After you know who should sit next to whom at the meal, you'll need to design and make place cards that will give your guests direction and still look good on the table.
Cornucopia Place Cards
This place card project consists of an edible cone with the guest's name, filled with nuts and dried fruit or assorted colorful candies. Kids can help make them, which will let you concentrate on other things, like making sweet potatoes.
Materials You Will Need:
Pointed sugar ice cream cones
Frosting in a tube with writer tip
Trail mix and mini-marshmallows or assorted candies, such as gumdrops and M&Ms
Doily, small paper napkin, or small plate
Write the guest's first name with frosting on the cone and place it on the napkin, doily or plate. Fill the cone with the trail mix/candy filling, and let some spill out onto the napkin or doily for maximum effect. Set each place card at the appropriate guest's place at the table. If the kids made these, be sure to check the spelling of the guest's name. Just wipe off the frosting and start again if the name is incorrect.
Combination Napkin Rings and Turkey Place Cards
This double-duty napkin ring resembles a turkey and has the guest's name on each one.
Materials You Will Need:
Paper towel tubes (you'll get about 5 rings from each one)
Thick markers or watercolor paint
Paper round coffee filters
Wood craft spoon for the turkey head
Pipe cleaners for feet
Red felt or red construction paper for wattle
Googley eyes (optional)
Tacky glue
Ballpoint pen
Cut the paper towel tubes into rings about one and one-half inches wide. Paint or decorate the rings as desired. This will be the turkey's body.
Fold the coffee filter in half, unevenly so that one layer is lower in front. Paint or decorate the coffee filter as desired. Write the name of the guest on the filter with the pen. The filter is the turkey's feathers.
Paint or decorate one craft spoon. Glue on or draw eyes. This is the turkey's head.
Bend pipe cleaner into two three-toed feet. Bend a small section of the other end of the pipe cleaner legs, and attach the legs to the napkin rings with glue.
Glue the spoon to the front of where the feet are protruding. Glue the coffee filter to the back of the paper towel ring, putting glue on the ring where it meets the fold of the filter. Once the turkey is finished, the napkin will go in one side of the turkey and out the other.
When dry, push the napkin through the ring, and set it down on the guest's plate. Make sure the guest's name is clearly visible on the turkey's feathers.
Personal Place Cards
This project may sound simple, but your guests will appreciate the time you took.
Materials You Will Need:
Blank place cards, the kind that fold in half and "tent"
Colorful pens or markers
Write the guest's name on the outside of the place card. Decorate and use lots of color.
Inside, write a brief personal Thanksgiving message for each guest. Just one sentence is all you need. Say you're glad the person is here, or wish the person a wonderful Thanksgiving. Be sincere and brief.
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