• Thanksgiving Gatherings
• Cranberry Creations

Thanksgiving Gatherings

Creative table-decorating ideas, fun activities for the family and kids, and special ways of recognizing Thanksgiving are just a few of the tips you'll read here.

Creative Table-Decorating Ideas

The rich autumnal hues of green, yellow, red and orange make it easy to dress up our tables and dining spaces with vibrant splashes of color. The cooler weather makes us want to add more texture and rustic nature to our decorating. Here are some creative, easy ideas for  beautiful Thanksgiving table scapes you'll love putting together, and your loved ones will enjoy.

• Fallen Branch Centerpiece -- Collect fallen tree branches from outside. Look for branches with several interesting twigs that will look good together grouped in a vase. Use a die-cut machine to cut out flowers, or draw them free-hand and cut out with scissors. Your flowers may be cut from autumn colors of felt, card stock, scrapbook paper, fabric -- almost anything you have on hand! Glue the flowers to the branches. Place the branches in an inexpensive glass vase or small pitcher for an eye-catching centerpiece.


• Sheaves of Wheat -- Bundles of dried wheat, tied with simple satin orange ribbon bring nice textural balance to your decor. Tuck them into corners of the dining space or on the buffet between dishes. Make mini bundles to use for inexpensive place markers. Add small pieces of coiled wire inside the center of bundles and tuck a place card in each wire.


• Pumpkin of Plenty  -- Hollow out a pumpkin half and fill it with colorful fruit such as red and green apples, pears and grapes. Tuck in small chrysanthemum stems and place in the center of the table. This will introduce a striking, colorful and edible touch to the table.


• Simple Pilgrim Hat -- My favorite centerpiece or mini favors involve creating pilgrim hats from terra-cotta pots. Painted black, the pots can be made to resemble pilgrim hats. Use black felt to fashion a hatband and brim, and yellow felt to make a buckle. Use a larger pot with mums placed inside for the center of the table. Use a smaller hat with a simple snack mix or candies placed inside for sweet favors.   

Creative Ways to Show Gratitude

Let's face it, the true meaning of Thanksgiving often gets lost in the hustle and bustle of traveling, cooking, eating and shopping. Here are some ways to make the day more meaningful.

• Photo Pennant Banner -- Create a banner showcasing Thanksgiving guests from electronic or copied photos. Cut photos into triangular shapes and mount onto colorful card stock or patterned paper, and hang in a prominent place such as the mantel or above your entry-way door. As a special touch, write how each person is a blessing to you and your family above or below the photo with a journaling pen. Guests will love seeing their photographs and what you have written about them when they arrive.


• Creative Card Making -- To keep guests busy while the meal cooks, invite them to create simple greeting cards for a special charity or soldiers serving abroad by providing basic supplies such as paper trimmers, card stock, rubber stamps and markers. Provide two or three simple examples for them and put a crafty guest in charge of this station to provide basic steps. Guests will appreciate being able to "give back" while waiting on a delicious homemade meal.


• A Special Hostess Gift -- As a special way of saying thank you to the host and/or hostess, coordinate a personalized thank-you gift such as a sewn apron or decorated jar. Invite guests to sign the apron with a short thank-you note using a fabric pen. As an alternative to this idea, let guests write thank-you notes on small pieces of paper with permanent markers. Decoupage a jar with the thank-you notes in a collage-type pattern. Fill the jar with the host's or hostess' favorite small candies and present them at dinner. These ideas will, of course, require some advance planning.


• The Jar of Thanks -- Hand out small pieces of paper and invite guests to describe one thing they are thankful for. Place in the jar. Before, during or after the meal, draw pieces of paper, read aloud and have guests try to guess who wrote it. You might even let the kids take turns reading the slips of paper out loud. This will be a fun, stress-free way of inviting your guests to show their gratitude.

Fun Ideas for the Kids

Kids love to take part in Thanksgiving but often get bored traveling or waiting for the meal to be prepared. Delight kids with these fun ideas.

• On-the-Go Travel Box -- Taking a lengthy trip to grandma's this year? Surprise your child with a personalized travel box filled with materials to entertain him or her for hours on end. Stash colored pencils, stickers, paper, beads or anything else you can think of inside the box. This box does not have to contain expensive materials but should contain items that your child loves and are "new" in some way. Coordinate with your hostess and see if she'd like the kids to create personalized place cards for each dinner guest. They'll love creating place cards for Grandma, Grandpa, Mom, Dad, aunts, uncles and cousins!


• Musical Turkey Strut -- This is a fun game for young children. Create turkey feet in a circle on the floor with black electrical tape. Play fun music, such as Turkey in the Straw, and have the kids stop on the black turkey feet when the music stops. Older kids can be invited to stop and start the music.


• Handprints Turkey Tablecloth -- This is a messy activity, but it's also one that kids will love. Let kids dip their hands in tempura paint and press them onto a large piece of white butcher's paper to create turkey feathers. When the paint dries, have kids make smaller turkey details and write their names with a black permanent marker. They have now created their own special tablecloth!