I need to tell you about the cutest tradition that’s been completely taking over my world lately. So last week I was scrolling through Instagram while procrastinating on laundry (as one does), and I kept seeing these gorgeous gratitude trees everywhere. Like, everywhere. My feed was full of families gathered around these beautiful handmade trees covered in colorful leaves with the sweetest messages written on them.
At first I thought it was just another Pinterest trend that would fade by Black Friday, but then my cousin Maya called me up all excited about this gratitude tree she made with her three kids. She was gushing about how her youngest, who’s usually bouncing off the walls, sat quietly for twenty minutes writing about being thankful for “mommy’s pancakes shaped like dinosaurs” and “when daddy reads voices for all the characters.” I mean, come on, that’s the kind of stuff that makes your heart feel too big for your chest.
The more she talked, the more I realized this wasn’t just some cute craft, it was actually changing how her family talks to each other. Like, her middle kid who’s been going through that sulky pre-teen phase suddenly started sharing things he was grateful for at dinner without being asked. Her oldest daughter started leaving little gratitude notes on everyone’s pillows. Maya said it was like this tree opened up this whole new way for them to connect.
That got me thinking about my own childhood and how my grandma always made us go around the table at Thanksgiving saying what we were thankful for. I used to roll my eyes so hard I’m surprised they didn’t get stuck, but now I realize those moments were actually pretty special. She passed away three years ago, and I’d give anything to hear her say “I’m grateful for all my grandchildren, even when they give me gray hairs” one more time.
So naturally, I went down this whole rabbit hole researching gratitude trees, and wow, there are so many creative ways to make them. Some are simple enough for my disaster-prone crafting skills (remember when I tried to make a wreath and somehow got hot glue in my hair?), while others are gorgeous enough to make you feel like you should have your own HGTV show.
The best part is seeing how different families make them their own. My neighbor Maria uses fabric scraps from her sewing projects and writes in both English and Spanish. My friend Josh, who’s got three boys under eight, lets them use washable markers because, let’s be real, those kids are going to get marker everywhere anyway. My coworker Sarah keeps hers up year-round and adds new leaves whenever something special happens, like when her mom finally beat cancer or when her daughter took her first steps.
What gets me excited about these gratitude trees is they’re not just decorations, they’re conversation starters. They’re memory makers. They turn thankfulness from something we think about once a year into this living, growing reminder of all the good stuff happening in our lives. Plus, they’re way more meaningful than just buying another fall decoration from Target (though don’t get me wrong, I still love Target).
I’ve been collecting ideas from everywhere: Pinterest boards, craft blogs, that one mom at school pickup who always has the most amazing seasonal decorations, even my seven-year-old nephew who suggested we should make leaves out of real leaves (which is actually kind of genius). Some of these are so simple you could literally make them during naptime, while others are perfect weekend projects for when you want to get the whole family involved.
Whether you’re the type who has a dedicated craft room with everything organized in labeled bins, or you’re more like me and consider finding a working pen a minor miracle, I promise there’s an idea here that’ll work for your family. Some need zero artistic ability (thank goodness), some let you go wild with creativity, and all of them create something beautiful you’ll want to keep looking at long after the turkey leftovers are gone.
1. Paper Leaf Gratitude Tree
This one reminds me of those nature walks I used to take with my dad when I was little, except now I’m looking at branches with craft projects in mind instead of climbing potential. You grab a medium to large tree branch from your yard or that park down the street, nothing fancy, just something sturdy enough to hold paper leaves without toppling over.
Cut out leaves from colorful cardstock or those patterned papers you bought six months ago with the best intentions. Write what you’re thankful for on each leaf, but get specific with it. Instead of just “family,” try “Mom’s voice messages that are somehow always exactly what I needed to hear” or “Dad still trying to be cool by using slang from 2015.” Those detailed moments are what make you smile when you read them later.
Hang the leaves with thin ribbon or baker’s twine, arrange your branch in a vase or that collection of mason jars you swore you’d use someday, and suddenly you have this gorgeous centerpiece. My friend Sarah made one last year and kept it up until February because every time she walked through her kitchen, those little gratitude notes just brightened her whole morning. She said it was like having tiny love letters to her life scattered throughout her tree.
2. Construction Paper Wall Tree
Remember those elementary school bulletin boards with paper trees? This takes that same energy but makes it meaningful for grown-ups. Create a tree trunk on your wall using brown construction paper, and don’t worry about making it look like it belongs in an art gallery. The slightly crooked, clearly handmade look is actually what gives it personality.
Get everyone involved in cutting out multi-colored leaves. My seven-year-old nephew went completely wild with safety scissors last time I tried this, creating leaves that looked more like abstract art than anything from nature, but that’s what made them perfect. Write gratitude notes on each one and stick them all over your wall tree.
This version works because you can keep it up way past November. Every time you walk down that hallway or through the living room, you’re reminded of good things happening in your life. My sister has had hers up for eight months now, and she keeps adding new leaves whenever something worth celebrating happens. It’s become like a visual diary of their family’s grateful moments.
3. Clay Dough Leaves Thankful Tree
My sister-in-law is one of those people who finds pottery relaxing instead of frustrating (meanwhile, I can barely center clay without it flying off the wheel), and she inspired this whole idea. Collect some interesting twigs from your yard or during a family walk, arrange them in whatever vase you have handy, then make your own clay dough leaves from scratch.
Rolling out that dough and cutting leaf shapes is surprisingly therapeutic. My mom always said working with your hands helps clear your head, and she was right about this one. Let the leaves dry completely, paint them however makes you happy, write your thankful messages with a fine-tip marker, add a coat of clear varnish to protect everything, then hang them with yarn or thin rope.
These leaves will last for years, which means this tree becomes something you can pass down. My friend Jessica made one when her daughter was three, and now her daughter is twelve and still gets excited seeing that leaf where she wrote “thankful for ice cream every day” in her wobbly preschool handwriting. Some traditions are worth the extra effort.
4. Printable Gratitude Tree for Kids
Free printables are basically life savers for busy parents, and whoever creates them deserves endless gratitude. You can find beautiful tree and leaf templates online, print them on cardstock, and let the kids completely take over with crayons, markers, colored pencils, whatever art supplies are currently scattered across your kitchen table.
This works perfectly for families with little ones because there are no rules. Kids can color outside the lines, make purple leaves, draw random dinosaurs in the corners, write their names seventeen times. It’s their gratitude tree, and watching them get serious about coloring while chattering about what they’re thankful for creates some of the sweetest moments.
My niece made one last year and wrote that she was grateful for “spaghetti and my stuffed elephant Mr. Peanuts.” Six months later, she still talks about that tree and asks if we can make another one for Christmas. Sometimes the simplest crafts create the most lasting memories.
5. Spray Painted Stick Tree
This idea came from a nature walk I took last month when I was feeling stressed about work. Sometimes getting outside and looking for interesting sticks and branches is exactly the reset your brain needs. Once you’ve collected a few pieces you like, spray paint them white or whatever color makes you feel calm and happy.
After the paint dries completely, hang your paper gratitude leaves with natural twine or colorful ribbon. If you’re feeling artistic, grab some tempera paint sticks and add small decorative touches to the branches. The contrast between the painted branches and handwritten leaves creates this beautiful rustic-modern look that works in any room.
My neighbor made one using branches from her oak tree and painted them soft gray. She hung it by her front window, and now every time I walk by her house, I see this elegant tree that somehow makes the whole space feel more intentional and peaceful.
6. Alternative Materials Adventures
Instead of sticking with just paper leaves, branch out into materials that feel good under your fingers. Try clay leaves that you can texture with forks or stamps, felt pieces that add softness and warmth, or fabric scraps if you’re into sewing projects. My grandma always saved interesting fabric pieces in an old cookie tin, and using those for a gratitude tree would have made her so happy.
Add personality with yarn details, a touch of glitter (because some of us never outgrow our sparkle phase), or use different colored markers to create rainbow effects. For the base, think beyond regular vases. Check out thrift stores for unique containers, use terra cotta pots you can paint, or repurpose that pitcher you never use for actual water.
Last weekend I found this gorgeous vintage ceramic pitcher at a garage sale for three dollars. The woman selling it said it belonged to her mother who used it for Sunday flowers, and now it’s going to hold gratitude branches. Sometimes the best craft supplies come with their own stories.
7. Handprints and Footprints Connection
Combining gratitude trees with classic handprint turkey crafts brings back all those elementary school memories, but with more meaning behind them. Kids can express what they’re thankful for while creating keepsakes you’ll treasure way longer than you expect.
My friend Michelle did this with her toddler last Thanksgiving, and seeing his tiny handprint turkey surrounded by leaves about being grateful for “Mommy’s hugs” and “ice cream Sundays” made everyone at their dinner table get a little teary-eyed. Those small moments when kids say exactly what they’re feeling without any filter are pure gold.
The handprints capture how little they were at this exact moment in time, while their gratitude words capture how they saw the world. Years from now, you’ll look at those tiny handprints and remember not just how small their hands were, but what made them happy when they were three or five or seven.
8. Getting Everyone Involved
The real joy happens when the whole family participates instead of making this just another mom project. Get dad to write leaves about his fantasy football victories, convince grandpa to share stories from his childhood, let teenagers write about their friends without judgment, even if it’s something like “grateful Jake finally noticed I exist.”
Encourage specific details instead of generic responses. “Health” becomes “grateful my knee didn’t hurt during that long hike last weekend.” “Family” turns into “grateful Dad still makes pancakes shaped like Mickey Mouse even though we’re too old to admit we love it.” Those particular moments make you smile every time you read them.
Make way more leaves than you think you need. A full, abundant tree feels completely different from a sparse one. My cousin’s kids kept making leaves until their tree looked like it was about to burst with gratitude, and walking into their dining room felt like getting wrapped in a warm hug.
9. Display Ideas That Work
Location makes all the difference for these trees. Put them somewhere you’ll actually see them every day: kitchen island where you have morning coffee, dining room table where family gathers, living room mantle that everyone passes, or right by the front door so it’s the first thing greeting you when you come home.
Natural branches give you that gorgeous rustic vibe that makes everything feel cozy and grounded. Colorful paper versions bring cheerful, modern energy that brightens up any space. Both approaches work beautifully, it just depends on what makes you feel good when you look at it.
My mom keeps hers on the kitchen windowsill where morning sunlight filters through the leaves, creating these lovely shadows on the wall. She says starting her day reading gratitude notes while drinking coffee sets the right tone for everything that follows.
10. Extending the Gratitude Practice
What gets me excited about gratitude trees is they don’t have to be packed away after Thanksgiving dinner. Keep yours up all year, switching out leaves seasonally or adding fresh ones when something wonderful happens. New job, first steps, good news from the doctor, surprise visit from an old friend.
Consider pairing your tree with a gratitude jar where family members drop notes throughout the year, or start a simple journal tradition alongside the visual reminder. Share what you wrote on your leaves during Sunday morning breakfast or weeknight dinners when everyone needs a reminder that good things are happening.
The craft itself is lovely, but the conversations it creates are what matter most. My friend’s eight-year-old daughter started leaving gratitude notes for her little brother after they made their tree, which led to the sweetest bedtime routine of sharing three good things from each day. Sometimes a simple craft project opens doors to connections you didn’t know your family needed.
The point isn’t just creating something pretty for Instagram, though these trees photograph beautifully. It’s about making thankfulness visible in your everyday space, creating this gentle reminder that even during difficult seasons, there’s always something worth appreciating. In a world that often feels heavy and complicated, having a corner of your home dedicated to gratitude feels like a small act of rebellion, a way of saying we’re going to notice the good stuff too.
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