Thanksgiving Ideas

New Thanksgiving Tradition: Create a Thankful Tree

Give thanks in a new way this holiday season. Invite friends and family to share what they are most thankful for by creating a thankful tree that can take center stage throughout the Thanksgiving holiday.

By Jeanine Hays, AphroChic; Photography by Leon Belt, Beltway Graphics
Filed under: Thanksgiving, Handmade, Centerpieces, Decorating, Crafts, How To

Invite Guests to Write a Message

When guests arrive, provide them with a leaf and a black gel pen to write what they are thankful for. Be sure to provide guests with extra leaves, pens, colored pencils and crayons so they can get creative when expressing their special messages of thanks.

Hang Leaves on Tree

Place bundles of curly willow in a sturdy, tall vase. Spread out the branches so there's plenty of room for leaves to be hung on the branches. As guests finish their messages, instruct them to tie them onto the tree so everyone can enjoy them. Tip: Curly willow branches have been dried, so no water is needed to keep them alive.

Read Your Notes of Thanks

After the meal, invite family and friends to enjoy the notes of thanks, reading through them and reflecting on what each person is thankful for. Allow guests to take their leaves home as a favor or date and keep them till next year. To keep the thankful tree going as a tradition, bring it out each year so everyone can add new leaves and remember how many blessings they have in their lives.