11 Budget Friendly Friendsgiving Decorating Ideas Your Friends Will Love

If you are hosting Friendsgiving this year these budget-friendly Friendsgiving decorating ideas will make your party look perfectly themed while helping you to not overspend! 

Each of the Friendsgiving decor ideas on this list are affordable for most budgets and are DIY projects that can be completed in an afternoon. Even if you are not a super crafty person you can still whip up these simple decorations.

From thrifting to upcycling and a bit of foraging for natural fall decor you can easily create a special Friendsgiving dinner party that your friends will be impressed by! 

This post is all about the best Friendsgiving decorating ideas.

How to host an affordable Friendsgiving dinner party

Before we dive into the specific Friendsgiving decor ideas, let’s go over some ways you can cut costs on decorations. That way you can budget more for yummy Friendsgiving food! 

• Use this list as inspiration but you don’t have to make/buy everything on this list. 
• There is tons of cute Friendsgiving decor that you can buy but most times making your own will cut costs! 
• Forage items in your yard or local park to create decor. Fall is the perfect season for finding colorful leaves, twigs, and dried grasses to create beautiful tablescapes, garlands, and centerpieces! 
• Try to use materials you already own and upcycle them. More about this later in the post! 

DIY Friendsgiving Decor Ideas

1. Name card at each table setting

Make each of your friends feel loved and special by making each table setting personalized! There are so many cute ways to add names to natural items at each setting. 

I think these mini pumpkins with each guest’s name painted on are super cute because then they all get to take home a cute party favor at the end of the Friendsgiving dinner! 

You can also collect leaves and paint their names on them or use metallic markers to write each name on. 

Or even collect pine cones and stick a card with each name into each pine cone. The more natural decor will keep the fall theme going! 

2. DIY Friendsgiving tablescape using natural materials 

Make a gorgeous tablescape for your Friendsgiving dinner by collecting natural items and artfully spreading them across your dinner table. 

For a more rustic vibe, you can leave the items as is or paint them, add glitter or bows for a more eclectic look! 

Try to use a variety of items and keep them at the center of your table but not too bunched up. 

Here are some items you can add to your Friendsgiving tablescape: 

• Pinecones
• Twinkle lights 
• Mini pumpkins
• Acorns 
• Colorful leaves 
• Cute thrifted plates
• Dried flowers/branches 
• Corn husks or dried corn 
• Candles 
• Seasonal fresh flowers (sunflowers, marigolds etc.) 
• Seasonal produce (figs, cranberries, squash, apples etc.) 

{RECOMMENDED POST: 29 Beautiful Thanksgiving Tablescape Ideas Anyone Can Create}

3. Create a unique Friendsgiving centerpiece

If a full tablescape is a bit intimidating you can easily create centerpieces instead.

I am obsessed with these adorable flower pot pumpkins that are super easy to make. Simply carve your pumpkin and add flowers!

To make the arrangement look full you can add soil and potted flowers. Or you can add a can inside the pumpkin to keep the flower bouquet from spreading out too wide. 

4. Make a Friendsgiving garland for your mantle, wall, or over a door

Nothing says party like a cute garland! There are so many creative garlands you can whip up simply using seasonal items or simple craft supplies you might already own. 

Simple Friendsgiving garland ideas: 

• Colorful fall leaf garland (use soy wax on the leaves to preserve them) 
• Ribbon/Fabric/Yarn in fall colors as a garland
• Magnolia leaf garland
• Cutout paper letters spelling “Happy Friendsgiving” 
• Dried orange garland (super cute if you add wooden beads to the garland as well!)  

5. Kraft paper as tablecloth  

A simple tablecloth is perfect for a dinner party but to personalize it even more, consider using kraft paper.

You can draw on place mats with your friends’ names, add stickers, or write gratitude quotes to fit the Thanksgiving theme! 

6. Chalkboard sign or letterboard with a Friendsgiving message 

Chalkboard signs and letterboards are great because you can keep reusing them even after your Friendsgiving party. 

Here are some other cute savings you can add to your Friendsgiving sign: 

• “Friends are the family we choose” 
• “Thankful for the food, but even more thankful for the friends gathered around the table.”
• “Good friends, good food, good vibes—what more could you ask for?”
• “Here’s to the friends that make every day feel like a holiday.”
• “Grateful for friends who feel like family and meals that feel like hugs.”

{RECOMMENDED POST: 28 Cute Thanksgiving Letter Board Ideas You Need to Copy}

7. Stamp fall cloth napkins 

Make your own napkins! All you need are blank napkins and stamps in fall-themed shapes (leaves, pumpkins, acorns etc.)

If you don’t have stamps you can easily use a raw potato (yes the food!) and some fabric paint to make shapes. For an extra personalized touch, you can even add each of your guests’ names onto the napkins.

8. Thrift glasses and customize them with guests’ names, friendship bracelets, bows

Head to the thrift store to pick up cheap but fancy-looking glasses! You can get them in fall colors or decorate them when you get home.

Adding bows or friendship bracelets to each glass is a super cute addition! Of course, you can always paint them as well! 

9. Add bows and dried flowers to chairs

Sometimes the best decor is in the small details. Now that your Friendsgiving tablescape is created, start to imagine how to enhance your chairs. I love the scarf tutorial above since you can add dried flowers to the pocket of each chair. 

If you don’t have enough scarves for your chairs you can drape cozy blankets on the back of some chairs and add pillows to others! This will give your dinner party that cozy fall feel. 

{RECOMMENDED POST: 7 Budget-Friendly Friendsgiving Party Ideas For an Unforgettable Fall Gathering}

10. Make a photo booth area with haybales, cozy blankets, pillows etc. 

Set up an area where all of your friends can take photos to remember your iconic Friendsgiving party! It can be a simple setup or a more extravagant one.

Start with a few haybales that people can sit on and stagger. Add some cute props that guests can hold up. Keep it seasonal by adding plenty of pumpkins, sunflowers, and cozy blankets.

You can add a cute Friendsgiving banner or even use a decorated sheet as a backdrop! 

11. Relaxing music & fall scents

Friendsgiving decor is more than just the visuals! To really set the vibe of your gathering make sure to put on some cozy background music and include some fall-scented candles or essential oils! 

This is just something so charming about a party that includes items you have made rather than bought from the store! I hope this list of Friendsgiving decor ideas helps you to create the Friendsgiving dinner party of your dreams! 

Have any other budget-friendly Friendsgiving decorating ideas? Let us know in the comments below! I’m sure others in the community would love to learn from you as well.

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Stay well, 

Maggie

This post was all about Budget Friendly Friendsgiving Decorating Ideas.

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