Photo by Nancy Wilder

As the shortening days of November find us heading indoors earlier and for longer stretches of time, we are reminded to stop and savor the beauty of the last bright red, orange, and yellow leaves still clinging to their branches in spite of the brisk late-fall winds that whip up suddenly. November is always a perfect time of year to reflect on the joys and gifts in our lives, however large or small. And during this November of 2008, with economic uncertainty on our minds and a momentous election coming up (not to mention the long cold winter ahead), there is even more significance to looking anew at the spirit of “giving thanks.” What better time to sit down with children (most precious of gifts, and at times most exasperating!), or other friends and family to put your words, drawings, or symbols of gratitude on paper for all to share.

The idea with these Branches of Gratitude is that they “grow” as they are passed around, read aloud or just looked at, and added to by each person at the table (or in the circle – as with small children on the floor). You can create these playfully with children to make it an “art of thanks” game, or it can take on a deeper, more reflective tone with older children or adults. Either way, it is a very simple (though not necessarily easy) way to put down in a few words or drawings (great for young children) each of our reflections of gratitude for the gifts in our lives, especially now.

You will need:

~ branches, about a foot or two in length

~ Pencils, crayons or markers, ruler

~ 8-10 pieces of craft paper, in autumn hues

~ child-safe scissors

~ Hole punch and ball of twine

~ glue, sparkles, or other small adornments (optional)

To get started, remove any leaves or loose dirt from the branches, and take any stray insects outside to freedom. Lay the branches in the center of the table or circle. Next, use the pencil to outline a leaf shape on a piece of craft paper, and then cut it out. Children can use this as a template to trace twelve or more leaves on the craft paper. Then they can cut these out and fold them in half lengthwise then punch a hole in one end to loop a small piece of twine through. Now everyone can choose a few of these “leaves” and either write out in a few words or draw pictures of what they feel grateful for, and adorn the leaves as each likes. Then each person can tie his or her leaf to the branch and begin passing the branches around the circle to the next person to add their leaf to. After everyone has shared their gratitude, the branch can either be propped up in a sturdy weighted vase (or pot) in the center of the table or laid flat with the leaves spread out from it. Now enjoy your self-created Gratitude Branch.