DIY Crafts to Make This Thanksgiving Truly Special

It’s that time of year again! We’re well on our way into the holiday season and Thanksgiving is coming up fast. Thanksgiving is a day to give thanks, spend time with family, and eat good food. This year, start a new tradition of crafting together with these DIY Thanksgiving crafts.

Your whole extended family has come to your home for the festivities, ready for the rich turkey and delicious stuffing. Remember the meaning of Thanksgiving – spending time together and giving thanks. Bring that point home with special place cards and thank you cards. These table decorations are easy to make and will make everyone feel special and loved. 

Rosemary Sprig Place Cards  

Place cards will help you organize your guests and eliminate the stress of guests scrambling for seats. They are so simple, yet beautiful.

All you need are some rosemary sprigs (steal some from the kitchen!), plain card stock, something to write with, and a hole punch.

1. Write the guest’s name on the front of the card stock.
2. Hole-punch the top of the card stock.
3. Stick the rosemary sprig through the hole.

This decoration is meant to be elegantly minimalist. Within a minute, you can have a beautiful personalized place card that everyone will appreciate. Make them even more personal by experimenting with different writing styles and fonts. Write a personal message on the back for an extra touch. Your grandchildren will love it.

Handwritten Thank You Cards

There’s nothing quite like a handwritten thank you note. Create a momento your family will treasure for years to come by writing thank you cards with your family.

Writing thank you notes is a perfect intergenerational activity. The grandchildren can write thank-you cards to the grandparents, and vice versa. It will remind the youngsters of the meaning of Thanksgiving and create a deeper bond between the different generations.

Gather everyone up and sit in a circle. Set craft supplies in the center of the circle and let the creative juices flow. Encourage your family to express their love and gratitude to make each card different and special. Making a great-looking thank-you card is simple and fun. All it takes is card stock, scissors, something to write with, and some holiday-themed rubber stamps.

1. Cut the card stock into your preferred size. Have fun with different shapes!
2. Write your message on the back of the card. The more personal and heartfelt, the better.
3. Stamp your card with the rubber stamps for a festive flair. Try some silhouettes of fallen leaves or a turkey!

The cornucopia is the centerpiece for many Thanksgiving dinner tables. Instead of buying a plastic one with fake fruit, why not make one yourself? It’s a fun arts and crafts activity that all ages can enjoy, from kids to seniors. Do this one with the grandchildren! You’ll be making an authentic symbol of Thanksgiving that dates back millennia.

While you spend quality time with your grandchildren, you can wow them with the cornucopia’s rich history. The cornucopia, Latin for “horn of plenty,” is a horn-shaped basket that’s filled with fruits and vegetables. The cornucopia long predates Christopher Columbus’ discovery of the New World. It even shows up in Greek mythology. The cornucopia is a symbol of abundance; in one ancient legend, the cornucopia was filled with infinite food and drink. It delivered anything the owner wanted!

Making a cornucopia is simple. All you’ll need is a wicker cornucopia (Found in any arts and crafts store), straw, leaves, a ribbon, and an assortment of fruits, vegetables, and nuts.

1. Pick the perfect table to display your creation. Choose a place where everyone will be able to see and enjoy it.
2. Line the table with leaves to create a base and place the wicker cornucopia on top.
3. Line open end of the cornucopia with straw.
4. Fill the cone with the real fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Don’t be afraid if it gets messy; the produce is supposed to spill out in abundance.
5. Tie a ribbon at the tail-end of the cornucopia.

And that’s it! Leave it at the center of the table so everyone can see it and make use of its abundance. Skip the pumpkin pie and take use of the fresh produce that’s inside the cornucopia. A crisp apple might cure some of the Thanksgiving post-meal lethargy.

The holiday season is a time of joy and quality time spent with family. It’s the only time of year to eat rich turkey, sweet ham, and decadent pie without remorse. But in our golden years we should be aware of our physical and emotional health. The hustle and bustle of the holidays can leave us stressed, overworked, or overstuffed. Here are some tips to stay happy and healthy during Thanksgiving:

• Don’t eat too much.We couldn’t have Thanksgiving without the delicious Thanksgiving feast. But also don’t forget that Thanksgiving food is often high in fat, sodium, and sugar.  So be careful with the turkey, stuffing, gravy, and apple pie. It’s important to make sure—especially during the holidays—to eat light and stay healthy. As a senior, overeating can lead to heartburn, indigestion, or other unpleasant outcomes.
• Make sure the walkways are clear.With so many guests in the home, clutter can build up quickly. Grandchildren running in excitement also pose a fall hazard. Even if you have a medical alert system, your health and safety is of utmost importance. Ask some relatives to keep the house clean and to control the kids if things get a little chaotic.
• De-stress every now and then.The grandchildren are chasing each other, the kitchen is bustling, and everyone’s fatigued from traveling long distances. It’s easy to get caught up in the commotion and completely change your daily routine. You may need a place to relax and get away from the holiday stress if you’re used to aging in place in a calm, quiet home. Speak with a family member to see if you can borrow an empty, well-lit bedroom. Take some time for yourself and de-stress. Make your mental and physical health a top priority.

We look forward to the holidays each year. Days full of activities, family, and good times to share. Alert1 wants to make sure you’re safe during the commotion of the holidays with a medical alert system. Take advantage of the holidays to be crafty with your family. These crafts will make this year’s Thanksgiving truly special!

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