Have a Creative Thanksgiving

Simple, inexpensive ways to bring your home to life this holiday season.

Gratitude Tree

Use a potted tree or anchor twigs and tree branches in a large pot filled with stones. If you want, put on a coat of white, gold or silver spray paint to add an elegant touch to your tree. Then put it in a prominent spot in your home.

Next, cut out leaves from sturdy construction paper. All sizes, shapes and colors. Punch a hole in the end of each leaf and tie a piece of raffia or twine through it. Then, put the leaves in a basket or bowl with pens so everyone can write down something they are thankful for and put it on the tree.

Thanksgiving Memory Book

Ask your friends and family to write down their favorite Thanksgiving memories or quotes on a piece of paper and bring them to dinner. During the meal, take turns reading the passages aloud. Put them all into a scrapbook, and add new memories year after year. Your book will grow along with your family.


Scrolls of Honor

Reflect on the good times from the past year with a little humor thrown in the mix to make your get‑together ever better. Before Thanksgiving, poll each person for nominations for everything from “best grades” to “healthiest eater” to “quickest out of bed and out the door” and “best survivor of a bad haircut,” for instance. (Make sure everyone gets an award.) Write the awards on sheets of scrapbook paper, lettering them elegantly and decorating them appropriately, then roll them up and tie them with a ribbon. Present the scrolls with flourish during dessert or in a ceremonial gathering after dinner.

Children’s Thankful Table

 Just about every family with children has a children’s table. Let the kids decorate the tablecloth and you’ll have a keepsake everyone will treasure.

Start out by buying a white cotton tablecloth at a home goods or craft store, and drape the children’s table with it. Then, set out fabric markers and let the kids draw Thanksgiving characters or write down what they are grateful for, making sure everyone writes down their names and what year it is for future reference.

(For younger kids, you may want to provide art smocks. Just roll up the sleeves on old button‑down shirts and put them backwards on the kids.)

Don’t forget to get the tablecloth back out in subsequent years so future generations can add to it.

Another fun item for a child to make is an Indian headdress napkin wrap. Provide lengths of twill tape (available at craft stores) long enough to wrap around their heads and tie in the back (you will need to cut a small hole in the center of each piece). Let them pick from an assortment of clean feathers (available at a florist). Insert the feathers into the holes and tape them securely to the lengths of twill tape. You can use the headdresses to tie around napkins for table decorations, then wrap them around their heads during dinner.