At its core, Thanksgiving is all about reflecting on what we’re thankful for. Thank-fully, gratitude is a universal language, and this is the perfect season to share your own winter holiday traditions.
One creative and thoughtful way to recognize Thanksgiving is to create a “Thankful Tree,” which involves getting the whole family together to share what you’re grateful for on “leaves” (often pieces of paper) attached to a “tree.”
A Thankful Tree like the one above is a great visual representation of gratitude, but it’s also a great way to bond as a global family, fostering cross-cultural dialogue and helping students, host parents, and host siblings alike appreciate the diversity of perspectives within their community.
Whether you’re a host family, teacher, or local coordinator, this hands-on activity is a great way to bring together diverse perspectives and highlight the beauty of shared gratitude.
There are lots of different ways to make a Thankful Tree. This is how we made ours:
- Brown paper (like butcher paper)
- Colored construction paper or colored felt/paper leaves
- Markers
- Tape
- Scissors
Step 1. Create your “trunk and branches”
Technically, the first step is to find a wall, pantry door, etc. that you’re okay with putting some tape on.
Then, use brown paper like butcher paper or even recycled paper shopping bags to create the base of your Thankful Tree – the trunk and the branches!
Tip: Crinkle and twist the paper slightly (pictured below) to create a “bark-like” look.
Step 2: Attach your tree base to the wall, pantry, or other Thankful Tree surface.
At this step in the process, strategize as a team on how you’ll make this Thankful Tree your own.
How many branches will your tree have? Does everyone in the family have their own branch, or even their own tree? Are there roots?
Feel free to get as creative as possible!
Step 3: (Optional) – Cut out your leaves
There are many different ways to create the “leaves” for your Thankful Tree.
We cut our own out of colored construction paper, but you could easily use felt, fabric, or pre-cut paper leaves from the craft store, too.
We also love this idea to make your Thankful Tree a centerpiece on your dining room table!
Step 4: Be Thankful!
It’s really that simple! You can continue to use your Thankful Tree as a visual reminder of what your family is grateful for. Here are a few ideas to keep the gratitude going:
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- Set aside enough “leaves” for each person to add one thing they’re grateful for each day leading up to Thanksgiving.
- Each day, have every family member choose one leaf from the tree to share more about what it means to them.
- Keep the Thankful Tree up through the end of the year as a way to end the year with a focus on gratitude.
Share Your Thankful Tree with our iE Community!
There are so many creative individuals withing our global family, and we’re excited to see your Thankful Tree creations. Share a photo for a chance to be featured on our social media pages.