Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the winter holiday season. It’s not officially winter yet, but the air is turning cooler, and people tend to spend more time indoors. Using candles for decoration during your Thanksgiving dinner provides a warm, cozy atmosphere for you and your guests that’s perfect for the season.

Making special candle centerpieces just for Thanksgiving is quite simple. Here are a few ideas that you can whip up in no time.

# Mini Jar Thanksgiving Candles

What You Need

* Tea light or votive candle in a Thanksgiving color and scent
* Empty baby food jar
* Tissue paper in autumn colors
* Tiny foam leaves
* White craft glue
* Water
* Small plastic bowl
* Paintbrush

Instructions

1. Rip tissue paper in two or three different colors into small pieces.

2. In the bowl, mix one part glue to three parts water. Stir with paintbrush until it forms a thin white solution.

3. Use the paintbrush to cover the outside of the jar with the glue solution. Stick on pieces of tissue paper, overlapping them. Add more glue on top of the tissue paper to make all pieces lay flat against the jar. Stick foam leaves on top of the tissue paper. Let dry.

4. Place candle inside the baby food jar.

# Harvest Candles

What You Need

* Acorn squash or small pumpkins
* Knife
* Votive candle in autumn color and scent

Instructions

1. Cut off the top of the pumpkin or squash. Scoop out the flesh and seeds.

2. Place the votive candle inside the pumpkin or squash.

# Pouring Your Own Candles

You can also pour your own candles into prepared baby food jars, pumpkins or squash. Here’s how:

What You Need

* Double boiler
* Candle wax
* Wick
* Candle coloring
* Fragrance
* Oven mitt

Instructions

1. Insert a candle wick into the center of the container. For best results, use wicks with metal disks on the end (called wick clips). This will help them stand up on their own.

2. Melt candle wax in a double boiler. Add an autumn color and fragrance and mix well.

3. Carefully lift the top pot from the double boiler and pour the wax into the container. Let cool until hardened completely.

4. If you find a sunken area around the wick, melt more wax and pour it on top. When hardened completely, trim the wick.

Making several of these small candles and grouping them together makes a lovely centerpiece. Or you could place one at each guest’s place setting for them to take home. Either way, these home-made candles will add lots of beauty to your Thanksgiving table.