A few years ago Thanksgiving came twice for me.  The first Thanksgiving happened a few days before the regularly scheduled event.  Before our group had scattered and retreated back to the families we are related to.  At this first of two Thanksgivings, I wasn’t related to a single person, but they are people I think of as my extended family.

At this Thanksgiving dinner we, the guests, were encouraged to do something I have never done before at another Thanksgiving.  We were all given paper leaves and asked to write what we were thankful for on the leaf.  You could write one thing or one hundred; you could write on one leaf or on twenty.  We then hung our leaves on the Thanksgiving Tree which became the center piece of our Thanksgiving table.  It was fun to read what others had written and each leaf served as a good reminder of what else may be in your life that you are thankful for.

This year I want to make my own Thanksgiving tree, and this is one I found on Pintrest.  I love it because it is super simple, easy, and inexpensive to throw together.  Gather some sticks from the yard, put them in a vase or mason jar, and tie some decorative ribbon if you are so inclined.  The leaves can be anything from actual leaf shaped papers, which can be cut out or bought from stores like Michael’s or AC Moore, or they can be simple shapes like circles or squares in fall colors.  On the day of your feast, provide plenty of leaves, pens, and places for your guests to hang their leaves of gratitude, and watch your tree come to life.  Place your tree in the center of the table during dinner, or use it as the center piece for the dessert buffet and watch your guests embrace the spirit of the day.

Oh, and don’t forget to start the tree of right with a few leaves of your own as good examples for all of your guests!

See the original Thanksgiving Tree post here on the Simply Vintagegirl Blog.