This Thankful Tree is a sweet centerpiece you can craft ahead of time — and it’s perfect for teaching kids what Thanksgiving is really about. To make it, get branches from your yard or local florist (I used curly willow) and cut paper leaves from construction paper. You’ll just need a small piece of double stick tape to attach the foliage to your branches.

Gold paper from Paper Source embellished with Martha Stewart Crafts Deep Edge Punch from Michaels, pillar candles from Colonial Candle, gold paint for pumpkins from Martha Stewart Craft Paint, chocolate turkeys from Godiva, birch rounds for trivets from SaveonCrafts.

When people arrive or just as they sit down to eat, ask guests to pick a leaf and write what they’re thankful for. Go around table and read the leaves, then add them to your scrapbook when the holiday is over. (It’s so nice to read these year after year.)

Paper leaves from Courtney McFarland.

A painted gourd is a quick, elegant place card for the table. Write guests' names on a piece of paper and attach it to the stem.

Martha Stewart Crafts Paint from Michaels.

I like to have a special table for the kids at Thanksgiving. Decorating is simple: Just have children draw designs on a brown craft paper “tablecloth” with crayons, stickers, and stamps.

Amscan turkey table decorating kit, orange paper napkins, and gold paper drinking cups, all from Party City.

Paper cups can be embellished with glitter leaf stickers and flameless, battery-powered candles will make kids feel like grown-ups. A simple turkey serves as a place card.

Paper turkeys from PaperSource, glittered leaf stickers from Martha Stewart Crafts, Battery flickering candles from Saveoncrafts.

Paper turkeys can also double as place cards and napkin rings.

Candy cups filled with candy and popcorn become ships when you adorn them with my Mayflower clip art. You can also attach our template to a skewer, then stand it in a cup full of treats.

Gold paper candy cups, New York Cake and Bake.

Attach pilgrim clip art to skewers and place in cupcakes and other treats.

Download the Pilgrim Clip Art

Menu cards are a fun way to let guests know what’s to come. You can also add personal touches, like identifying which courses are family recipes.

Download the Cornucopia Menu Clip Art

Download the Pilgrim Menu Clip Art

Download the Turkey Menu Clip Art

Paper from Paper Source, cylinders from SaveonCrafts.com.

Create beautiful table decor with a simple craft punch tool. Just punch around paper and tape to cups and candles.

Martha Stewart Crafts Deep Edge Daisy Fan Punch from Michaels.

Print these easy place mats and ask kids to write what they're thankful for. You can also print our black-and-white version so kids can color the place mat themselves -- an extra activity to keep them busy during the meal.

Kids' Place Mat in Color

Kids' Place Mat in Black and White