4 Lighted Fall Decorations to Brighten Up Your Thanksgiving

Taking on a Thanksgiving get-together is no easy task, no matter the size of the meal or guest list. Fortunately, making it memorable doesn’t have to be complicated. Quality lighting is a simple way to bring better ambiance to the spaces where you gather together and entertain guests. All of the projects below can be done with craft supplies found at the dollar store or craft store, so there is no need to break the budget to get festive fall decorations. For the lighting, you can either repurpose your existing string lights and fairy lights or shop our wide range of holiday and decorative lighting here.

One simple way to add festive lighting to your fall decor is by attaching faux leaves around LED string lights. This is a great DIY if you want to repurpose existing string lights. Most LED lights are cool to the touch, making them safe to intertwine with various floral materials. You can easily find fall-themed leaves at the dollar store or the craft store to complete this project. Or, our Twinkly dots are a great option for upgrading your holiday lighting. 

To create your Thanksgiving string lights, wrap multiple strips of leaf garland down the entire length of your string light wires. You can layer multiple garlands and mix and match colors if it looks too bare. Secure the leaves with clear tape. You can hang these lights around your home or drape them from mantle places. 

Create a Thanksgiving-themed wreath to help set the mood for guests and family members entering your home. To craft your wreath, begin with a wreath base which can be made of grapevine, straw, or foam. Wrap a base layer of fairy lights or string lights around the wreath to create a foundation of lighting. Before attaching your decor to the base, plan out where you want to place each object. Start with larger objects first and build out layers from there. You can use various fall-themed elements such as artificial leaves, pinecones, small pumpkins, berries, burlap, or plaid ribbons. Once you know where you want to place each decoration, use floral wire or hot glue to attach each item securely to the wreath base. Wrap a final layer of lights around your decorations and strategically position the light bulbs to be in view. When you are done, hang your wreath on your front door, on top of your fireplace, or on your kitchen counter.

Watch our step by step video tutorial on how to make this fall wreath here!

Add another dimension to table centerpieces and mantle displays with centerpiece and vase lights. Help your flower bouquet stand out among a table full of holiday dishes by adding gentle lighting to the bottom of your vase. You can place the submersible accent light inside or outside the vase. With included remotes, you can operate from a distance. Turn the lights on and off when you need them, and choose from single-color or color-changing patterns.

One of the most important spaces for Thanksgiving is the table, and what better way to decorate it than by adding a fall centerpiece lantern. Start with a simple, clear lantern. Fill the base with pinecones, dried berries, mini pumpkins, or colorful leaves. Add tall faux flowers or twigs to create varying layers. For illumination, place an LED tea light in the center or position fairy lights around the case.

Using a combination of these DIY projects around your house will help get your space into the holiday spirit!