Thanksgiving Day, is a wonderful time of the year where expressing gratitude is especially encouraged and celebrated. Here are several ways you can incorporate Christ-centered Thanksgiving traditions in your family this year.
Gather and Give thanks
1. Take the time to reflect on how God has been faithful and has blessed your life.
2. Pray a prayer of Thanksgiving and give God thanks for the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.
3. Fast from negativity that comes from both internal (i.e. cognitive distortions, negative self-talk, past trauma) and external sources (i.e. negative people/relationships, news/social media, challenging life events). Shift your attention more on what you do have, by the grace of God, than what you do not.
4. Memorize a Bible verse about thankfulness (i.e. 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Psalm 100:4). Read it together 2-3 times a day and you will have it memorized by the end of the month.
5. Read Psalm 136 by having one person read the first line, and the kids/others respond with the phrase, “His love endures forever.” Alternatively, you can also read Psalm 100.
6. Do the 21-day gratitude challenge. Write down 3 things you are thankful for each day in November leading up to Thanksgiving Day. You can enter it on your phone/notebook, or place it in a “thankfulness jar.” Then, read it together as a family during Thanksgiving Day/dinner.
7. Write a thank you note/letter to someone that has impacted you over the last year, and mail them just before thanksgiving.
8. Have people write down/record something memorable/funny and are thankful for from the past year. Then, place it into a family thanksgiving journal to review next year.
9. Ask people “What are you thankful to God for?”, and other fun questions that are good conversation starters at the table.
10. Practice saying, “Thank you,” to acknowledge an individual’s effort, help, kindness, and positive impact.
11. Just gather and enjoy your time connecting with cherished family and friends.
Food:
12. Create a signature Thanksgiving Day meal that you serve each year. (i.e. Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, sweet potato casserole, sautéed green beans, cranberry sauce, gravy, rolls, pie (i.e apple, sweet potato, pumpkin)).
13. Make a poppyseed cake/sweetbread, eggnog, or bake a bread together.
14. Bake Parker House rolls and place a small slip of paper with your favorite Thanksgiving bible verse filled with the promises of God, and thankfulness to God.
15. Bring cans and non-perishable items to a food bank or family in need. This can be done a few weeks before Thanksgiving.
16. Cook a meal, shop for groceries, or bring a piece of pie to someone who is in a nursing home, or dealing with a serious illness/injury.
17. Consider inviting a single person, surviving spouse, or someone seeking companionship to share the Thanksgiving meal with.
Arts/Crafts/Games:
18. Complete a “Thanksgiving” themed Puzzle, or coloring sheet together.
19. Play corn hole, or ladder ball as a family.
20. Bundle up and go on a Thanksgiving family hike/walk around the neighborhood, or local park. Alternatively, you can do a family workout together.
21. Create a “gratitude tree.” Cut out a tree trunk shape, and have people write on a tree leaf, or 3x5 card with things they are grateful for to stick onto the tree trunk. Perhaps, you can consider doing it at breakfast before the day gets too busy.
22. Watch a brief story about Thanksgiving. This one is a good one. https://www.gotquestions.org/thanksgiving-Christian.html
23. Watch the 30-minute film, “The Mayflower Voyagers (This is America, Charlie Brown).”
24. Read a brief storybook about Thanksgiving. Here are some examples: The Berenstain Bears Give Thanks by Mike & Jan Berenstain ; Thanksgiving: A Harvest Celebration by Julie Stiegemeyer; Sharing the Bread: An Old-Fashioned Thanksgiving Story by Pat Miller; Thank You For Thanksgiving by Dandi Daley Mackall; Give Thanks to the Lord by Karma Wilson; Thankful by Eileen Spinelli; “Thanksgiving: A Time to Remember by Barbara Rainey; Squanto and the Miracle of Thanksgiving by Eric Metaxes;
Music:
25. Listen to songs about gratitude
26. Sing/play a song together about gratitude.
Decorations:
27. Decorate the house with mini pumpkins, gourds, and/or wheat/corn stalks to add fall colors (i.e. yellow, orange, deep reds, browns).
28. Add wreaths or garlands made of fall leaves, citrus, or pine.
29. Place woven placemats, or charger plates to make the table look more festive.
30. Add candles (i.e. real or flameless) to create a cozy atmosphere as the nights get longer.
What are some of your favorite Thanksgiving traditions?
Photo source: freepik.com
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