When I think of fall, I think of jumping into piles of leaves, and trees changing colors from summer green, to fall oranges and reds. I think of pumpkins, and of course, Thanksgiving.

Hundreds of years ago, Pilgrims and Native Americans worked together in harmony to create a harvest that everyone could enjoy. We now call this glorious holiday Thanksgiving. Although we have created new traditions, we still cherish the old ones.

Some common themes during Thanksgiving are family, food, and what you are thankful for. An easy and creative way for your family to share what they love and appreciate, is a Thankful Tree. A Thankful Tree is where you have a small tree branch and everyone hangs a small paper leaf listing things they are thankful for.

To make a Thankful Tree you will need:

• A flowerpot

• A tree branch with plenty of little branches

• Sand

• Colored Construction Paper (I recommend orange, yellow, and red)

• String

• Hole Punch

• Flower pot styrofoam

To make a Thankful Tree:

• Take the flowerpot and place the block of styrofoam in it.

• Dig the tree branch in, then fill up the rest of the pot with sand so that the branch is secure.

• Then, take the construction paper, and cut out leaves, (enough for your family).

• Punch holes in each of the leaves, and then pass the leaves out to your family.

• Then, have your family string the leaves up, and then hang them on the tree.

This is a fun family craft that can bring everyone together. This is a good way to make sure that everyone knows what you are thankful for while creating a pretty little plant that feeds the holiday fever!