On Thanksgiving morning, let your energetic school-age kids create humorous place-favors with personality.
Long, curvy gourds or squash are best for this project. Before the children begin, an adult should trim the wide, rounded end of the vegetables with a knife so they stand upright on the table. Keep the short green stem at the opposite end intact.
To make Pilgrims: Cut white paper into a 3-by-4-inch rectangle. Fold it in half widthwise. Cut out a hole in the middle of the paper, large enough to fit over the neck of the gourd/squash. It should stay in place at the middle or lower portion of the neck to look like a Pilgrim collar.
Print the guest's name on the front of the collar. Tie a short piece of thin black ribbon around the neck at the top of the collar.
Draw eyes 1/2 inch from the stem (the mouth) with markers, or poke in whole cloves or glue on whole peppercorns for eyes. (This project is not safe for children under 4.)