A great new autumn tradition: the Thankful tree

Ready for a new tradition? Take a look at a Thankful tree, also called a Thanksgiving tree or Gratitude tree. That's not a very big, complicated project, and it doesn't require Thanksgiving. Some branches in a vase with notes on strings - and you've come a long way. However, the idea behind it is very nice.

It's a nice reminder to be happy with what we have and to think of the people we love. Place the tree, as a center piece, in the middle of the table in the style you like and you have a nice alternative for the coming weeks before you put up the Christmas tree. You can even secretly put some lights in it. Why not?! If you fancy a DIY afternoon, make some extra decorations. Nice to keep your children busy on a drizzly Sunday afternoon, for example.

The perfect vase

Choose a sturdy vase for the thankful tree and weigh it down with stones and/or sand. You can easily find the necessary branches in your own garden, or after a good autumn storm in the park or forest. Looking for branches is a very good reason for an autumn walk, which you can then cross off your autumn bucket list . We found this beautiful vase at Ruby concept store , where you will find many beautiful vases (and more)! Although its chocolate brown color makes it the perfect autumn vase, you can use it all year round. This month it functions great as a thankful tree vase, in the winter month you fill it with pine branches and lights, in the spring the Easter branch also looks beautiful in it and in summer you brighten up your interior with a large bunch of sunflowers. A real must-have, this Kersten vase. Ruby Concept Store - €59.95

Thankful tree printboard

I have collected several Thankful trees for you on this pinboard . Get inspired! The main photo is from this super nice blog: Dream green DIY . Carrie has a beautiful place there where she shows her DIY ideas and projects in a very relaxed way.

Supplies

Think of the Easter tree/branches, so is the basis of this 'tree'.

• branches
• a sturdy vase
• rope (nicely colored, ribbons, wool or pegs)
• labels that say, for example: “I am grateful for…”
• containers for the labels + pen
• extra autumn/winter decoration

How to

• put the branches in the vase. If it is not sturdy, weigh the vase, use fewer branches or a larger vase.
• make labels from paper and string. You can cut autumn leaves, buy ready-made labels - be creative
• Place the tree in a nice place with the container next to it where you put the empty labels + pen
• Decorate the tree to your own taste and hang a few completed labels on it as an example
• encourage your housemates to complete and hang up a label themselves

This way you can express your gratitude in a nice way and that creates a positive atmosphere in your home.

Beautiful printable

You can find a very nice printable via the beautiful blog Ella Claire & co. This allows you to turn a relatively simple autumn bouquet into a Thankful tree. Also a nice idea! For example, you can order a beautiful autumn bouquet here at Greetz.nl

💬 Tell me, what are you grateful for? Leave a message in a comment.

The author: Mariko Naber

Branding expert and online entrepreneur Mariko is the happy brain behind Happlify. Together with partner Mark, she runs Happlify, Sell your stuff online and branding agency Loaded ink BNO . She loves feel good, random acts of kindness, meatballs, chocolate mousse, family time, sea, piña colada, sugar & spice and everything nice.