5 (Budget-Friendly) DIY Ways to Colorize your Dinner Table

By Brittni • posted on 06/04/2024

A Neon Thanksgiving // 5 (Budget-Friendly) DIY Ways to Colorize your Thanksgiving Dinner Table

Break out the sunglasses because this is probably going to be the most colorful Thanksgiving celebration you’ll see this year. There’s not a spec of brown to be found. But there is a whole lot of neon!

I teamed up with Astrobrights again this year to bring you an alternative Thanksgiving celebration, filled with DIY paper ideas and loads of…well…color!

If you don’t know about Astrobrights already, it’s an awesome line of vibrant color paper products. I use their paper for lots and LOTS of craft projects, not just for the holidays. But I especially love using them this time of year because you can make such a big impact with paper, without having to spend a ton of money on decor.

With that in mind, here are 5 (budget-friendly) DIY ways to Colorize your Thanksgiving dinner table…

A neon Thanksgiving dinner table

1. DIY Placemats and Paper Runner

Using larger sheets of Astrobrights paper (12.5 x 19 inch), we created pattern placemats and a table runner. The grid placemats were created using a paint pen and a straightedge. And the table runner was done with acrylic paint and a paint brush to create an abstract pattern of shapes.

Make this DIY hanging chandelier made of rolled up pieces of paper and wrapped test tubes for vases.

Make this DIY hanging chandelier made of rolled up pieces of paper and wrapped test tubes for vases.

2. DIY Hanging Chandelier 

My favorite piece! The hanging chandelier is made from rolled up pieces of paper, that were then hot glued together, over and over again. I think we used about 250 pieces of rolled paper (all different heights). After the structure was completed, we used fishing line to hang it over the table. FYI, the string was threaded through cardboard ‘buttons’ underneath (so that it doesn’t stress the paper) that we placed equidistant the length of chandelier and string through the top to hang.

And if you want to add flowers to the top of the chandelier, grab some test tubes (mine are from Amazon), fill them with water, and add your flowers. They fit really well in the rolls of paper, but just be careful to choose ones that are a snug fit because if you have a roll that is too big, the test tube will fall right through.

Looking for alternative Thanksgiving decor this year? Try neon! Lots of (colorful) DIY Thanksgiving tabletop ideas to try on this blog.

3. DIY Place Card Favors

Create custom wrapping paper for small gifts for your guests to take home after the Thanksgiving feast is over. Just write each guests name, with a paint pen, over and over again on colorful paper and wrap as usual. Then rest one wrapped gift at each place setting to signal where each guest should sit.

4. DIY 3D Confetti

Cut leftover paper rolls from the chandelier into smaller pieces that can be used a three dimensional tube confetti. Super easy!

Make this 3D menu for dinner parties and/or Thanksgiving

Make this 3D menu for dinner parties and/or Thanksgiving

5. DIY Pop Out Menu

This is a fun one! Using a stencil as a guide (or freehand it, if you feel comfortable), cut the word MENU in the top center of of at least 6 different colors of paper, with a sharp blade. Be sure not to cut the very top of each letter, so that you can get a pop up look. Once the cut outs are done, fluff up the layers by slightly folding them upward. Then write your menu underneath and glue the pages together.

5 (Budget-Friendly) DIY Ways to Colorize your Thanksgiving Dinner Table

Wrap small gifts in DIY hand lettered name paper and use the gifts as place cards for guests. Great idea for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Make this DIY hanging chandelier made of rolled up pieces of paper and wrapped test tubes for vases.

I realize that a super colorful Thanksgiving table isn’t for everyone, but I love the cheerfulness of it. If nothing else, it would be a great Friendsgiving option.

A colorful Thanksgiving centerpiece with ranunculus and dahlias.

5 (Budget-Friendly) DIY Ways to Colorize your Thanksgiving Dinner Table

5 (Budget-Friendly) DIY Ways to Colorize your Thanksgiving Dinner Table

Wrap small gifts in DIY hand lettered name paper and use the gifts as place cards for guests. Great idea for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

5 (Budget-Friendly) DIY Ways to Colorize your Thanksgiving Dinner Table

Photography by Amelia Tatnall
Concept and styling by Brittni Mehlhoff
Assisted by Rachel Brewer and Anissa Saxton

Find more inspiration and ideas to Colorize your life at COLORIZE.tumblr.com.

Think you’ll Colorize your Thanksgiving dinner table this year? I’d love to hear what you think of these DIY ideas.

This post is in partnership with Astrobrights. Thank you for supporting the brands that help keep Paper & Stitch running.

22 comments | Click here to reply

Absolutely love it! That chandelier is totally amazing.

Kathy @ Merriment Design

Wow! I am totally stealing that chandelier idea. But I think I am going to use it as a table arrangement down the center of a long table. I can make it as wide or as long as I want and just vary the heights of the paper tubes. Simple, lightweight, stunning. Really good ideas here

Lisa B.

[…] yes please! 03. / i love a good soup party and this setting is simple and oh so cute. 04. / beautiful diys for a neon themes tabletop. 05. / a little throwback to disco balls! 06. / a gorgeous flower arrangement is sometimes all you […]

six of the brightest tabletops for thanksgiving and beyond

This is ridiculously stunning, B!

Ashley | Sugar & Cloth

[…] Thanksgiving table decor ideas […]

Links to Love - Sarah Hearts

Love it!!

Victoria

B, that chandelier is AMAZING!!!

Chelsea F.

Goodness, I love all of these details! And those place card favors are BOMB. Simply gorgeous!

Jalee

I could totally picture you doing a super colorful Thanksgiving, Kel. Thanks!

Brittni

HOLY MOLY! This is unreal!! I’d definitely prefer to throw (or attend!) a Thanksgiving this colorful! That chandelier is out of this WORLD!

Kelly @ Studio DIY

Thanks Caroline. Can’t wait to see what you come up with.

Brittni

Wow this is INCREDIBLE! Love the colors so much, will try to make an illustration with the same color theme (and if I do I will of course link back to you). Have a good day!

Caroline Alfreds

Aw, thanks Mary! You’re so sweet. 🙂

Brittni

WOW!!!! This is so incredible, Brittni! I love all of this colorful inspiration! Awesome!!

Mary Costa Photography

Thanks Charlotte!

Brittni

So pretty and colourful, I love it!

charlotte

Aw, thanks Michelle. I love the hanging chandelier too. It was a labor of love, for sure.

Brittni

This hanging chandelier is absolutely amazing, I fell in love with it the second I saw it!
https://www.makeandmess.com/

Michelle

Thank you Amy! Glad you like the menu and chandelier.

Brittni

WOW is this all stunning!! The paper chandelier is amazing. And how fun is the Menu idea. Pinned both!

Amy | Delineate Your Dwelling

Thanks Heather. Much appreciated.

Brittni

WHOA, simply incredible! The chandelier is amazing – and the details are great.

Heather @ The Deans List Blog
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