It's here! No, we aren't referring to Christmas. We are referring to that other deliciously cozy holiday tucked into the end of autumn...the day when families and friends gather around tables bedecked with too many chairs and too much food...when the button on your blue jeans is in as much danger as the fine china heaped with mashed potatoes being passed from generation to generation around the table. Whatever it may like in your home, Thanksgiving is upon us, and we hope you find yourself surrounded with all the beauty that reminds us to be thankful for this life.
We have much to be thankful for here at Nature Supply Co. this year. Our family, friends, health, and thanks to you, a growing business. Thank you for making our little business what it is today - we have been blessed beyond measure by your support. Thank you friends for helping to protect our beautiful world, so that many more Thanksgivings can be shared around crowded tables when we no longer walk this earth.
This time of year brings with it so many meaningful traditions and we thought we would share one of our favorites with you this Thanksgiving, a Giving Tree! This sweet centerpiece serves as a reminder every year of Thanksgivings past, every year we laugh and reminisce as we re-read the 'leaves' on our tree. In our experience children tend to either be ridiculously funny or completely bland in their responses to the question, "What are you thankful for?" Some prompts to help them really think about what things they are thankful for could include, "What is a time this past year that you were thankful for?", "What things are you thankful for every day of the year?", and "What things would you miss if you did not have them in your life?" . There are many ways to put this tree together that can suit the size of your family and style of your home, so have fun making it your own!
Items to gather for your Giving Tree:
- A vase, pitcher or planter
- Your "tree" - we used branches here, but a manzanita shrub, wooden tree or metal tree would all work well!
- Your "leaves" - we used recycled kraft paper tags, and a leaf punch to create the leaf shape. You could create your own paper leaves or even write on real leaves that were preserved and sealed in beeswax.
- Ties or wire to affix your leaves to your tree
We've included some of our favorite supplies in the links below!
We love this manzanita branch for a natural take on a "tree".
These sweet recycled tags and twine are perfect for writing your gratitude's on.
For the crafty, this leaf punch is perfect for turning your favorite paper into leaves.
For a more traditional version of a tree, we love this white beauty!
We'd love to hear what traditions your family has during this time of the year! A favorite recipe? A fun game? Let us know in the comments below!