A Simple, Meaningful Craft for Wishes, Blessings, and Family Rituals
Every Thanksgiving, we gather around the table with gratitude, stories, and simple rituals that help us feel rooted in the season.
But in a year when everyone is craving more meaning, more connection, and more magic (the gentle kind), simple symbolic crafts are having a major moment.
Enter the Wishing Walnut. It’s a Thanksgiving tradition that’s one part craft, one part ritual, and one part quiet enchantment.
What’s a wishing walnut? It’s actually exactly what it sounds like.
You hollow out a walnut, tuck a tiny, written wish inside, and then seal it back up.
On Thanksgiving, each person opens theirs, or keeps it sealed as a longer-term blessing charm.
It’s a small gesture with big impact. It’s tactile, symbolic, and sweetly old-fashioned. Plus, they’re a ton of fun to make.
What you’ll learn in this post
- The history and symbolism behind wishing walnuts
- Step-by-step instructions (beginner-friendly!)
- What to write on the tiny wish papers
- How to use wishing walnuts at Thanksgiving
- Ideas for kids, families, solo practitioners, and the spiritually-curious
- Variations, décor tips, and sealing options (wax, string, ribbon, twine)
Why Wishing Walnuts Are Perfect for Thanksgiving
So, walnuts have carried symbolic meaning for centuries.
In general, walnuts stand for fertility, luck, protection, and the promise of something nourishing hidden inside a humble shell.
In some folk traditions, they were used in divination or exchanged as tokens of blessing.
Thanksgiving, with its themes of gratitude, harvest, and intention-setting, helps create the perfect container for this old-world practice.
Why this craft resonates now
- It’s symbolic without being overwhelming.
- It’s family-friendly. Kids and adults generally love it equally.
- It’s tactile. People tend to remember things they touch and create.
- It’s visually stunning. A bowl of sealed walnuts on a Thanksgiving table feels ancient, earthy, and charming.
- It’s easy to personalize. Wishes can be meaningful, funny, or secretive.
And the deeper magic? A walnut is literally a container for potential.
Crack it open → transformation.
Place a wish inside → intention.
Seal it back up → trust.
It’s kind of the whole emotional arc of Thanksgiving in one tiny shell.
Materials You’ll Need
This is an extremely forgiving craft. You can go rustic, elegant, witchy, minimalist, or kid-friendly. You can find everything you need at a craft store or supermarket.
✓ Whole walnuts (in the shell)
Choose uncracked, clean walnuts. Grab extra. A few always fracture.
✓ A small paring knife or nut pick
This helps you gently separate the shell halves.
✓ Tiny strips of paper
White, craft brown, gold, handwritten, or printed all work beautifully.
✓ A pen or fine-tip marker
✓ Sealing material (choose one):
- Wax (beeswax, candle wax, or sealing-wax beads)
- Twine or jute string (rustic, earthy)
- Ribbon (elegant, festive)
- Gold thread (magical, shimmery)
- Hot glue (clean and secure, not as poetic but totally works)
✓ Optional decorations
- Dried herbs (rosemary, cinnamon stick shards, whole cloves)
- Gold leaf or mica powder
- Stickers (for kids)
- Metallic pens to write names on the shells
✓ A small bowl or jar
To hold the finished wishing walnuts on your Thanksgiving table.
How to Hollow Out a Walnut (Beginner-Friendly Technique)
This is the step that intimidates some people. But it’s truly simple with a gentle touch and a little patience. Here’s how:
Step 1: Examine the seam
Walnuts naturally split along a seam.
Hold the walnut so the pointed end faces up.
You’ll notice a subtle line running around the middle.
That’s your spot.
Step 2: Insert the tip of the knife carefully
Using a small paring knife or nut pick:
- Insert the tip into the seam.
- Gently twist, don’t force.
- Work slowly around the walnut like you’re easing open a treasure chest.
If it cracks unevenly, no worries. Rustic shells are beautiful. And you have backup nuts so you can start again with another.
Step 3: Remove the nut meat
Scoop it out in pieces.
You can save the walnut pieces for baking or snacking later (no waste!).
Step 4: Clean out the inside
Use a small brush, toothpick, or your fingers to remove membranes.
You want a clean, hollow chamber for your wishing paper.
Step 5: Keep the halves together
Place the two halves together so you don’t lose track of which piece belongs to which (every walnut is subtly unique).
Prepare your tiny wish papers
Cut strips a little wider than the width of a matchstick.
Write one wish, blessing, or intention on each.
You’re ready to assemble.
What to Write for Your Wishing Walnut
This is where the emotional magic happens.
Wishes can be sweet, heartfelt, funny, practical, or deeply symbolic. There’s no wrong way to do this.
Your paper won’t be that big at all (remember it needs to fit in 1/2 a walnut shell), so try to keep it short.
Ideas for personal wishes
- “Peace in my home.”
- “Better sleep.”
- “New opportunities in the coming year.”
- “Courage to say no when needed.”
- “A joyful winter season.”
- “A new creative spark.”
Ideas for family/collective wishes
- “Health and protection for everyone at this table.”
- “A year of calm and clarity.”
- “More laughter in our home.”
- “A season of ease.”
Ideas for kids
- “Learn something amazing this year.”
- “Make a new friend.”
- “A magical adventure.”
- “That I get better at drawing / dancing / basketball.”
Ideas for gratitude-centered wishes
- “May the good things I have multiply.”
- “May gratitude guide my choices.”
- “May I notice life’s small blessings.”
Ideas for spiritually-curious readers
- “Open pathways for abundance.”
- “Strengthen intuition.”
- “Invite gentle transformation.”
- “Call in aligned opportunities.”
Ideas for funny, adults-only tables
- “This year: fewer emails, more naps.”
- “A dishwasher that magically loads itself.”
- “May the family group chat stay peaceful.”
The beauty is that wishes can be secret or shared.
You decide.
How to Assemble Your Wishing Walnut
This is the fun, hands-on part. Turn on soft music. Light a candle. Warm up the Thanksgiving vibes.
Step 1: Place the wish inside
Roll or fold your tiny paper and tuck it into one walnut half.
If you’re adding herbs, try some of these (totally optional):
- Rosemary for protection
- Cinnamon for prosperity
- Lavender for peace
- Bay leaf for clarity
Just add a pinch. Too much and the halves won’t close. You’re after the energetic qualities of the plant here, so “less is more” is totally cool here.
Step 2: Rejoin the walnut halves
Fit the halves back together. They don’t need to be perfect. In fact, a slightly imperfect seal adds charm (and lets you know there’s a little magic hidden inside).
Step 3: Choose your sealing method
You have options depending on aesthetics and time:
Option A: Seal with Wax (Most Magical / Most Photogenic)
- Melt candle wax or sealing wax.
- Drip it along the seam.
- Hold the walnut for a few seconds until the wax sets.
Tip: Gold, copper, or deep red wax feels especially Thanksgiving-esque.
Option B: Tie with String (Rustic + Symbolic)
- Wrap twine, jute, or hemp around the walnut a few times.
- Tie a small knot or bow.
- This method visually reinforces the idea of “binding your wish.”
Option C: Tie with Ribbon (Elegant + Festive)
Go for:
- Burgundy
- Gold
- Deep green
- Burnt orange
- Cream
Especially lovely for holiday tablescapes.
Option D: Glue (Quickest, Cleanest)
A thin bead of hot glue along the seam is the most durable option. If you’re working with kids, use the glue gun yourself to seal it, the glue gets pretty hot.
Step 4: Add finishing touches
- Write names on walnuts using a metallic pen
- Brush shells lightly with gold mica or gilding
- Apply tiny stickers (leaves, hearts, stars)
- Polish shells with a drop of olive oil for shine
Step 5: Display in a bowl
A wooden bowl or carved dish works beautifully.
Nestle the walnuts in:
- Moss
- Dried leaves
- Cinnamon sticks
- Dried orange slices
- Small pinecones
Instant seasonal charm.
How to Use Wishing Walnuts in Your Thanksgiving Ritual
Option 1: The Opening Ritual (Before the Meal)
Before everyone sits:
- Place a walnut at each place setting.
- Invite each person to write their wish in silence.
- When everyone is ready, add their wish to the bowl at the center of the table.
This sets the tone for gratitude, presence, and intention.
Option 2: The After-Dinner Reveal
Have everyone crack open their walnut after dessert.
This can be fun, sacred, and emotionally grounding. Especially for families or groups of friends.
People can share their wish aloud or keep it private.
Option 3: The Secret Wish Tradition
- Each person writes their wish
- The host collects them
- Everyone draws a random walnut
- You don’t know whose wish you’ve received
- You “carry” it for that person through the season
Symbolically, it’s a sort of blessing exchange.
Option 4: The Year-Long Wish Charm
Instead of opening the walnut:
- Seal it intentionally
- Tie it with golden thread
- Keep the walnut in a special place through winter (altar, nightstand, windowsill, etc.)
Open it at next year’s Thanksgiving (or at New Year’s) to see what came true or how life has shifted.
Option 5: The Family Legacy Bowl
Each year, add a few new wishing walnuts and keep the old ones sealed.
You build a bowl of ongoing family blessings.
This may become incredibly meaningful over time.
Variations & Creative Ideas (for Kids, Adults, or Mixed Groups)
For Kids
- Use stickers to decorate the shells
- Write simple wishes or draw pictures
- Seal with non-toxic craft glue
- Add glitter (if you want to deal with it)
Kids usually love this craft because it feels like they’re making a secret treasure.
For Crafty Adults
- Add dried herbs
- Paint walnut shells white, gold, or copper
- Add miniature tags with names
- Tie them like tiny holiday ornaments
- Use sealing-wax stamps
For Minimalists
- Skip decorations
- Use simple white paper and a single piece of twine
- Display in a wooden bowl
Understated. Beautiful. Scandinavian-inspired.
For the Aesthetics-Obsessed
Try themes. I mean, really, the sky’s the limit. You could do:
- Boho walnut bowl
- Gold-leaf walnuts
- Cottagecore walnut wishes
- “Ancient oracle” style (dark wax + handwritten script)
For the Spiritually Curious
Add symbolic herbs:
- Bay leaf → clarity
- Rosemary → protection
- Cinnamon → abundance
- Clove → comfort + warmth
Keep it simple and accessible, nothing intimidating.
How to Display Wishing Walnuts on Your Thanksgiving Table
A bowl of wishing walnuts is a décor piece all on its own.
But you can elevate the presentation depending on the vibe of your Thanksgiving tablescape.
Idea 1: Woodland Centerpiece
Combine your wishing walnuts with:
- Moss
- Pinecones
- Tealights
- Natural linen runner
Idea 2: Elevated Bowl of Blessings
Use:
- A footed bowl
- Vintage compote
- Brass pedestal
- Gold dusted walnuts
Idea 3: Individual Place Setting Gifts
Place one walnut at each plate, wrapped in ribbon.
Add a small tag that says: “Your Thanksgiving Wish”
Idea 4: A Gratitude Bowl
Fill a wooden bowl with walnuts and display next to a Gratitude Jar or Blessing Tree.
More Thanksgiving crafting!
How to Make a Thanksgiving Blessing Tree: A Beautiful Gratitude Craft for All Ages
How to Make a Gratitude Jar for Thanksgiving (Family-Friendly)
The Symbolism: Why Walnuts Are Such Powerful Wish Carriers
Walnuts have long symbolized:
• Hidden wisdom
A tough outer shell protecting inner treasure.
• Protection
Used in folk magic to guard against negativity.
• Fertility & growth
Seeds of potential.
• Transformation
Cracking something open to reveal what’s inside.
• The world itself
Ancient philosophers compared the shape of a walnut to the cosmos.
When you place a wish inside a walnut shell, it may become:
- A seed
- A prayer
- A thought-form
- A blessing
- A piece of your heart
The sealing of the shell symbolizes protection, trust, and surrender.
These are all perfect themes for Thanksgiving, when we reflect on the year behind us and begin to imagine the year ahead.
A Thanksgiving Wishing Walnut Ritual
- Gather your materials
Place the walnuts, tiny papers, and pens on the table. - Take a quiet breath
Settle in. Let the noise of the holiday soften. Tune into gratitude. Not the performative kind, but the real kind. - Write the wish
Invite each participant to write a wish, blessing, or intention for the months ahead. - Tuck the wish inside
Place the paper inside the walnut shell. Add a few bits of herbs if desired. - Seal with intention
Wrap or wax the walnut while thinking: “May this wish be held in trust. May it unfold in right timing.” - Place the walnut in the bowl
As each person adds theirs, the bowl becomes a collective blessing. - Decide how you’ll use them
- Crack open now
- Save for winter
- Exchange with someone else
- Keep until next Thanksgiving
- Close the ritual
When everyone is done, bless the bowl with one final intention. You might say something like: “May these wishes be carried with love. May the year ahead open gently before us.”
Wishing Walnut FAQ
Are wishing walnuts safe for kids?
Yes. Just supervise the knife and sealing parts. Kids usually love decorating and wishing.
How long do they last?
A sealed walnut can last for years if kept dry.
Can I open mine early?
Absolutely. Some prefer to check theirs at the New Year or Winter Solstice.
Can I use other nuts?
I mean, you could try. But walnuts generally work best because they naturally split cleanly.
Can this be a non-spiritual craft?
100%. Frame it as a gratitude activity, a fun tradition, or a symbolic family moment.
A New Thanksgiving Tradition Begins
A wishing walnut is more than a seasonal craft.
It’s a moment of quiet reflection, a tiny bit of sealed hope, a tactile reminder that even small traditions can hold big meaning.
Whether you use them as décor, as a wishing ritual, or as a symbolic keepsake for the year ahead, they help create a sense of presence and connection that fits beautifully into the Thanksgiving season.
This simple walnut becomes:
- A wish
- A blessing
- A secret wish vessel
- A charming centerpiece
- A keepsake
- A memory
And year after year, these small rituals stack into a family tradition that deepens over time.
Disclaimer?
As always, this post is for inspiration, education, and personal enrichment purposes only. It isn’t meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any condition — emotional, medical, or otherwise. I’m not your doctor, therapist, or mental-health provider. Please use crafts, rituals, and seasonal practices as supportive tools, not professional guidance. Always supervise children when they’re crafting. If you’re experiencing distress, overwhelm, or health concerns, consult an appropriate licensed professional. Always practice craft safety when using knives, wax, or hot tools. Beautiful rituals are meant to help support you, not replace common sense or care.
