Thanksgiving is coming up, and there are so many fun ways to decorate for the season and holiday! While you make some decorations, why not use the opportunity to help foster thankfulness in your family? Thankfulness can play a major role in people’s well-being as adults, and it is helpful for children too. Children who are thankful tend to have better social support, and thankfulness habits can act as a barrier against stress when they get older. Create some beautiful thanksgiving decorations with your family while teaching them about the value of thankfulness!
Thankfulness leaves
Thankfulness leaves are a great way to teach about thankfulness while also creating beautiful fall decorations! You can print out a picture of a tree and use paper leaves to create a thankful tree, or purchase artificial leaves to use. Another option is to use some branches or a small tree you’re already using to decorate, and attach thankful leaves to it with ribbon or twine! Choose a time when your whole family is together each day, and give everyone a leaf to write something they’re thankful for on. If leaves aren’t your thing, there are other variations, like an acorn tree. Together, you can fill the tree with wonderful things to be thankful for! Every time you see the tree, you’ll each be reminded of all the good things in life.
A thankfulness jar
If the leaves seem a little overwhelming, a simpler but still beautiful version is to create a thankfulness jar! Set it somewhere easily visible with some small, seasonally-colored pieces of paper. Encourage everyone in your family to write (or if they’re too young to write, draw) something they’ll thankful for whenever they pass by it. Once a week or once a month, open the jar together and take some time to read out all you have to be thankful for.
Decorating pumpkins
Pumpkins make beautiful fall decor, and they’re affordable and useful too! Before you cut into those pumpkins for a pie or pastry, decorate them with your family with a thankful theme. Older children may want to write out what they’re thankful for on different sections of the pumpkin, while younger children can paint or draw different things they’re grateful for. Take the time to turn this fun fall activity into a way to discuss thankfulness together!
Now, you are ready to create some beautiful Thanksgiving decorations with your home. They will feel that much warmer knowing that they are infused with genuine gratitude from your family!
