Skipping Thanksgiving

Sad to say but many people seem to use Thanksgiving as nothing more than a vault to get from Halloween to Christmas. It makes me sad because some of my happiest memories are of sitting around a table that was sagging under the weight of delicious food. Around that table we talked and laughed. Stories were told and retold. We remembered those who were no longer with us and anticipated those who would be joining us either by marriage or birth.

I scoured the internet and dug into some of my own ideas to get you thinking about how to share this special time with your loved ones. Here are a few great ideas that you can use to bring your family together at this special time of the year! : )

Turkey Tickets to get you to the table....
I found this gem on Let's Get Together. It is a turkey ticket that you must have to get to the table. The idea is cute and can be used with everyone in the family. Those who are not yet able to write can still participate by drawing what they are thankful for! I made turkey tickets for my family. You can download them here and print them on colorful paper.

Printable Family Gratitude Devotions for the Month of November
I found these on Frugal Fun for Boys.  The lovely devotions can be done together and even the littlest ones can participate! Do them just before dinner or just before bed. It is a way to spark discussion or quietly wind down the day.

Thankful cards to make you think...
These cards can be printed out and placed at each setting. Be sure to include a colorful pen or pencil for writing. If the kids are too little to write give them a little bundle of crayons to draw what they are thankful for. No one is too small to be thankful! You can print these two sided cards here.

A thankful box for each person or for the family...
This is a cute idea and a great way to recycle those tissue boxes! Use the instructions found on I heart Crafty Things  to make your thankful boxes. Leave a stack of papers, pencils, pens, markers or crayons for people to write or draw what they are thankful for. When you sit down for Thanksgiving dinner open the box and read them. You can download a copy of one of two thankful sheets here and here.

These are just a few ideas. Look on Pinterest for ideas that speak to you and your particular family or situation. Remember, everyone has something to be grateful for!