What a fun time of year! Thanksgiving week is a great time to spend with your family and loved ones. My kids actually spent part of today cleaning and organizing their rooms! They are usually so busy with homework and such. We have a lot of fun traditions in our family.
One of our favorites is that we always put up our Christmas Tree the day before Thanksgiving. This gives us a good month before Christmas to enjoy the decorations. We put up the outdoor Christmas lights earlier in November when the weather cooperates. It usually gets wet and stormy around Thanksgiving.
We are thankful for food! Each year we alternate between dinner with my family and my in-laws. This year it’s my family’s turn and because of the size of my family we have to have it at the church. There is always an abundance of food there. Some of my favorite things are; turkey, homemade stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, green pistachio salad, homemade rolls, and the best no-bake pumpkin pie ever! My mouth is watering for it all! Where ever we eat and whatever we eat that day, the important thing is to eat lots and show gratitude for all that you have.
Gratitude turns what we have into enough!
Take time to show gratitude. There are so many fun ways to do this.
- Make a thankful tree. My sister does this every year. Her and her family write something every day they are grateful for during the entire month of November.
- Write 1,000 things you are grateful for on a poster board. This is a great family activity.
- Say a prayer where you only express gratitude.
- Be a gracious receiver.
- Say thank you. Teach your kids to say thank you and use manners.
- Keep a gratitude journal.
- Look for ways to serve those around you.
- Write thank you notes.
- Take 5′ every night to write three ways the Lord blessed you today. Read about it here.
- Let your kids know how much you love and appreciate them.
- Serve others together as a family.
Find a good deal! I love Black Friday! I still refuse to shop on Thanksgiving night. Instead, my daughter and I get up super early on Friday and go shopping. The last few years have been great! We find lots of great deals and most of the shoppers have gone home by then.
Watch a football game. It’s not really for me but my boys sure love watching the games that are on.
Have a chill day. Our lives are overloaded with craziness that goes on in our lives. It’s nice to have a break from work, school, and the craziness of life. Kids really do need some down time and they are always in such a good mood during long breaks!
Whatever you do try to find quality family time. Play games, watch a movie together, build a snowman, whatever, just spend extra quality time together. Make the most of your holidays together.