A little reason to celebrate
Mitten Tree Day
Seasonal · Family · December 6
Mitten Tree Day is about decorating a tree with donated mittens, hats and scarves, then giving them to people who need warm things for winter.
Mitten Tree Day falls on Sunday, December 6, 2026. That is 40 days away.
A mitten tree is a tree, real or artificial, hung with mittens instead of ornaments. Scarves and knit hats usually join them. When the branches are full, everything comes down and goes to people who need warm clothes for the cold months.
The idea shows up in school lobbies, libraries, churches and office break rooms. Someone sets out a small tree or even a bare branch in a pot, and people add a pair as they pass. Over a few weeks the thing fills in with wool and fleece in every color, some store bought, some clearly made by a grandmother with strong opinions about stripes.
Children tend to like it because the giving is easy to see. A classroom can watch the tree go from sparse to crowded, and a single pair of mittens feels like a real contribution. Families sometimes pick out mittens together, choosing small sizes for kids and larger ones for adults.
Hand knitters get involved too. Mittens are a classic knitting project, worked in the round with a separate thumb, and a plain pair uses only a modest amount of yarn. Leftover yarn from bigger projects often ends up on a mitten tree.
When the tree is taken down, the items usually go to a local shelter, school or community group that hands them out. Pinning matching mittens together with a clothespin or safety pin keeps the pairs from drifting apart on the way.
Ways to celebrate
- Set up a small mitten tree at home, school or work.
- Hang a new pair of mittens on a local mitten tree.
- Knit or crochet a simple pair of mittens from leftover yarn.
- Clip mitten pairs together before donating them.
- Ask a nearby shelter what winter items they need most.
Dates
| Year | Date |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Sunday, December 6 |
| 2027 | Monday, December 6 |
| 2028 | Wednesday, December 6 |
| 2029 | Thursday, December 6 |
| 2030 | Friday, December 6 |
All national days on December 6
Also on December 6
- National Gazpacho Day
- National Microwave Oven Day
- St. Nicholas Day
- Put on Your Own Shoes Day
- National Miners Day
Categories: Seasonal daysFamily days