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The Student News Site of Benjamin N. Cardozo High School

The Verdict
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Top 10 Fall Decorations for the Holiday Season

Emma Issagholian
November 24, 2023

Emma Issagholian and Mouli Kukreja

As we progress into the month of November, the big thing that comes to one’s mind is one of the biggest national holidays, Thanksgiving. Along with Thanksgiving, of course comes the thought of everything we are thankful for and the delicious food we all await to enjoy. However, one of the biggest and most important tasks that not everyone thinks about around this time of year is how to decorate their homes. That is why we found the Top 10 Thanksgiving decorations to create and put around your homes this holiday season.

10. Gratitude Garland

Materials:

  • Leaf Template
  • Cardstock paper in different colors
  • Scissors
  • Small Clothespins
  • Jewelry Bead Punch
  • Large Gold Jump Rings
  • Woven Garland (to hang leaves from)

What to buy:

  1. Leaf Template- https://abeautifulmess.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Leaf-Template.pdf
  2. Colored Cardstock – 8.5 x 11 inch / 70 sheets / 7 colors Paper 65lb 180g UAP01 – $14.99
  3. Westcott 16451 8-Inch KleenEarth Recycled Scissors for Office and Home, Black – $3.84
  4. Mini Clothespins, Mini Clothes Pins for Photo, 100 Pack Wooden Small Clothes Pin with 32 FT Jute Twine String, Tiny Decorative Clothespin for Little Baby Shower Photos Clips Pictures Crafts Display – $7.99
  5. SPEEDWOX Metal Hole Punch Pliers for Jewelry 1.5mm Diameter Round Hole Sheet Metal 24 Gauge Thick 6 Inches Precision Fine Pliers Jewelry Making Tool Craft Beading Hobby Labor Day Gifts – $8.99
  6. BEADNOVA 8mm Open Jump Rings Gold Jump Rings for Jewelry Making and Keychains (300Pcs) – $3.99
  7. RIEMEX Jute Rope Garden Twine String Indoor and Outdoor DIY Twisted Manila Rope Home Decor Crafts for Gardening Thick Rope Natural Nautical Nemp Strong Jute Rope (25, 5/16 inch (8mm)) – $9.99

What to do:

  1. First, you’ll want to print out your leaf template. You can either cut out each leaf to trace onto paper, or you can hold your template behind your paper and put it up to a window during the day to trace them onto your paper (this works best for lighter-colored paper). Cut out as many leaves in whatever colors you like!
  2. Use your bead punch to punch a hole near the top of your clothespin. Repeat for each clothespin.
  3. Use your fingers to open large jump rings and add the ring through the hole.
  4. Put the jump ring through part of the bottom side of your garland so it will hang down to hold the leaf. I would lay out your garland and space the clothespins where you want them first so you know they are more evenly spaced.
  5. Use a pen to write down all the things you are grateful for on each leaf!
  6. Hang your leaves on the clothespins, stand back and see all you have to be thankful for!

9. Pumpkin Centerpieces

Materials:

  • Pumpkin or Large Gourd
  • Vase or Mason Jar 
  • Pruners
  • Sharp Knife
  • Scissors
  • Scooper 
  • Fresh Cut Flowers

What materials to buy:

  1. Pumpkin (depends on where you choose to buy it)
  2. HANIHUA 3 Sets Clear Glass Vase for Flowers Small Bud Vase for Decor, Thank Bud Vases in Bulk for Centerpieces, Home Decorative Vase Set Round Vintage Glass Bottles,2.85″X 5.4″ -$14.99
  3. Professional Garden Scissors, Stainless Steel Bypass Pruning Shears, Garden Shears, Gardening Tools (1Pack) -$5.49
  4. Kitchen Knives, 8 inch Chef’s Knife, 4 inch Paring Knife, High Carbon Stainless Steel with Ergonomic Handle-$8.99
  5. Westcott 16451 8-Inch KleenEarth Recycled Scissors for Office and Home, Black – $3.84
  6. Cast aluminum utility scoop 5-ounce-round bottom, small ice scoop for multi purpose use, with finger groove handle 5oz
  7. Fresh cut flowers (You can get these anywhere; from in your backyard or any store)

What to do:

  1. First, measure the circumference of the vase, and cut a hole of about the same size in the top of the pumpkin
  2. Scoop out the insides, but be sure to save them to share with the local wildlife. 
  3. Set the vase inside the pumpkin, and fill it with water. Measure your flowers against the height of the pumpkin, and cut the stems so that the flowers reach just over the top of the hole. 
  4. Then arrange them so they make a full bouquet, with some flowers and greenery covering the edge of the hole.
  5. If you want, supplement with more flowers from your garden until it looks just right.

8. Rosemary Wreath Place Cards

Materials:

What to buy:

  • 6 Pack Rosemary Sage Smudge Sticks – Hand Made, Grown Naturally and Sustainably – for Smoke Cleanse, Smudging, Smudge Kits, Home or Office Purification – $10.99
  • Westcott 16451 8-Inch KleenEarth Recycled Scissors for Office and Home, Black – $3.84
  • Name Tags – https://www.spoonforkbacon.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/rosemary-wreath-tags.pdf
  • Petersham Ribbon 0.6mm – ¼” (size) – 023 Gold (color) – $1.79
  • Panacea Paddle Wire 22 Gauge 4oz, Bright – $6.99
  • BIC Cristal Xtra Smooth Ballpoint Pen, Medium Point (1.0mm), Black, For Everyday Writing Activities, 10-Count – $2.99

What to do:

  1. Print out the name tag template. You can either hand write in the names, or add them in on the computer. Cut out each name tag.
  2. Using a pencil, small dowel, or a pen that has smooth sides. Curl the edges of the name tags in opposite directions.
  3. Cut the floral wire into 6 lengths approximately 3 inches each.
  4. Trim rosemary springs into lengths between 7 and 9 inches. First trim the top off, then the bottom. When you trim the top, you want to try and get down to the thicker stalk part of the sprig, that way when you wire it, it will hold much better.
  5. Remove rosemary leaves at the top and bottom of the sprig to reveal a half inch or a quarter inch of stick. This is where you will wind the floral wire.
  6. Working from the thickest part of the sprig to the thinner, gently flex the sprig to make it more pliable.
  7. Gently make a circle by crossing the two ends of the rosemary sprig. Wind the pre-cut floral wire around the ends.
  8. Tie a ribbon or twine, or hot glue a ribbon to the rosemary wreath to cover the floral wire.
  9. Tuck the name tags within the rosemary leaves. Enjoy your rosemary wreaths!

7. Pumpkin and Gourd-Wreath

Materials:

  • Gourds (with bunch)
  • Ribbon
  • Pliers & wire snippers
  • Hot glue and glue gun
  • Thin wire loop

What to buy:

  • 12Pcs Thanksgiving Artificial Pumpkins and Gourds, Lifelike Simulation Fake Vegetables for Decorating Fall Craft Wedding Centerpieces Home Party Decor,Autumn Halloween Christmas Decor(12Pcs)-$10.99
  • Berwick 061176 7/8″ Wide Single Face Satin Ribbon, White, 6 Yds-$1.97
  • Glorious Mini Hot Glue Gun with 30 Glue Sticks for Crafts School DIY Arts Home Quick Repairs, 20W, Blue- $12.99

What to do:

  1. To make the pumpkin-and-gourd wreath, first cover a 20-inch foam form with sheet moss, using a glue gun to hold the moss in place. 
  2. Loop a 3-inch-wide burlap ribbon over the wreath to create a hanger long enough so it can reach the top of the door and allow the wreath to hang at eye level. 
  3. Insert wooden florist picks into the bottoms of pumpkins and gourds, and hot-glue the connection to secure. 
  4. Once the glue has cooled, stick pumpkins and gourds into the wreath then, using a glue gun, fill in between with more moss. 
  5. To hang the wreath, secure the burlap ribbon with an upholstery tack hammered into the top edge of the door.

6. Pumpkin Straw Toppers

Materials:

  • 1 ½” hole punch
  • Glue Gun
  • Orange and Green Construction Paper
  • Straws

What to buy:

  • Dophee 1Pc Hand Held Slot Hole Punch & 13mm Round Hole 2-in-1 DIY Punching Tool – $19.99
  • BLACK+DECKER Hot Glue Gun Kit, White (BDHT70001) – $10.99
  • Prang (Formerly SunWorks) Construction Paper, Holiday Green, 9″ x 12″, 50 Sheets – $5.14
  • Prang (Formerly SunWorks) Construction Paper, Orange, 9″ x 12″, 50 Sheets – $4.19
  • Weemium 200 Biodegradable Paper Straws – Durable & Eco-Friendly in 10 Color Stripes – Rainbow Drinking Straws & Party Decoration Supplies – $8.99

What to do:

  1. First, punch out 6-8 1 1/2″ holes from the orange construction paper. Fold the holes in half leaving one flat. Using your glue gun, add a strip of glue down the center of the flat circle. Attach the seam of the folded circle to the strip of glue. Flip over and repeat by gluing another folded circle to the other side. Repeat this step a few times, adding more folded circles to create a sphere. As a result, you will have all your folded circles connected at the center and fanning out.
  2. Add as many or as little to the sphere to create the desired density. For the stem, cut a small heart or circle out of the green construction paper. Glue the stem to the top of the pumpkin.
  3. Next, select two neighboring pieces of the circle. Add a small dot of hot glue at the center edge of one of the pieces. Glue the two pieces together leaving the inside open. This will form a pocket for you to slip your straw through.
  4. Now stick these cute pumpkins onto your straw. Enjoy!

5. Leftover Pie Boxes

Materials:

  • Yardstick Paper
  • Pie Box Template
  • Scissors
  • Glue Gun
  • Ruler for Scoring
  • Cardstock Paper

What to buy:

What to do:

  1. Download the file and print out on heavy cardstock paper.
  2. Cut along the outer edges.
  3. Score the inner lines with a scissor, so you can fold the template easily.
  4. Glue edges together using a glue gun or other strong adherent.

4. Leaf Table Runner

Materials:

  • Roll of butcher or kraft paper
  • Leaf stencil 
  • Craft paint in your choice of colors
  • Foam brush

What to buy:

  • YRYM HT White Kraft Butcher Paper Roll -18 inch x 2100 inch (176 ft) Food Grade White Wrapping Paper for Meats of All Varieties – Unbleached Unwaxed and Uncoated – $21.99
  • 20 Pieces Autumn Leaf Stencils Fall Pumpkin Templates Reusable Craft Stencils Plastic Painting Harvest Stencil for Craft DIY Fabric Canvas Wall Maple Leaf Pumpkin Painting Home Decorations(Leaves) – $11.99
  • Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint Set (2-Ounce), Best Colors Count, 32 Fl Oz (Pack of 16) – $16.99
  • Mister Rui-Poly Foam Paint Brushes, 12 Pack, 1 Inch Sponge Brushes for Painting, Paint Sponges Set, Light and Durable, Ideal for Painting and Cleaning – $6.68

What to do:

  1. Unroll your paper and cut to size to fit your table. Be sure to allow a little extra to hang off each edge of the table. Depending on the width of the paper you may want to fold it under to make the runner narrower. Handle the paper with some care to avoid putting too many wrinkles in it.
  2. Using your stencil and craft paint start making whatever pattern you want down the middle of the runner. I chose to scatter my different leaves down the middle, all heading in the same direction.
  3.  Let dry and roll up the runner until you plan to use it!

3. Maple Tree Leaf Globe 

Materials:

  • Canning jar with lid
  • Hot glue, glue gun
  • Twigs or sticks
  • Twine
  • Silk leaves
  • Red, yellow, and orange metallic confetti (we used a chili pepper garland from our local craft store, and simply cut the peppers into small bits to look like leaves)

What to buy:

  • Ball Regular Mouth 32-Ounces Mason Jar with Lids and Bands, Clear,(Pack Of 2)- $10.99
  • Glorious Mini Hot Glue Gun with 30 Glue Sticks for Crafts School DIY Arts Home Quick Repairs, 20W, Blue- $12.99
  • FeLix 5PCS Artificial Curly Willow Branches, Decorative Dry Twigs, 30.7 Inches Fake Bendable Sticks Vintage Vines Stems DIY Craft Vases Artificial Flowers Garden Hotel Office Home Farmhouse Decoration- $12.88
  • 1100 Ft Natural Jute Twine String 2mm 3ply Thin Ribbon Hemp Twine for Craft Plant Gift Wrapping Christmas Handmade Arts Decoration Packing String Bulk (1100 Ft (330M))- $7.99
  • Thanksgiving Fall Foil Confetti Glitter Orange Autumn Maple Leaves Gold Metallic Table Scatter Confetti Sequins -$6.99

What to do:

  1. Begin by filling the jar with water. Basic tap water works fine. Since the confetti will be weighted, there is no need to add any oils of any kind. The water is enough.
  2.  Flip the lid over and add a generous dab of glue to the center of it. Hot glue is best for this. Press a twig or stick to the glue, allowing the little branches to branch out and up. It should resemble a little tree.
  3. Line the rim of the jar with glue. Quickly turn the lid over and insert the branch into the jar. Work slowly so you don’t bend and snap it. Screw the lid in place. Allow for several minutes to let the glue dry.
  4. While the glue dries, you can decorate the lid with a little twine and silk leaves. Simply snip, tie, and glue them in place to your liking.
  5.  Now, just flip the jar over and give it a good shake. The red, yellow, and orange metallic confetti will twirl around the jar like a blustery fall day.

2. Turkey Magnet

Materials:

  • Faux Leaves
  • Small Wooden Discs
  • Brown Paint
  • Paint Brush
  • Googly Eyes
  • Orange and Red Construction Paper
  • Hot Glue Gun or Tacky Glue (if kids are helping)
  • Scissors
  • Circle Magnet

What to buy:

  • Ndeno 450 Pcs Fall Artificial Maple Leaves, Autumn Plant Maple Leaf for Thanksgiving,Weddings,Harvest Season Decorations,Festival Events, Scrapbooking (01) – $7.99
  • 450 Pieces Unfinished Wood Slices Round Wooden Disc Circles Wooden Circles for Crafts Wood Cutouts Christmas Ornaments for Craft and Decoration, 5 Sizes – $13.99
  • Apple Barrel Acrylic Paint Set (2-Ounce), Best Colors Count, 32 Fl Oz (Pack of 16) – $16.99
  • BOSOBO Paint Brushes Set, 2 Pack 20 Pcs Round Pointed Tip Paint Brushes Nylon Hair Artist Acrylic Paint Brushes for Acrylic Oil Watercolor, Face Nail Art, Miniature Detailing & Rock Painting, Blue – $12.99
  • DECORA 500 Pieces 6mm -12mm Black Wiggle Googly Eyes with Self-Adhesive… – $4.99
  • Prang (Formerly Art Street) Construction Paper, 10 Assorted Colors, Standard Weight, 9″ x 12″, 500 Sheets – $19.49
  • BLACK+DECKER Hot Glue Gun Kit, White (BDHT70001) – $10.99 OR 
  • All-Purpose Tacky Glue – Premium Adhesive for Crafts, Hobbies, and Household Repairs (1 Pack) – $8.99
  • Westcott 16451 8-Inch KleenEarth Recycled Scissors for Office and Home, Black – $3.84
  • TRYMAG Ceramic Magnets for Crafts, Small 18mm (.709 inch) Round Disc Crafts Magnets with Adhesive Backing, Flat Circle Ferrite Industrial Magnets for Crafts, DIY, Science, Hobbies, Project – 90 PCS – $6.98

What to do:

  1. Layer Faux Leaves – Start off by layering 3 faux leaves and put them each at a slight angle so they are not right on top of each other
  2. Make body – Take the wooden discs and paint them brown
  3. Build Turkey – Once dry, stack the discs on the leaves to form a turkey body and head. Glue into place.
  4. Add googly eyes – Use some googly eyes and glue them on to the head part of the turkey
  5. Add beak – Take some orange scrapbooking or construction paper, cut it into a tiny triangle, and glue the small beak onto the turkey
  6. Add gaggle – Take some red construction paper and cut it into a teardrop shape. Then glue it under or next to the beak
  7. Add magnet – On the back of the turkey hot glue a magnet. 
  8. Repeat the steps over again to create as many turkey magnets as you would like. Enjoy your turkey magnets!

1. Leaf Handprint Turkey

Materials:

  • Paper Plate
  • Glue
  • Leaves
  • Brown, Yellow, Red Cardstock Paper
  • Scissors

What to buy:

  • Hygloss Products Paper Plates – Uncoated White Plate – Use for Foodware, Events, Activities, Crafts Projects and More – Environmentally Friendly – Recyclable and Disposable – 6-Inches – 100 count – $4.99
  • Elmer’s Disappearing Purple School Glue Sticks, Washable, 22 Grams, 3 Count – $4.27
  • Ndeno 450 Pcs Fall Artificial Maple Leaves, Autumn Plant Maple Leaf for Thanksgiving,Weddings,Harvest Season Decorations,Festival Events, Scrapbooking (01) – $7.99
  • Prang (Formerly Art Street) Construction Paper, 10 Assorted Colors, Standard Weight, 9″ x 12″, 500 Sheets – $19.49
  • Westcott 16451 8-Inch KleenEarth Recycled Scissors for Office and Home, Black – $3.84

What to do:

  1. Start by taking your fall leaves and gluing them to a paper plate. Cover the entire plate with the leaves, then set aside to dry.
  2. Then take the brown construction paper and trace your hand for the turkey’s body. Then cut out a triangle shape from orange construction paper for the turkey’s beak and use a black marker for the eyes.
  3. Finish it off by gluing your handprint turkey to the paper plate! Now you have an adorable and easy leaf turkey to display!
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About the Contributor
Emma Issagholian, Reporter
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