Photo Courtesy of Flickr Creative Commons

The roll turkey craft is just one of many DIY crafts you can make this holidays season.

Making seasonal crafts is a great way to incorporate holiday cheer into any household. In just a few simple steps, any home can be jazzed up with these easy Thanksgiving crafts.

Freshman Gillian Audia said that quick crafts are a nice touch for Thanksgiving meals and are fun to do with the family.

“The whole point of Thanksgiving is to be thankful for what you have, so doing crafts with your family is a great way to show how thankful you are for each other,” she said.

Store-bought Thanksgiving decorations can be expensive. With DIY crafts, the opportunities for creativity are endless, but not expensive.  Here are a few you can try this November.

1. The Original Hand Turkey

Materials:

• Light brown construction paper
• Red, yellow and orange markers

1. Take a piece of light brown construction paper, which will act as  the turkey’s body.
2. Place your hand on the paper and trace around it to create the feathers and head shape.
3. Cut out the hand print.
4. Color the feathers and add a beak and wattle. Be creative and have fun!
5. Write something you are thankful for on each feather. This adds flare, personality and Thanksgiving cheer.

This classic craft is sure to please anyone, including people at WJ.

“It’s perfect because it’s so easy and festive. I’ve been making these for years,” said freshman Emma O’Reilly. “There’s no way to mess it up.”

2. The Roll Turkey

Materials:

• Cardboard toilet paper roll
• Red, orange and yellow paper
• Black marker

1. Repeat the hand print step from craft one on each colored paper. Cut them out.
2. Place the handprints so you can see them all behind the roll. Glue in place.
3. Add eyes with the black marker.
4. Cut it out.

This craft is a cool, pop-up variation of the classic turkey, while still maintaining the festive element and simple steps.

“I love the modern version of the turkey. It’s fun and different from any other craft and still pretty easy,” said O’Reilly.

3. Pinecone Turkey

Materials:

• Yellow, red and orange construction paper
• Google eyes
• A marker or pencil
• Pinecone

1. Create a beak out of small, yellow paper.
2. Cut a wattle out of red construction paper. Do this by aiming to make a heart  shape.
3. Glue the beak, wattle, and some google eyes to a pinecone.
4. Trace your hands onto different colored papers and cut out to make feathers.
5. Glue the feathers onto the back of the pinecone.
6. Glue acorns onto the bottom of the pinecone for feet.

This craft is a good way to incorporate pieces of nature into the house decorations. Simply adding the pinecone brings the fall festivities into your home.

“These are good because you get to make something really pretty and elegant out of nature. They’re unique without looking too different. They scream Thanksgiving,” said O’Reilly.

With these crafts, it is easy to bring the holiday spirit and Thanksgiving cheer into your home every year. Fall festivities are not just about what goes on outside, but also what you have inside your home.