Farmhouse Thanksgiving Tablescape {+ Free Printable Place Cards & Table Sign}

Are you looking for simple ideas for a Thanksgiving tablescape in farmhouse style? Come see how I styled mine! I also included an adorable budget-friendly Thanksgiving table created from Dollar Tree items! You can also print out table place cards and coordinating sign for free!

A Traditional Thanksgiving Table

This year (2022) more than any other, I’m seeing so many people (well, influencers) begin Christmas decorating as soon as the calendar flips to November 1 (some even earlier!). That’s fine if that’s how you roll.

Full disclosure – I like to be fully decorated (minus the tree) by the time Thanksgiving rolls around. Mostly because I just want to enjoy December, not be busy fiddling with the house.

But there is something about a traditional Thanksgiving table that I’m not willing to give up. I just can’t do Thanksgiving dinner with Christmas decor on the table.

Simple Farmhouse Tablescape

This post contains affiliate links. See Disclosures for details.

Today, I want to share how I created a tablescape for Thanksgiving.

First, I want to say that function is important to me. I know I could add more Thanksgiving bling, but honestly, I don’t want to be fussing to make the table usable.

So, that being said, there are 2 things I do (or don’t do, actually).

First, I don’t use a tall centerpiece.

I want to be able to see my guests across the table, so choosing a centerpiece that’s short in height (tall candles are OK, too, because they generally don’t block the view) is a goal.

I generally like to fill a tray with appropriate Thanksgiving table decor because I can also add salt, pepper, and extra table napkins in there as well.

Second, I don’t use a lot of decor down the length of the table. I don’t use a long garland or lots of pumpkins strewn out. There’s a LOT of food, and we don’t want anything to interfere with the food, right?

So, basically, it’s a pretty centerpiece or tray vignette in the center. I might have some other decorations, but it would be something that’s easy to remove. Not a complicated set up.

That being said, let’s walk through it!

Simple (But Fancier) Thanksgiving Tablescape

I’m going to share 2 examples today. The first once is the fancier one (fancy is relative, y’all) – with real plates, linen napkins, place card holders, etc. The second one has all disposable plates and cups and actually, is from Dollar Tree!

Here’s the fancy-ish one.

Let me talk through a few elements here.

The placemats and napkins were a set I purchased from Kroger (on sale, of course!). The charger plates are from Dollar Tree, the plates I got for free on Freebie Alert app, and the birch napkin rings were from Hobby Lobby.

I love those napkin rings because they can be used for fall, Christmas, and winter!

Now, let’s look more closely at the centerpiece itself.

The rope basket is actually a DIY! I use this one so often, for just about every season.

I laid out a kitchen towel (one of my favorite ways to use them!) in the basket and added some faux pumpkins. The candelabra is from Target’s Hearth and Hand and it fancies up just about any table. I adore it!

I had the faux fall florals from a few years ago (TJ Maxx, I think?), and the sign holder was a Target Dollar Spot find (originally in wood, which I painted).

The print on the sign is a free printable I designed that you can get for free at the end of the post! Here, it’s printed out on tan cardstock, to give some contrast to the white background.

You can also print it out in white, as shown below!

To stay with the fancier theme, here are place cards in these adorable pumpkin card holders. These cards are also part of free printable bundle you can get at the end of the post! I printed them tan card stock seen below.

There’s also an option to purchase a larger, editable bundle where you can type in the names or use them as food label cards – or whatever else you’d like to add!

Budget-Friendly Dollar Tree Thanksgiving Tablescape

If you are on a tighter budget or just like the ease of disposable paper products, you can still put together a lovely Thanksgiving table.

Below you can see an actual place setting.

Here, you can see I used the same placemats from the previous tablescape. The charger plate is from Dollar Tree, as well as the paper plate and matching napkin.

I placed some extra dessert napkins (same as the plate napkins) and table napkins throughout the table to have extras handy. Obviously, food will later be placed there, too. Both are also from Dollar Tree! Love, love, love the plaid napkins!

The cups are from Walmart but matched the set perfectly!

And here, you can see another example of the place cards. They are designed in the set to use a tent fold, so there’s no need to purchase a special place card holder!

And there you have it! Simple, inexpensive, and elegant!

Free Printable Sign and Place Card Bundle

You can get the printable sign and place cards in the picture for free! In a printable PDF download, you’ll get a 5×7″ print “Gather Here with Grateful Hearts” (5×7″ is the right size for a table!) and tent-fold place cards. Print out as many as you like!

If you’d like more options, you can purchase a 6-page bundle from my Etsy shop with includes 5×7″ and 8×10″ sign (8×10 can also be used as an 8×8″square), tent-fold place cards (4 to a page), place cards for place card holders (8 to a page), blank tent-fold cards (4 to a page), flat blank cards (8 to a page), PLUS an editable Canva template to add names or anything you’d like to the blank cards!