Pastel Thanksgiving Ideas + Free Download Placemat!

Last year I decorated for Christmas the day after Halloween and it ended up felling WAY too early for me! The truth is though, you should decorate for a holiday whenever it makes sense for you. The point of decor is to emphasize what makes you happy. So if that means you have a Christmas tree up in October because it makes you smile, do it!

I’m not ready for a tree just yet, so let’s do some Thanksgiving table ideas! I don’t go crazy on decorating for Thanksgiving (my shelves in the kitchen have a few items), but I think all emphasize should be on having a beautiful table for the big meal! Here’s some pastel Thanksgiving ideas plus a free downloadable placemat!

pastel thanksgiving ideas

I haven’t done a ton of tablescapes in this house because this tiny table is the only one we have (our house doesn’t have a dining room). BUT I love setting a pretty table! And I figured you could just imagine it on a bigger scale ;).

I started the table with a neutral table runner. Next, I layered on pumpkins that I got from the Dollar Store that I painted. I arranged them in a pastel rainbow. And yes, it was the cutest thing I’ve ever seen- lol! A cornucopia would be a cute addition on a bigger table- I’d spray paint it a fun color like pink or gold.

I tucked in a few thrifted candlesticks since there’s nothing better than eating by candlelight! The tapered candles are from Hobby Lobby- they have a great variety of tapers for less than $2 each.

I used gold flatware for utensils. I have a whole set that I use for parties and entertaining. For Thanksgiving, I think it’s the perfect excuse to do a place setting name tag. For these, I punched holes in the sides, added ribbon, and tied them on the napkins. The gold rimmed glassware are also thrifted.

free download placement

I thought it’d be fun to make a free printable place mat. And yay! I think these turned out super cute! I printed mine a little smaller than an average placemat since I have such a tiny dining table. But I have a free download for the 12″x18″ placemat (the standard placemat size). You can get these printed with 2 placemats on each page for a $3.50 engineering print (choose the 18″x24″ size). That’s such a good deal!

To get the download, just enter your information below and you’ll get an email with a link to download it right away! This’ll also sign you up for my newsletter.

Here’s how mine looked when it came back from the printers. I just needed to trim it. For the normal size, it’d just need to be cut in half. Add some crayons to the table and you’ll have a cute activity for the kids! Or adults- I now want to color one!

get the look- pastel thanksgiving

Although my dog Lucy isn’t amused by my colorful table, if you want a similar look here’s where to start. I have even more Thanksgiving sources below.

Note, I obviously don’t believe that you have to use orange and brown only on Thanksgiving. If you have other colors that make you happy, incorporate them! You might have to get creative, but that’s more fun anyway ;). Here’s some more items that’d work perfect. Tip- go with a neutral base and layer on metallics and fun colors of your choice.

1 Turkey Platter / 2 Acorn Box / 3 Pumpkin Soup Bowl / 4 Pumpkin Cutting Board / 5 Gravy Bowl /
6 Pink and Gold Pumpkin / 7 Check Napkins / 8 Wood Name Holder /
9 Harvest Plates / 10 Blush Plates / 11 Salt and Pepper Turkeys / 12 Napkin Rings

Historically, I’ve always been in charge of setting the table and bringing a pretty floral arrangement. I LOVE this! To me, having a pretty setting makes the meal even more enjoyable. Hopefully some of these ideas inspire you!