How To Make a DIY Pumpkin Centerpiece for Your Thanksgiving Dinner Table

Make your Thanksgiving holiday special with this beautiful centerpiece—it's the best DIY Thanksgiving idea ever! It is simple but personal and heartwarming. Create your own unique Thanksgiving chalkboard art without the chalkboard by using chalk markers to craft a Grateful Pumpkin.

First things first, what is the Grateful Pumpkin? Well, on Thanksgiving, it has long been a tradition in many households for family members to share what they are thankful for. Why not display these thoughts for all to see using chalk markers on a pumpkin?

On Thanksgiving at my house, friends and family gather around the table even before the giant turkey is out of the oven. Using the largest pumpkin I could find, we write down our thoughts with hearts full of gratitude. One by one, we tilt the pumpkin on its side and choose a space to share a few things we are thankful for.

Sometimes, a single family member has so much to be thankful for that they get carried away and fill a whole side of the pumpkin! That’s how fun this DIY Thanksgiving idea is—and why you should always have an extra pumpkin ready!

(Pro tip: Make sure the marker ink has completely dried before tilting the pumpkin onto that side.)

Are you ready to try making your own Thanksgiving Grateful Pumpkin Centerpiece? It's super easy — you won't even break a sweat!

• I prefer using white liquid chalk markers for this Thanksgiving chalk art project, but other colors also work if you're in the mood for a more modern look. Once you've selected the chalk markers you want to use, each person can simply tilt the pumpkin and write down their blessings, one by one.

• There is no rule that says you have to start at the top of the pumpkin, of course, but writing near the top first and circling around the pumpkin can serve as a great guide for the next person. This design also makes it easier to read all the chalkboard art messages of thanks aloud at the table.

• Have someone who is confident about writing on the pumpkin's surface start things off so everyone feels at ease. Just have them write, “I am thankful for…” or "Thank You for..." and whatever it is they are grateful for, and soon everyone will be eager to join in! 

• You can also decorate the leftover spaces between messages of gratitude using classic liquid chalk markers.

Eager to try something new for Thanksgiving this year? This is a surefire DIY Thanksgiving idea that can bring friends and family closer together as they wait for the turkey. Make Thanksgiving special, memorable and intimate with this Thanksgiving chalkboard art centerpiece and share your thoughts of thankfulness this holiday season!