I debuted this delicious pumpkin monkey bread at a fall family party, and I can’t wait to make it for Thanksgiving dinner. Along with pumpkin pie and pumpkin roll, this dessert recipe is sure to be a hit with my family and friends. It’s almost like a pumpkin cinnamon roll, only better! We’ve come up with a bunch of other Thanksgiving Ideas and Activities for you to choose from for your big holiday, too. Check them out!
Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cans Pillsbury buttermilk biscuits
8 oz cream cheese
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup melted butter (1 stick)
Cooking spray
Directions
Preheat your over to 350°F and spray a bundt pan with cooking spray
Open the cans of buttermilk biscuits, separate them, and cut each biscuit in half. You should have 32 pieces.
In a gallon Ziploc bag mix ½ cup sugar, the pumpkin spice, and cinnamon. Set off to the side.
Next, mix the cream cheese and the rest of the sugar (1/4 cup).
Flatten a piece of buttermilk biscuit. Put a small spoonful of the cream cheese in the center, and roll into a ball. Repeat this with the rest of the dough.
Put 5 balls of dough in the Ziploc bag mix and shake until the dough is coated. Place the dough balls evenly in the bundt pan.
Melt the butter and stir in the brown sugar. Pour the mixture evenly over the dough.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until the top is brown and the biscuits are cooked through.
Enjoy making this delicious dessert, and Happy Thanksgiving from the Party Girl! Don't forget to check out our other great Thanksgiving Ideas as well:
The Halloween Lab Lollipop display I made for my Mad Scientist Halloween Party was a huge hit with family and friends. I created two stands with glass vases, Styrofoam balls, stretchy spider webs, and a lot of patience. It took me a while to make the lollipops work in the first stand, but after I figured out the logistics, my second display was easy!
I thought I’d pass along a tutorial to help you make your own. My twelve lollipops really popped with all the other desserts in my Halloween Spooky Lab Candy Buffet. Make sure to take a look at all our other Mad Scientist Laboratory Halloween Ideas, too, so you can surprise all the monsters at your next party!
Materials (makes 1 display)
A glass vase
Black permanent marker
Two pieces cardstock (theme colors are yellow, green, and blue)
White stretchy spider webs
Styrofoam ball
Small glass vase (same diameter as Styrofoam ball)
First, draw the "beaker" measurements on the side of the vase with black permanent marker. It should dry quickly in about 5 minutes.
Then, cut the paper cardstock to the height of the vase and arrange the paper around the inside edge. The cardstock will help hide the styrofoam stand.
Next, wedge the styrofoam ball into the second small vase, and push the lollipops into the Styrofoam about 3 inches.
Put the small vase into the large vase. You may need to pad the smaller vase with hand towels so that it doesn't slide around in the larger vase.
Finally, arrange the stretchy spider webs at the base of the lollipops so it looks like "foam" in a "beaker". Enjoy!
Have fun building your own candy display, and don't forget to take a look at my other detailed posts on this Mad Scientist Halloween Party:
Thanksgiving is a time of celebration and traditions: 15 pound turkeys, grandma’s pumpkin pie, afternoon football, and two hour naps are all ones we can get behind. What seems to sometimes be lacking, however, is the spirit of giving which defines the holiday season.
Many of us are familiar with the tradition of sitting around the dinner table on Thanksgiving while each person says what they’re thankful for. To break the monotony of this somewhat boring tradition, I creating a list of 10 fun ways for you and the family to give thanks this Thanksgiving. Hopefully, one or two of these Thanksgiving Crafts and Activities will become part of your yearly traditions!
Be Grateful Crescent Rolls (pictured above): As guests arrive for Thanksgiving, have them write what they are thankful for on a strip of parchment paper. Fold each slip in half, and roll them up in store bought crescent rolls. At dinner, have guests break open their rolls and read their slips out loud. Turn this tradition into a game by having friends and family guess whose slip is whose! (TIP: Roll the crescents loosely, so the paper doesn’t rip when they are opened.)
“Giving Thanks” Table Runner: Purchase or make a neutral, solid-colored runner to fit the table where you have Thanksgiving dinner. Before eating, have each guest write what they’re thankful for on the runner with permanent marker. For small children, trace their hand, instead. Continue adding to the runner year after year to make a special Thanksgiving memento! Variation: Try this tradition on a larger scale with a tablecloth, instead.
Thanksgiving Awards Ceremony: This tradition does a great job of teaching children and adults alike that being kind and giving to others is an important trait. Before the big day, have each family member create an “award” for someone in the family, acknowledging them for something “giving” they have done in the past year. You might give an older sibling a “Best Chauffer” award for driving younger siblings to and from school and activities, or a husband a “Most Spirited” award for attending every pee-wee football game.
Thanksgiving Chain Garland: This fun tradition helps take the thankful spirit into the Christmas season as well! Cut 6x2 inch strips of brown craft paper, and as guests arrive, have them take a strip and write what they’re thankful for with a permanent marker. Children should further decorate their strips with markers, stickers, feathers, etc. After dinner, have the kiddos make a chain from the strips, and use the garland as a Christmas decoration on a tree or mantle!
Thankful Pumpkins: Put a mini-pumpkin at each place setting as a decoration. Before dinner, pass out permanent markers, and have each guest write one word for each thing they’re thankful for. Display the pumpkins as part of your Thanksgiving centerpiece, or have guests take them home as favors! Having family and friends write what they’re thankful for on a large pumpkin at the party’s entrance works well as a sign-in and is a fun twist to this activity!
Jar of Gratitude: Starting on the first day of November, have each family member write something they’re thankful for and put it in a jar. This might be a fun activity to do around the dinner table. After having Thanksgiving dinner, read all the slips from the jar. Make this fun tradition a game by guessing whose slip is whose. Each correct guess gets a point!
Thanksgiving Advent Calendar: Similar to Christmas advent calendars, a Thanksgiving version will have your family excitedly waiting for Turkey Day to arrive! Create a tree trunk made out of craft paper, and attach it to an empty space on a wall. Make leaves out of fall colored paper, and number each one. (Number them based on the amount of days in November leading up to Thanksgiving.) On the other side of the leaf, write one thing you and your family are thankful for. When each day arrives, have the kiddos flip over the leaf and read it to the rest of the family. Variations: Try adding leaves describing what you’re thankful for instead of taking them away, or, on the back of the leaf, describe an activity the kids must complete that shows a giving spirit (i.e. bake grandma cookies, rake Mr. Patterson’s lawn, make Dad a card).
Turkey Day Journal: Instead of sharing what you’re thankful for around the dinner table, pass a journal and pencil to each guest over the course of the afternoon and evening, and have them write it down instead. Pass the same journal around each year, and watch as family and friends look back on what they’ve written over the years!
Choose a Charity: Get your family involved with the community by spending the month of November contributing to a local charity. Whether it’s a donation to a local food bank or a Toys for Tots fundraiser, this tradition will help teach your family and friends the importance of giving!
Give a Cookie: Have each member of the family (or each family of the group) bring 1-2 dozen cookies (indicate this on an invitation, perhaps). A variety works best. After dinner, have the children make up plates of cookies, which they can then distribute to neighbors as Thanksgiving dessert! This fun activity will not only keep the kids occupied after dinner, but it will also teach them the importance of giving to others and neighborly kindness!
Thanksgiving Day is also a great opportunity to start getting ready for your Christmas celebrations. Choose names for a Secret Santa, or have guests bring ornaments to exchange, so they can start decorating their trees once December rolls around. Enjoy starting new holiday traditions, and Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at Party411.com!
While this Thanksgiving centerpiece requires a crafty hand and a little bit of time, you’ll definitely achieve a wow factor with this Turkey Day themed decoration. Whether on the mantle or as part of a table or buffet centerpiece, this book turkey will turn some heads this holiday season. Not only does this decoration attract attention with its creativity, this project can also be made at a minimum cost with materials that are already sitting around at home!
Also, if you’re feeling like taking on a larger project, book turkeys (or the pumpkin variation) would be great table place cards or favors for guests to take home! Make sure to follow my step-by-step tutorial for the book turkey and pumpkin variation of this craft below, and after trying this fun craft, take a look at our other Thanksgiving Ideas and Activities to make your holiday a special one!
Rip off the front cover of the paperback book. I used The Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens because (a) I already had two copies of the book, and (b) it was at least 1 ½ inches thick.
Print and cutout Turkey Template 1. Find the halfway point of the book, and trace the template with a permanent marker onto the bottom half of the page.
Use an X-Acto knife to cut the pages of the book along the template. You can try using a small pair of scissors instead, but a sharp X-Acto knife will be easier.
Cut out all the pages, but do not cut the back cover or the binding.
Next, cut out Turkey Template 2, and trace the head of the turkey onto the back cover of the book. Use a pair of scissors to remove the remaining binding and cut out the head.
Trace Turkey Template 2 twice onto a sheet of heavy orange craft paper and cut out.
Take one orange turkey paper and attach it to one side of the book cover and the adjoining book page. Repeat the same process on the other side with the second orange turkey paper.
If you’d like to add embroidery thread to the head of the turkey like mine, poke holes along the edge with an X-Acto knife. Then, use cream colored thread to create a blanket stitch. Take a look at this easy tutorial to learn how to sew a blanket stitch.
Finish your turkey off by slightly crinkling the pages so they fluff out nicely.
Variation: I created a pumpkin variation of this project that is very easy! Follow the same instructions above, but remove both the back and front covers and us e the Pumpkin Template instead. After cutting the pages, do not remove the binding, but trim it to a 1-inch length. Finish off the pumpkin by hot gluing the binding together. Add some basket filler around the stem for some extra punch!
Add a bit of autumn drama to your mantle this year with a fall leaf garland that will look beautiful as Thanksgiving décor. Paired with some pumpkins, this garland not only plays off of warm fall colors but also strays from traditional holiday decoration. Plus, it was very easy to make! After following my simple how-to below, check out some of our other Easy Thanksgiving Party ideas to make this year’s holiday get-together a hit!
Trace the leaves onto one sheet of craft paper. I was able to trace a total of nine leaves on each 12x12 piece of paper. TIP: Make sure you have the same number of each type of leaf on the paper.
Stack 3-4 pieces of craft paper with the sheet with the traced leaves on top. Cut out the leaves in multiples.
Next, cut several 2-inch strips of wax paper. Using a sewing machine, sew the leaves onto the wax paper in a random order. Make sure to overlap the leaves and add pieces of wax paper as you go along.
When your garland meets your desired length, carefully rip the wax paper from the back of the garland. Hang securely with double-stick tape or sticky tack.
Family and friends will love to take home these Thanksgiving themed Indian corn favors after finishing their pumpkin pie! These delicious and easy to make treats not only look like the traditional Thanksgiving decoration, but they also come in resealable bags, so your guests can enjoy their favors days later (if they last that long)!
I plan on handing out these goodies to my friends and family on Thanksgiving, and to make this gift a little more personal, I made a PDF Thank You Tags Printable to go with them, which you can download for free to use as well! Make sure to follow my step-by-step tutorial below, and check out our other Thanksgiving Supplies and Decorations to make your holiday a little easier!
First, print the PDF Thank You Tags Printable on cream card stock and cut using a paper cutter. Cut slightly larger squares from the brown craft paper to use as backing.
After gluing the tags onto the brown paper, cut the edges of the brown paper with decorative scissors. Hole punch the corner, and attach a embroidery thread which you will later use to tie on to the favor.
Fill small baggies most of the way with Reese’s Pieces. Then, gather 6-8 stalks of floral wheat and hot glue together. Trim the excess stalks from the bottom of the bunch.
Insert one wheat bunch into the top of each plastic bag. Fold over the edges of the bag, and secure with one dot of hot glue.
Tie a tag around the top of the bag, and cut excess thread.
This easy to make and unique Thanksgiving floral arrangement is a lovely alternative to glass or ceramic vases. Mix and match small and large pumpkins in an impressive centerpiece extending down the center of a long table or group odd numbers of pumpkins together on the ends of buffet tables. (Include some scented pinecones for filler, too!) Either way, these interesting pumpkin decorations will draw the eye when scattered around any home. Follow my simple DIY tutorial below, and make sure to check out our other ideas to help you throw a fabulous and Easy Thanksgiving Party!
Materials
1 small pumpkin
1 bunch mums
Several stalks floral wheat
Tin can
Kitchen shears
Knife
Permanent marker
Directions
Thoroughly wash and dry the pumpkin. Next, using a tin can, trace a circle on the top of the pumpkin with a permanent marker.
Cut a hole. Then remove the insides of the pumpkin, rinse the outside, and dry.
Make sure the can fits in the hole, and trace where the top of the pumpkin hits on the can with a permanent marker.
Next, cut the can down to the appropriate size using heavy duty kitchen shears.
Put the can back in the pumpkin, fill with water, and arrange mums and wheat stalks.
If you’re looking for a last minute decoration or party favor, look no further! These sweet and easy to make turkey decorations will look charming as place settings on any Thanksgiving table. These pine cone decorations would also be delightful additions to a centerpiece, grouped on the buffet, or lined up along a mantle. After trying my easy how-to for these place settings below, take a look at our other Thanksgiving Supplies and Decorations to help make your holiday decorating not only easy but stylish!
Materials
Pinecones
Feathers
Brown pipe cleaners
Hot glue
Cream cardstock
Paper cutter
Pen
Directions
Cut pipe cleaners into thirds and shape into a head. Hot glue the pipe cleaner along one of the slits of the pine cone.
Next, hot glue feathers near the back of the pinecone.
Use a paper cutter to cut ¾” by 1 ½” place cards, and write the names of guests on each one.
Slide one card into each pine cone and secure with hot glue if necessary.
As you plan your Thanksgiving feast, make sure your table has big impact with themed centerpieces and place settings. These easy to make (and cheap!) Thanksgiving table decorations will give some extra punch to your holiday spread when paired with low vases filled with mums, an autumn table runner, scattered pinecones, and an overflowing cornucopia. The mini pumpkins are not only cute for place settings, but they also serve double duty as favors your guests can take home! After following my easy how-to below to make these paper pumpkins, take a look at our other Thanksgiving Supplies and Decorations to make decorating for the big day a little easier!
Materials
2 pieces orange craft paper (12x12 inches)
1 brown craft paper (12x12 inches)
1 green craft paper (12x12 inches)
1 patterned green craft paper (12x12 inches)
2 green brads (can be purchased at any craft store)
Hot glue
Paper cutter
Pencil
X-Acto knife
Directions (makes 1 large pumpkin and two-three small pumpkins)
Cut 1 piece of orange craft paper in twelve 1-inch strips using a paper cutter. Then, use a X-Acto knife to cut a hole 1/2-inch from each end of the paper strips.
Next, stack the strips in a pile, aligning the holes. Punch a brad through each end and secure. Spread the strips apart evenly into a pumpkin shape.
From the green and green patterned papers, cut leaf shapes of different sizes. (I didn’t use a pattern. I just sketched a few freehand.) Then, from the same paper, cut ¼-inch strips for the curly-cue vines. To create them, I wrapped the ¼-inch strips around a pencil.
For the stem, I cut a 1-inch strip of brown craft paper, rolled it up, and secured it with a bit of hot glue.
To finish the pumpkin off, use hot glue to first secure the leaves and vines to the top of the pumpkin. Finally, glue on the stem to hide the ends of the leaves and vines.
Variation: To make the smaller pumpkin for place settings, follow the same directions above, but cut the 1-inch orange strips in half (they should be 6 inches long). One sheet of orange craft paper makes 2-3 small pumpkins depending on how many orange strips you use. To give your place setting pumpkins a personal touch, try writing guests’ names on one of the leaves. They’ll quickly find their seats and have a sweet favor to take home, too!
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and there’s no better way to get in the “giving” spirit then to handout Thanksgiving Party Favors at your next get-together. I made these adorable favors for my family’s annual fall party, and I had several requests to bring these acorn desserts to Thanksgiving dinner.
Besides bringing a plate of these goodies to put on the dessert table, I’m also going to put 4-5 of these treats in cellophane bags, top them with a tag, and hand them out as favors. I’ve been thinking of some appropriate phrasing to put on the tags, too. Something like, “Thanksgiving Blessings from the Phelps Family” or “Thankful for You! Love, The Phelps.” If you like this favor, make sure to check out my easy how-to below, and take a look at our other Thanksgiving Ideas and Activities, too!
Materials
1 Bag Milk Chocolate Hersey Kisses
1 Box Mini Nilla Wafers (must be mini!)
1 Bag Butterscotch Chips
¾ Cup Chocolate Chips
Cookie Sheet
Wax Paper
Quart-Sized Plastic Bag
Directions (makes approximately 55-60 acorns)
Set up a workstation with a cookie sheet covered in wax paper. Unwrap the Hershey Kisses, and line them up on the sheet.
Melt the chocolate chips in a microwavable safe bowl on 30 second intervals. After the chocolate is melted, put it in a quart-sized plastic bag. Cut off one corner for piping.
Next, pipe a dime-sized dollop of chocolate onto the bottom of each Hershey Kiss, pushing a Nilla wafer onto it afterwards.
After adding wafers to all the kisses, place the tray in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to harden the chocolate.
After removing the tray from the fridge, pipe a small amount of chocolate onto the bottom of a butterscotch chip and place in the middle of each wafer. When finished, allow the chocolate to harden in the fridge again for another 15 minutes.
If not serving the acorns immediately, store in an airtight container for up to a week. Enjoy!
