October 14, 2026

How to Make a Family Thankful Tree Centerpiece with Free Templates

A thankful tree made from a branch and hanging paper leaves
A thankful tree made from a branch and hanging paper leaves

The thankful tree sits in the middle of the table all month. Each person adds a leaf. On Thanksgiving you read them.

What you need

  • A branch that stands in a jar
  • Stones or rice to weight the jar
  • Paper leaves from the template
  • Hole punch and thread

Stand the branch

A short, wide branch looks better than a tall one that tips. Weight the jar.

Write small

One word or one sentence. Punch a hole and hang the leaf with thread.

Read them once

At the start of dinner, read a handful. Then eat. The tree can stay up through the weekend.

Download

Download the leaf template

Want the mess to stay at the studio? Open Studio in Milton is a drop-in hour for this kind of making. Weekend sessions are on the events page.