Holidays!
Make a gratitude tree. Using wooden leaves like the ones shown here or paper leaves you cut yourself, encourage guests to note something they are grateful for on a leaf, then clip the leaves with clothespins to bare branches in a tall vase.
Invite someone who doesn't have a place to go. Whether it's a work colleague or a friend of a friend, if you hear of someone who won't be able to go home this Thanksgiving, invite him or her to your home to share this special meal. It can really make a difference for the person you invite; besides, the more people are squished around the table, the more fun the dinner usually is.
Create a banner you can use year after year. Use what you have in the house to create a gratitude banner to decorate your dining room on Thanksgiving. Here are a few ways to do it, depending on the materials you have: Cut and sew letters from fabric scraps onto fabric tape. Cut out letters from wallpaper samples or oilcloth, and sew them onto grosgrain ribbon. Glue letters cut from pretty gift wrap onto cardstock for strength, punch holes in the tops and tie them onto ribbon or twine. Cut out pages from an old book and use stencils to paint a letter onto each page, then staple the pages onto twine.
Vintage suitcase dog bed. Although this may technically be a gift for a dog or cat, any pet owner will appreciate this bed's cute design. Scrounge thrift shops for a hard-top vintage suitcase in a good color and fill it with a fun cushion for a friend's beloved pet. Although it may take time to find the perfect suitcase (don't forget to look online too), this project should take less than a day to complete.
Crafty yarn ball wreath. Lisa of Recaptured Charm put together this crafty wreath using styrofoam balls, yarn, and a wire wreath form. By wrapping the yarn around each ball in different directions, she was able to make it look like an actual yarn ball. She hot glued all of these faux yarn balls onto a wire wreath form, and mixed a few red Christmas ornament in as well for some color contrast.
Create a musical tradition. If someone in your family plays piano, guitar or another instrument, encourage him or her to share a song on Thanksgiving. No musicians in the family? Just select some favorite albums to play — since this is an American holiday, why not go with an all-American playlist?
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