Thanksgiving Tree Centerpiece

If you arrived here from the Halloween Tree Centerpiece article you will want to remove all the bats, ghosts and pumpkins and skip to Step 3.

Here is a great idea for a Thanksgiving Centerpiece that is simple to make and easy on your budget. If you have children you probably have most, if not all, of the items around your house already.

The Thanksgiving Tree is made extra special because of the time you spend working on it as a family and sharing what you are thankful for. It's a wonderful way to teach your children how to recognize the many small things they have to be thankful for.

Depending on the age of your children they may be able to do most of the preparation on their own the night before while you get a jump start on baking or preparing for the next day. One thing is for sure, you'll enjoy showing off this one of a kind Thanksgiving Centerpiece to family and friends who stop in to celebrate the day with your family.

Most of these items can be found in or around your house. While searching for the perfect branch keep an eye out for a few leaves that can be traced on paper or foam sheets. Try to choose a few different shapes to make the centerpiece more visually appealing and make sure they are large enough so that when they are traced there is enough room to write on.

• Bunch of branches with smaller branches
• Various size leaves to trace
• Large Glass Vase
• Yellow Tissue Paper
• Orange Tissue Paper
• Construction paper or foam sheets in fall colors.
• Pens, Magic Markers, Crayons or Colored Pencils.
• Yarn, string, balloon ribbon or jute
• Hole punch
• Scissors

Supplies all ready to go.

Make sure the leaves you pick are large so that when they are cut out you have enough room to write on them.

Step 1: Arrange the branches in the vase as if making a bouquet.

Step 2: Once you are happy with how it looks get a firm grip on the branches near the top of the vase with one hand and pull them out. Wrap the bottoms of the branches in tissue paper and push the branches back into vase.

Step 3: Trace leaves on yellow construction paper. To save time put an orange and a red piece behind it before you start cutting so that when you cut out the 'yellow' you will actually be cutting out the orange and red at the same time.

Step 4: Cut out the leaves.

Step 5: Use a hole punch (or if you can't find them :( use a skewer like I did) to make a hole in each leaf. Cut jute, string, yarn, etc. into 12 inch lengths. The jute I had was 3 ply which was overkill so I separated it into 3 pieces after cutting.

Step 6: Loop string through each leaf as shown.

Step 7: Pull tight. Be careful not to rip the hole.

You can save the blank leaves with the jute for when company arrives and ask them to write something they are thankful for and then tie it on the tree.

Or you can have each member of your family write on them ahead of time and tie them to the tree.

Add the final touches. Often times craft stores will have little holiday items that can be hung on the tree or used to adorn the vase.

Proudly display your new centerpiece that probably didn't cost you a cent to make. It allowed you to go hunting for leaves and twigs in the fresh air. Enabled you to spend valuable time with your children and/or grandchildren. Helped teach them what we really have to be thankful for.

1. Cut out 3-5 leaves per household member and have them write their name on one side and what they are thankful for on the other. Tie them to the tree the night before. Cut out additional leaves for each guest and write their name on it. As the guests arrive on Thanksgiving day have them write what they are thankful for and tie them to the tree.
2. If your children are too small to verbalize or write what they are thankful for cut out pictures of family members and glue them to the leaves before tying them on the tree.
3. Use a decorated coffee can instead of a glass vase.

No matter how you choose to make your Thanksgiving Tree Centerpiece it is sure to bring a smile to your guest's faces. This could easily become a Thanksgiving tradition that your family looks forward to each year, one that your children grow up to carry on with their families.