If you want to have a Christmas tree that is a bit different or has a different significance, you might like this idea. It can be in addition to your usual Christmas tree or instead – and it is a lot cheaper, too.
Making a Christmas tree of thanks
So, get something to be your tree – it can be the branch of a tree, an artificial Christmas tree, a candelabra or even a pine cone!
Make the decorations for your tree – maybe once a week or once a day, or make lots early in December and randomly choose one each day to hang on your tree.
The decorations are all hand-made by everyone in your family/household. They can be squares of paper with a few words, or you can cut various shapes and draw pictures on them – whatever feels right for you.
Sharing gratitude
What is important is to write on each decoration about what you are thankful for. It can be anything, but some examples to get you started are:
Being thankful in the Christmas spirit
- thankful the family is healthy
- thank you for a great year
- thanks for having a place to call home
- I’m grateful to be part of this family
- thanks for the spirit and magic of Christmas
Each time you look at this special tree, you will be reminded of the good things in your lives. And you can make a special time on Christmas Eve or even Boxing Day to read the decorations together and value what is important.
It may be a great activity in the middle of Christmas Day if the kids are getting too caught up in presents.
Merry Christmas, and thanks for sharing the spirit and magic of Christmas with us.
What a lovely idea. We really do have so many things to be thankful for just because we live in Australia. We have such freedom to do whatever we want, don’t we.
Have a great Christmas
I read this yesterday and we put up our tree last night – our normal Christmas tree I mean. It was lovely to watch my kids get excited about the decorations and presents and everything, but I realised how much that is what they think of Christmas – they’ve forgotten the gratitude and togetherness aspects of Christmas.
So we’re going to try a thanks tree this year.
Thank you so much for giving me this idea. I think it will make a big difference in our house this year – and for ever. xxx
I hope it goes smoothly for you Michelle. THeir excitement is lovely, but yes there is more to Christmas than pretty decorations and tress xx
Santa’s Elf, this is a beautiful and thoughtful idea and I am deeply touched that you would imagine a tradition like this. Bless you Santa’s Elf.
Thank you for such lovely words, Magic Pixel. You’ve made my day 🙂
I really like this idea. Here in the States, we have Thanksgiving in late November. Many people put up their Christmas trees before Thanksgiving so that when the family gathers for the Thanksgiving dinner, the house is decorated and festive. I think this year, I will put up the tree before Thanksgiving and have the family make some “Thankful” ornaments. You could read them after Thanksgiving dinner or wait until Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. If the ornaments are made from paper and flat, you could put them in a scrapbook very easily. Wouldn’t it be neat to look back each year and remember what we were thankful for in years past? Great, great idea. Thanks for sharing!
I love your extension of this idea, Christi – putting the thankful messages in a scrapbook would be a great thing to look back on over time (and even at times when you’re feeling a bit down for that matter).