There are many ways to design and use a thankful tree. The one thing that they all have in common is cultivating an attitude of gratitude in the home. Making and decorating one for Thanksgiving is an activity the whole family can enjoy.
Some people put their thankful tree up on the first of November to write things they are grateful for throughout the month. Others use them as a centerpiece on the Thanksgiving table and encourage their guests to decorate it while they wait for dinner to be served.
Related: Thanksgiving Gratitude Activities and Crafts
Top 10 Thankful Trees
There are many ways to create a thankful tree and many things to use as decorations to write what we are thankful for. Below you will find a few of my favorite examples from creative and crafty to kid-made. You can even try making a thankful tree with real fall leaves!
Making and decorating a thankful tree for Thanksgiving is an activity the whole family will enjoy. Use any of these easy ideas or be inspired to create your own!
Related: Gratitude Books for Kids that Inspire Thankfulness
1. Fall Thankful Tree | Consumer Crafts
Use real branches, silk leaves, photographs, and tags to write what you are thankful for. Read more HERE.
2. How to Make a Thankful Tree | The Happy Housewife
This tree uses branches with lights and paper maple leaves cut using a large paper punch. Read more HERE.
3. The Thankful Tree with Chalk | Simply Vintagegirl
This tree uses real branches and wood pieces with chalkboard paint. Read more HERE.
4. Make a Thankful Tree for Your Celebration Centerpiece | Lia Griffith
This tree uses willow branches painted gold and a free printable leaf pattern. Read more HERE.
5. Thankful Tree Free Printable | Craftionary
This tree provides a free printable to use to make your tree using separate paper leaves. It also includes a free “Give Thanks” printable. Read more HERE.
6. Gratitude Tree Advent Calendar | Oopsy Daisy
This tree uses magnets that you stick onto a tree while saying what you are grateful for each day until Thanksgiving. Read more HERE.
7. Thankful Tree Tutorial | One Creative Mommy
This tree uses brown packing paper for the tree and paper maple leaves. Read more HERE.
8. Our November Thankful Tree | Simply Rebekah
This tree uses brown paper for the tree and laminated construction paper for the leaves. Read more HERE.
9. How to Make a Thankful Tree | Our Goodwin Journey
This simple wall tree uses construction paper to create a tree. Trace your own hands on cardboard paper and you have the leaves to write upon. Read more HERE.
10. Thanks and Giving Trees from Cranial Hiccups
These are small trees to print out on paper for each child to use. One is for writing what you are thankful for while the other is for writing down what you have given of yourself. They come complete with printable leaves–more available than pictured below. Read more HERE.
Bonus Thankful Trees
As an added bonus I have added the beautiful thankful trees my daughter and I have made together over the last few years.
This first one is made with real autumn leaves. Click HERE to see how we made it using real preserved fall leaves!
Our Thankful Tree with Turkey Leaf Lanterns
The next tree is made with bare branches and marbled clay gratitude leaves. Click HERE for the full tutorial!
There are lots of different kinds of thankful trees. The one thing that they all have in common is cultivating an attitude of gratitude in the home during the holidays.
Some people put them up on the first of November to write things they are grateful for throughout the month. Others use them as a centerpiece on the Thanksgiving table for their guests to decorate. They are also a wonderful addition to a fall nature table.
My daughter loves to decorate trees so we make one every season. We decorate an Easter tree in the spring, a butterfly tree in the summer, a thankful tree in the autumn, and of course a Christmas tree in the Winter filled with handmade ornaments.
Making and decorating seasonal trees is an activity the whole family will enjoy. Use any of these easy ideas or be inspired to create your own!
Related: Year Round Gratitude Activities for Kids
You May Also Like:
- Turkey Leaf Lanterns
- 40 Thanksgiving Gratitude Activities and Crafts
- Homemade Pumpkin Puree
- Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
- All Season Hand and Fingerprint Tree
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These are beautiful! Making a thankful tree is one of our traditions this time of year – they’re such a great way to focus on what we’re grateful for!
Love your site
Making a thankful tree is a tradition in our home during this season! Really like the chalkboard tree!
It’s the second year that we have made one. My family loves it and will continue the tradition. We may even add a garland next year. 🙂
It’s a little tradition in our society that will seamlessly transition you from Thanksgiving to Christmas.
Yes, Rebekah! Very true 🙂
Nice list…! This is a very helpful article you have shared. I know and get some information about Thankful Trees. I will be using this tree for my next Christmas. Great job and keep it up.
Thank you Martha! I’m so glad that you have enjoyed this collection and learning more about Thankful Trees. It would be fun to have a gratitude tree as a Christmas tree. Enjoy!