your pumpkin. You can do so yourself, or, if you prefer, you can print out a template here. Fold the decorative paper several times but make sure it’s bigger than your pumpkin’s outline. Then, stick the outline onto the decorative paper with some masking tape and cut around the pumpkin shape, going through all layers at once. Repeat, until you have minimum 20 pumpkin cutouts. If you prefer, you can use more than 20, depending on how thick your paper is and how full you want your finished pumpkin to look.
  • Fold each cutout in half.
  • Stack the folded pumpkin pieces on top of each other and hold them in place using binder clips. Cover the folded edges with glue. If you want to make sure they stick, use a discarded piece of paper or a paint brush to spread out the glue. Leave to dry for a few minutes.
  • Fan the pumpkin out, add more glue if necessary
  • Cut a little bit of paper to serve as a stem, twist it and glue it on top of the pumpkin.
  • If desired, make some leaf-shape cutouts and glue them near the stem. Your beautiful decoration is ready!

Here are some photos of the required materials, as well as a comprehensive step-by step photo guide to help you through the process:

blue and orange specked pieces of craft paper, a white print out, a roll of masking tape, metal scissors, bottle of glue with red cap, three binder clips, on a cream background

pieces of paper in blue and white, metal scissors, round paper cutouts in blue, cutouts folded in half, secured by binder clips, near open bottle of glue, red glue cap, paper cutouts fanned out to form a pumpkin shape, paper pumpkin with brown paper stem, orange and white peaces of paper near a orange leaf-shaped cutout and metal scissors

 

Since we really love fun DIY projects, and firmly believe that candles make everything better, we prepared another great tutorial for you!  Why not make yourself a fun turkey autumn leaf luminary? It’s a great decoration for your Thanksgiving table and can be a fun family activity for your kids.

Easy to make turkey autumn leaf luminaries

funny happy thanksgiving pictures, three mason jars decorated with white paper and yellow, orange, green and red autumn leaves in the shape of a turkey, collage, lanterns, luminaries with lit candles inside

DIY autumn leaf luminaries

Materials:

several empty clear mason jars

autumn leaves in different shapes, sizes and colors

a few sheets of translucent white vellum paper

a few pieces of orange and red craft paper (for the turkey’s beak)

a pack of stick-on googly eyes

decoupage glue and flat paintbrush

scissors

Instructions:

  • Make sure your mason jar is clean and dry, and then cut a strip of  white vellum paper, big enough to go around the jar top to bottom. Wrap the paper around the jar and cover it with decoupage glue, using a flat paint brush. Make sure the glue is distributed evenly and the paper is fully covered and well attached to the jar.
  • Stick a big leaf on the vellum paper. This will be your turkey’s tail. Chose two leaves in a color different to the tail, and shape them into a big and a small circle using scissors. Stick both shapes on top of the tail – the larger circle will be your turkey’s body while the smaller one will be its head.
  • Cut a small triangle of yellow craft paper and use it to make your turkey’s beak.
  • Finally, go over the leaves with decoupage glue, ensuring that they are properly stuck. Wait for the jar to dry completely and stick some googly eyes on your turkey.
  • Now you can place your favorite candle inside the jar, light it up and enjoy its festive glow!

Here is a more mature and stylish take on the autumn leaf luminaries:

thanksgiving pictures, a clear mason jar, red, yellow and orange autumn leaves, masking glue, sponge brush, orange leaf stuck to mason jar near a sponge brush, autumn leaves in the background, three mason jars adorned with leaves and tied with string with lit candles inside

If these ideas are not enough for you – don’t worry! We have plenty more fun and beautiful suggestions, as well as a whole lot of happy Thanksgiving pictures for you to enjoy!

How about this gorgeous paper wreath? It’s not only a great ornament for your front door or living room wall but you can also count your blessings by writing something you’re thankful for on each of its leaves!

wreath made of green paper leaves with messages, with white banner saying give thanks, orange, red and yellow paper flowers and light brown ribbon, light grey background

A different, easier to make variation of this idea is the gratefulness tree. Simply take a few discarded branches, tie colorful leaf-shaped paper cutouts on them and get your family to write all the things they are grateful for.

thanksgiving photos, dried tree branches, adorned with yellow, orange and brown leaf-shaped cutouts with messages, in a white vase, on a wooden table, with pitcher of juice and glasses on a tray, white coffee cups and square plates and two frames

And here are even more creative, easy, fun and incredibly effective Thanksgiving decoration suggestions:

thanksgiving pics, yellow and orange leaves, hanging on strings, from a lit chandelier, over a brown kitchen table, with s white plate, gravy jug, swan shaped bowl, and a cornucopia wire ornament with small pumpkins, gourds and autumn leaves, white and dark background

golden frame containing thirty numbered, colorful autumn leaves, hung on a blue wall, near a white and brown antique table with a drawer, blue pitcher and plate, brown dish, orange napkins, a small pumpkin and decorative berries on a twig

one orange and two yellow boxes, stacked on top of each other, tied with a black ribbon, featuring leaves and the words give thanks, placed on wooden steps, near two mason jars painted in brown and yellow and containing red flowers

orange pumpkin, adorned with red, yellow, orange and green flowers, placed on a wooden mat, on a garden table, near planting pots, green window, plant and planks in the background

You can never have too many candles on Thanksgiving!

thanksgiving pics, three orange pumpkins wit lit white candles inside, on a wooden surface, colorful autumn leaves in the background

three differently sized cheese graters, lit up from within, placed on a black tray, with green acorns and candles inside and next to them, on a wooden table, dark background

glasses of different sizes filled with water and twigs with lit floating candles inside, on a wooden table with two chairs and white cabinets in the background

When we think of happy thanksgiving pictures we usually imagine a beautifully set table, ready for a feast. We have some inspirational images to help you chose the set-up best suited to your home!

pumpkins in white and orange, placed on a wooden tray, with lit white candles, orange autumn leaves, decorative berries, on a dark table, room in the background

happy thanksgiving pictures, wooden table, white plates on white wooden mats, white napkins, silver cutlery, crystal wine and water glasses, burlap tablecloth, large white pumpkin, smaller pumpkins in gold and white, white antlers, green leaves decoration

beautiful thanksgiving pictures, white tablecloth on light wooden table, six white plates with white napkins and little berry ornaments, silver cutlery, clear whine glasses, three lit tall candles inside little pumpkins, two large light blue pumpkins, small pumpkins, gourds, two decorative tree branches

The right place cards can add a touch of style and festivity to your table. Aren’t these little hand painted place savers adorable?

thanksgiving photos, little painted pumpkins in various colors, with blue name tags attached to their stems, on a brown wooden kitchen table, featuring several white plates and a blue napkin with silver forks, on a tray, near a golden vase with red autumn flowers, chair, yellow background

cute happy thanksgiving images, a pine-cone, painted with glittering gold paint, adorned with a paper leaf name card, placed on a white plate, sitting on a wooden mat on a table,

three small orange pumpkins, stems painted with glittering golden paint, with round name tags attached with a pin, on a rough fabric surface, wooden background with white writing

Pumpkins can be used for more than place holders though, as this cleverly designed Thanksgiving menu shows:

large orange and green pumpkin with a dinner menu written in white, two smaller pumpkins in light and dark green, all placed on a white table cloth, on a wooden surface with two crystal glasses and a large white candle

Little touches that remind your guests how thankful you are for having them in your life, and will also make your dinner more meaningful and personal.

white napkin with silver fork, knife and spoon, with a light brown printed label, placed on a marble table, near a bunch of yellow wheat, a white plate and a pumpkin

napkin made of light blue fabric with dark blue polka dots, with a brown ribbon and a green label with a stamp and the writing give thanks, on a colorful tablecloth

thanksgiving pics, wooden table with an orange pumpkin decoration tied with violet straw cord, next to an orange napkin with silver fork and knife, decorated with a big yellow leaf and a small colorful leaf attached to a piece of paper with a festive message

While the adults’ table needs to be a bit more formal, kids’ corners leave a lot of room for creativity, experimentation and fun! From this wonderful turkey-shaped fruit salad, to the draw-it-yourself paper tablecloths – there are plenty ideas to try!

funny happy thanksgiving images, a pear, strawberry and banana slices, grapes, cheese slices and salted biscuits made to look like a turkey, placed on a clear plate, sitting on a wooden table

cute happy thanksgiving images, a paper tablecloth in sepia with table mats drawn by kids, four plates with name tags, three cups with crayons, four glasses, three cups holding red pears, two chairs

cute happy thanksgiving images, sepia paper mats, with drawings and names written by kids, on a wooden table, near pumpkins, gourds, apples and green plants

Naturally, the dining room is not the only place in the house that needs decorating, so we have prepared some suggestions for your living-room too! We love this simple and understated but thoroughly elegant mantle set up.

thanksgiving photos, a wooden carved mantle, with five little white pumpkins spelling out thanks in brown letters, a milk jug placed on two books, with a bunch of wheat tied with a brown ribbon in it, three wooden frames in different colors with a banner saying give, a bigger white pumpkin and decorations

six brown bottles spelling out thanks in white letters and containing bunches of yellow wheat, on a brown shelf, containing a green ceramic pot and a bird decoration, on red background with a brown picture frame and an autumn leaves wreath

brown shelf containing a white vase with green flowers, a big white milk jug, a small white milk jug, a metal pot placed on two green books containing green moss and a small pumpkin, a small metal dish with a pumpkin, a wooden ornament, a wall made of light wooden planks with an orange glittery banner reading give thanks

differently sized colorful wooden blocks spelling out give thanks, placed on a dark wooden shelf, adorned with a colorful candle, a round ornament, a small pumpkin and bright colorful garlands made of small paper leaves, on a light orange wall with a brown metal star

a garland made of yellow and orange autumn leaves spelling out grateful with white fancy letters,tied to a brown mantle containing four carved gold and blue pumpkins, two small golden pumpkins, a watch, a candle and a large painting, over a fireplace

beautiful thanksgiving pictures, three bottles, painted white, with black labels reading give, thanks, always, tied with string, containing three sunflowers, placed on a wooden table with a chair in the background

brown board with white polka dots, with a banner in yellow, orange, brown and green, spelling give thanks, near a wooden table with an autumn-leaf-patterned tablecloth, containing four pies in red dishes, a stuffed toy turkey, two decorated jars with yellow, orange and red flowers and a small pumpkin

Never underestimate the power of simplicity! This beautiful jar decoration takes moments to make but can really brighten up your living room.

beautiful thanksgiving pictures, a clear jar, containing red, yellow, green and orange leaves, on a wooden table, with autumn leaves, pumpkins and brown planks in the background

After choosing your preferred table set up and decorations, it’s time to pick some beautiful happy thanksgiving pictures to send to your friends and loved ones. We have a great selection of images to choose from.
beautiful thanksgiving pictures, wooden table set up for thanksgiving, linen tablecloth, yellow decorated plates, green wine and water glasses, cutlery, white candles in orange candle holders, yellow, orange, red and green autumn leaves decorations, center piece containing flowers, yellow and orange napkins, white and brown chairs, green cabinet with crockery in the background, festive message

brown wooden table with brown plates, napkins and white menus, silver cutlery, yellow tablecloth, decorated with red autumn leaves, small yellow and orange pumpkins, two candles, pheasant feathers, crystal wine and water glasses, name cards

two cornucopia ornaments, big and small, red, pink, orange and yellow flowers, autumn leaves of all colors, gourds, pumpkins, pears, apples, oranges, grapes, corn cobs, pine-cone, chestnuts, white festive writing

orange, green and yellow pumpkins, five, different sizes, red, green, yellow, orange and brown autumn leaves, on a wooden background with white writing

wooden planks, with yellow writing spelling out happy thanksgiving, red, brown, green, yellow and orange autumn leaves

Simple, yet stylish, this beautiful rustic image is one of our favorite happy thanksgiving pictures.

images of thanksgiving, light wooden blocks spelling happy thanksgiving in dark brown writing, decorated with two chestnuts, on a background featuring planks, orange autumn leaves and a pumpkin

images of thanksgiving, happy thanksgiving woodcarving, on a background with wooden planks, red, orange, brown and yellow leaves and an orange pumpkin

images of thanksgiving, forest in autumn with orange and green trees, blue sky with clouds, all reflected in a lake, brown writing saying happy thanksgiving

big, small and medium pumpkins on a wooden surface, near a wicker basket containing more pumpkins, a vase with two orange flowers, berries, leaves and some string, on a dark wooden background with festive writing

thanksgiving pictures, a festive card made with paper collage of differently colored leaf-shaped cutouts, with a brown banner reading happy thanksgiving, placed over a white and brown striped paper, on a white background

thanksgiving pictures, many dark red, orange and yellow leaves with a black banner saying happy thanksgiving in yellow writing

harvest, big orange pumpkin, near sunflowers, apples, figs, grapes, chestnuts, corn, smaller pumpkins, green, yellow, orange autumn leaves, trees, wood

brown wooden table, happy thanksgiving day written in white fancy writing, plates of fruit and orange sauces, a cooked turkey, pumpkins, sunflowers, garlic, berries, corncobs, grapes, apples, chestnuts, pomegranate, orange and yellow autumn leaves

images of thanksgiving, happy thanksgiving in white writing, on a blurry green, orange and yellow background with a branch with orange leaves

drawing of brown wood planks with the message happy thanksgiving day, hanging on ropes, near colorful banners, red, brown and orange autumn leaves, and six pumpkins of different sizes

If you prefer more humorous happy thanksgiving pictures, how about this fun and cute bird-inspired images?

funny happy thanksgiving pictures, a turkey made from cookies, chocolates and candy-corn, attached to a label saying happy thanksgiving, near two pumpkins, on a burlap and white wood background

funny happy thanksgiving pictures, digital drawing, two cartoon owls in funny pilgrim hats, on a brown branch with red, yellow and brown leaves, happy thanksgiving is written in brown underneath

We hope you’ve enjoyed our list of happy thanksgiving pictures. We wish you a fun and warm festive season!

pumpkins of different shapes, colors and sizes, on a wooden floor, with two autumn leaves in red and orange, brown background

three white pumpkins, with wreaths made of twigs with orange berries, on a table with an orange and yellow tablecloth with white plates, glasses filled with orange juice and two small lit candles in clear glasses, white cabinets and window in the bakground

happy thanksgiving pictures, lit candles in different shapes and sizes, placed on a rough wooden aboard, next to grapes, green wheat bunches, gourds, little pumpkins, on a wooden table with plates, full wine and water glasses

John Griffith
John Griffith

John Griffith is a young, passionate journalist. Writing has been John’s hobby ever since he was a boy. He has worked in some of the UK’s most successful news portals over the course of his professional career but found his forever home at Archzine.

Thanksgiving Day Related Article
new Article