If you are a Geriatric Millennial (and sometimes a ’90s Millennial), chances are your art teacher scheduled a class project to create a turkey. Maybe you made it with a toilet paper roll, tissue paper or a paper plate. No matter the material, there’s one of those gobble gobbling around from your proud parents. In the tech-centric age, your children, nieces and nephews are probably creating 3D digital turkeys that move on command. Thanksgiving has gotten fancier. Still, there’s something about having a physical Thanksgiving centerpiece, even if the Thanksgiving appetizers and Thanksgiving dinner will temporarily bury the table. Here are seven Thanksgiving centerpiece ideas to deck out your holiday table.

Pumpkin (Real Or Fake)

It’s a cheat code from your Halloween leftover pumpkin decor, but it’s one of those autumn plants that’s fully mature by October. For homeowners who are planning out their winter gardens, there may be a few pumpkins left to give away, cook or discard. Add a few pine cones around it, and it’s instant decor.  Even a woven pumpkin will be an added touch.

Fake Leaves

While there certainly should be enough to rake up outside, you can’t deny how pretty they are in all shades of reds, browns, greens and oranges. You don’t need to do much with colorful fake leaves. You can put a bunch in a clear vase or a clear plate, and it’s an immediate pop of color on your table and nearby furniture.

Autumn-Themed Artificial Plants

Go to any dollar-value store, and you’ll find a wide selection of artificial flowers in every color in a Crayon box. In this case, pick reds, oranges and browns. That same aisle usually has decorative hard plastic or glass vases to choose from. Or, if you want to keep the stems short, you can always dust off all of those expensive wine glasses in your China cabinet and put a few artificial flowers in those. (If you have a nearby florist or gardener in your area, use real flowers instead.)

Cornucopia (Horn Of Plenty) Basket

Apples are on sale. You have too many. Or, you were talked into apple picking for a school field trip. This is the perfect time to put them inside and around the side of a cornucopia. This way, you don’t have to worry about cutting them into little Thanksgiving appetizer slices.

Dried Wheat Stalks

In a colorful dining room, with bright-colored tables and chairs, less is more. You don’t want a dining room table with blue chairs or bright pink wall art while your centerpiece is in contrasting colors. Earth tone colors in centerpieces like dried wheat stalks are perfect to complement eye-popping rooms instead of competing with the room. It’s an easy and economical Thanksgiving centerpiece to deck out your holiday table. If you’re creating a dopamenu, and yoga or other mindfulness rooms are on your “menu,” keep this centerpiece and put it on a nearby table later.

Candles

Whether you choose votive candles, tea light candles or three-wick candles, this looks stunning in a dark dining room and helps with the electricity bill too. However, because you may have littles running around or people constantly touching and moving things on the table, be very careful with using lit candles. You may want to use flameless candles or fake tea light candles if large groups of people are at the table to avoid flammable risks. Just make sure to pick an eye-catching candleholder to add to the ambiance.

Quotes

This is one of those do-it-yourself Thanksgiving projects that never gets old. Place a bunch of empty pieces of paper (ideally with a Thanksgiving theme or an autumn theme) in the middle of the table, and let people write down what they’re thankful for. When they’re done, tell them to put that personalized sheet on the chair or place setting where they plan to be. It’s a fun way to include everyone and get them to interact with each other while they read all of the messages at the table. And maybe it’ll soften the blow when people start recklessly arguing with each other at the end of the Thanksgiving night when the card games or board games surface.

Thoughtful, Thankful Thanksgiving Night

Whether you’re the Thanksgiving family that eats at a time that’s pretty much lunch instead of dinner or you’re waiting until the streetlights come on at the very least, these seven centerpieces are a welcoming way to make your guests feel at home. Choose one or two, or choose all seven but sprinkle them around coffee tables, desks, kitchen counters or even the top of your fridge. And if your child brings home one of those old-school paper turkeys, make sure to show that off too.