Handmade Gratitude Place Cards

Can you hear it? The holiday season is knocking at our door, and with it comes that lengthy list of all we want to do to make this year the most special one yet. That list usually leaves us stressed out and with very little time leftover to enjoy ourselves.

My husband and I really enjoy hosting holiday dinners, and so I’m always looking for ways to add a handmade touch that don’t require very much time or money. When it comes to Thanksgiving dinner, my favorite thing to do is make personalized place settings that double as a little gratitude exercise. What is even better about this little project is that I can use the little pumpkins I have leftover from my Halloween decorations.

This will only take a couple minutes for each guest you plan on having over. Simply rubber-stamp your guests’ names on shipping tags. If you have beautiful penmanship, you can also write them yourself. Tie the tag to a pumpkin using the string provided, or you can replace that with a ribbon of your choice. When guests arrive to the table, ask them to flip the tag over and write one thing they are thankful for this year. Hang the guests’ responses on branches, your centerpiece, or place them in a bowl. During dessert, take turns reading what each guest is thankful for. It’s a simple but significant way to celebrate what Thanksgiving means to so many people.