By Felicia Czochanski
Holidays are the perfect time for family and friends to gather and spend quality time together. Whether most of your family lives in different areas, or if you all live within the same neighborhood, there is a special atmosphere that holidays create that make the day different than any other. Food, certainly, is part of that feeling. Traditions are another big one. Whether your family already has go-to traditions that have been passed down for generations, or if you’re looking to start your own, I’m sharing an easy DIY craft the whole family can take part in. It’s something that can be carried through each Thanksgiving year after year!
Thanksgiving can be a special time for reflection on all the good things that have happened in the past year. As 2022 starts winding down and we think to the year ahead, it is important to look back and appreciate the moments you’re proud of, the things that made you happy, and the people who made it possible. I love leveraging the sentiment of Thanksgiving to do this exercise with my loved ones. We usually will go around the table and each person will say something they are grateful for. But what if you have a whole handful of moments or people you want to acknowledge? That’s where this fun DIY craft comes in.
There are two ways you can build this activity out and adapt it so that you’re just using craft materials that you find in your house like paper, pens, paint, stickers and so on, to enhance the box or vase or dish you find at your favorite Goodwill. I found this awesome wooden box and knew it had potential for some sort of craft – or even as storage! When I’m shopping at Goodwill, I always make a point of stopping by the home section because you never know what gems you’ll find there! I’m usually on the look out for unique glassware or dishware because I like to make things fun when I’m hosting. The same goes for vases of different shapes and sizes. On my last trip, I found this box and tall simple vase and took them home with me.
The first step to building your DIY gratitude box is to select your collection vehicle. Whether you choose a box, a vase, or a fun bowl, pick where all your gratitude notes are going to go. The second step – decorate! This is something that will be especially fun for the children in your family. Let them get as creative as they want with this using any crafting materials you have on hand. Then, cut out small pieces of paper and hand each person at your gathering a few papers and a pen or marker. Each person can write down anonymously what they’re grateful for this year, and drop it into your gratitude box, vase, or bowl. In between courses, pick a few gratitude cards out of the box and read them aloud. You’ll soon learn there’s a lot to be thankful for this year!
Wishing everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving! Do you have a DIY family tradition or craft you’ve made using something found at Goodwill? We’d love to see it! Tag us on @goodwillintl.
