Best Turkey/Thanksgiving Decorations

Buying guide for Best Turkey/Thanksgiving Decorations

Nearly all holidays focus on food, but no holiday can match Thanksgiving’s emphasis on eating. Because food is so important to the Thanksgiving gathering, it may be easy to forget about enhancing the festive mood with decorations. You certainly don’t have to overdo it, but making use of the best turkey Thanksgiving decorations is a good way to deliver some fun alongside Grandma’s famous pumpkin pie recipe.

Decorations featuring turkeys can be on display at your home throughout the majority of autumn. Or, you could go all out for Halloween and then switch over to your favorite turkey decorative items on November first. Either way, these decorative items help to brighten the autumn days when sunlight begins to become scarce. 

Consider using small turkey Thanksgiving decorations as party favors for young children who may not be as excited about the meal as adults.

Choosing the best turkey Thanksgiving decorations

Indoor decorations

Many of the most formal turkey Thanksgiving decorations are made for indoor use only. These items may appear on the dining table, such as a centerpiece made of ceramic or resin.

Less-formal indoor decorative items may include turkey centerpieces made of tissue paper, candle holders shaped like turkeys, wall-hanging signs, and napkin rings. Plushies primarily work for indoor use, too. 

Outdoor decorations

Larger turkey Thanksgiving decorations often work best for outdoor display. You may want a standalone turkey that sits next to your entry door. Windsocks and garden flags featuring turkeys are a nice way to decorate your house in a subtle manner.

A popular item among kids, especially on the heels of Halloween, is an inflatable turkey for the yard. Halloween inflatables are very popular, and kids may love switching from a scary ghost to a turkey after Halloween. Big inflatables often have lights built into them, which is important for an outdoor decoration when the November days are shorter.

For a smaller outdoor decoration, look for a metal door hanger or decorative item that fits on a stake in the yard. 

Formal vs. cartoonish designs

Turkey Thanksgiving decorations come in a wide range of designs, but you usually can fit them into one of two categories based on the look of the turkey.

• Formal: A formal design in a turkey decoration resembles an actual turkey. It may have multiple colors in the feathers. Often, these formal pieces serve as table centerpieces.

• Cartoonish: The majority of turkey Thanksgiving decorations have a cartoonish design. They may have unrealistic colors or funny expressions on the bird’s face to elicit smiles. Kids often appreciate cartoonish decorations more than realistic decorations.

Inspirational designs

Thanksgiving is a time of reflection about the year and its blessings. If you want to inspire your Thanksgiving guests to be thankful for what they have, consider turkey Thanksgiving decorations with inspirational sayings. Wall hangings are common for this purpose. Some people may use inspirational sayings on decorations for each person’s place setting as well.

Other features to consider

What is a turkey decoration made of?

For a wall hanger or door hanger, metal, plastic, or wood are best for stability and durability. For centerpieces, tissue paper, cardboard, ceramic, and resin are common.

Plush materials are common for indoor figurines. Inflatable figurines and garden flags often use a nylon material made to withstand rough wind and weather.

What colors do you prefer?

The majority of turkey Thanksgiving decorations incorporate shades of brown. They may have accent colors to create even more interest.

• Orange is a common accent color for turkey decorations, such as when the turkey figurine is sitting near a pumpkin. 
• Oranges, yellows, and reds are common colors for fallen autumn leaves. These colors often appear in turkey decorations, too.
• Greens, blues, and cream accent colors are also available in some decorations featuring turkeys.

For a more interesting look, consider a turkey that lights up or includes space for a candle.

Crafts

Perhaps you like the idea of making your own turkey Thanksgiving decorations with the kids. Look for a kit that contains stickers and other items for creating homemade decorations. These may not fit well with a formal Thanksgiving dinner setting, but they can be a fun option when the setting is less formal.

If you purchase a solar-powered light-up turkey for outdoors, place it in an area that receives maximum sunlight.

How much do turkey Thanksgiving decorations cost?

Inexpensive

The least-expensive turkey Thanksgiving decorations cost $2 to $6 apiece. These may be small, simple plushies or other decorative items that you can place throughout the home. Many inexpensive decorations are for indoor use only. 

For adorning the Thanksgiving meal table, you may find candle holders or napkin rings in this price range. 

Mid-range

The average price range for a Thanksgiving decorative item featuring turkeys is $6 to $25. Both indoor and outdoor decorations fit in this price range. Look for windsocks, garden flags, wall hangers, and door hangers featuring turkeys.

Wood items, metal items, resin items, and plushies all are available at this mid-range price point as well. Many table centerpieces fall in this price range.

Expensive

The priciest turkey Thanksgiving decorations cost $25 to $100. These often consist of extremely large, standalone items that are primarily for outdoor display. Inflatable outdoor decorations that feature turkeys and electronic light-up decorations frequently carry this price point.

A highly detailed and formal centerpiece featuring a realistic turkey may fit in this cost range, too.

Tips for decorating the Thanksgiving table

Creating just the right look for your Thanksgiving table can be challenging. You need plenty of space for food and plates, but you also want to be as festive as possible with your turkey Thanksgiving decorations. Here are some tips to create the perfect balance.

• Focus on decorations. If you want more room for decorative items on the table, consider storing your food on a countertop, where guests can serve themselves buffet-style. 
• Use one large centerpiece. One way to keep the Thanksgiving table festive without occupying too much space is to limit yourself to one large centerpiece. Rather than spreading multiple decorative items across the table, create a single decorative focal point.
• Use short decorations. Make sure any decorations you select for the table are short enough that people can see and converse with each other across the table.
• Don’t forget the kids’ table. If you have some fun turkey Thanksgiving decorations that don’t fit in with your formal table settings, save these decorations for the kids’ table. 

If you worry that your table decorations will take up too much room, crowding out the food, remove them at mealtime. When dinner is done and you set out the pie, you can always put them back.

FAQ

Q. Are turkey Thanksgiving decorations okay to use outdoors?

A. If seeking an outdoor decorative turkey, don’t just trust the manufacturer’s description of whether it works for an outdoor display. Read the list of materials yourself. Weather conditions vary greatly in November depending on your location, so a decorative item that’s okay to use outdoors in the south in November may not work in the north.

Q. How should I store my Thanksgiving decorations after the holiday?

A. Use a sturdy plastic tote with a secure lid to store your items between seasons. This keeps rodents and insects out and gives the decorations plenty of “breathing room” without being crushed.

Q. Can I reuse my tissue paper Thanksgiving turkey centerpiece?

A. As long as you care for it properly, a paper centerpiece should be reusable. If someone spills food or a drink on it, however, it probably won’t be salvageable. When storing it between seasons, place it in a cardboard box and then in a plastic tote to give it a little extra protection.

Q. Is it tacky to use turkey-themed napkins, tablecloths, and plates at Thanksgiving dinner?

A. The type of turkey Thanksgiving decorations you may want to use depends on the mood you hope to create. If you want a formal setting, avoid cartoonish turkey plates and napkins. Stick with white tablecloths and traditional plates. If it’s a relaxed meal with a lot of kids, though, there’s nothing wrong with using some turkey decorations that are less formal.