Whether you are having a large gathering or a small family meal, Thanksgiving place cards can add elegance, organization and/or just plain fun to your Thanksgiving table.

The choice of holiday place cards will depend on what type of atmosphere will surround your dinner. If you are having a family meal consider giving the kids the responsibility of coming up with their own uniquely designed place cards and even Thanksgiving place card holders. Having a fun Thanksgiving project can keep them busy for hours. Grown up family meals will allow you to be creative and casual with your place cards – there are thousands of materials to use.

More formal meals are better served with printed or other formal place cards and holders but even in this you can often be very creative.

Ordering from a Printer

You can always order formal place cards from a printer. This is the easiest, if not the most creative, way to get place cards for your formal meal. If you choose to order them look at many different designs to pick the one that most closely compliments the look of the Thanksgiving table décor that you have planned.

While you can order the cards at a local printer you may find a better selection online. Some websites to check are:

Self Printed

Computers have given people the freedom to create many things that would traditionally have been done by professionals. From photographs and cards to invitations and place cards there is a program for any need.

You don't always need a program however. Here are some options:

• You can design and print your own cards at several different websites
• You can buy business cards and design your own card with your word program

Websites to check for printable place cards are:

• Autumn Leaves
• Turkey, Pumpkin or Cornucopia
• Floral Cornucopia
• 3-D Turkey
• Vintage Turkey
  

Thanksgiving table place cards for a more casual look can include both those you have printed from one of the websites above or those you have created yourself. There are several unique ways to create both the place cards and holders.

Here are some unique Thanksgiving place cards to make:

• Use colorful autumn leaves and laminate them. Write the names on the leaves with a sharpie.
• Use the tiny mini-pumpkins. Put one at each setting and write a name on it. You can also hollow it out and add flowers or a candle.
• Use helium balloons in fall colors tied to the backs of the chairs
• How about making sugar cookies in the shape of turkeys or maple leaves and writing the guests names on them?
• Make a place card out of fabric scraps and embroider the names on them
• Use ink stamps to create an individualized Thanksgiving place card
• A flower bulb for planting tied up in some pretty tulle and secured with a ribbon and name hang tag.
• Copy and print an old photograph of each family member. Have it laminated and write their name on it.
  

Use your imagination and you are sure to come up with some unique ideas.

There are as many ways to make Thanksgiving place card holders as there are place cards. Consider one adapting one of the following ideas to your celebration or using it to brainstorm your own:

• Cut a slit in a tiny pumpkin and slip a traditional place card into it
• Cut a slit in an apple in the same way
• Hot glue four acorns together so that they can hold place cards
• Make construction paper cornucopias and fill with autumnal M & Ms. Hot glue the place card to it
• Pine cones can be used in many ways

Thanksgiving projects for children can include many different types of place cards and place card holders. Just by giving your child a stack of cardboard, some glue, and decorative items she can create unique place cards for each member of your Thanksgiving dinner.

Decorative items to include are:

• Buttons
• Ribbon
• Feathers
• Seeds
• Dried flowers
• Paper scraps
• Fabric Scraps

You can also have the cut up old holiday cards to use as place cards.

You may want to take a look at the following websites for Thanksgiving place cards to print and other crafty ideas for children.

• Cornucopia Place Cards age 5 and up
• Thanksgiving Mouse
• Pumpkins
• Pine Cone Turkey Place card holders