Women's Home Activities

On this notable holiday families and friends gather to spend quality time together, share home cooked delicacies, and reflect on the passing year with all the blessings that have been bestowed on us. Many homes have family traditions during the holidays. Some of them evolve into Giving Thanks Activities for Thanksgiving Day.

Giving Thanks Activities

On this special day of celebrating our gratefulness for the season I’d like to share with you one of the home activities for giving thanks that we practice with our family bonding time. Last year our family started a new tradition for Thanksgiving. Along with the help of our precious granddaughters we created a Thankful Tree.

This was an easy home activity to make but the meaning behind it signified a great deal to our family. When we first started talking about making a Thankful Tree the girls and I thought about just putting all the things that we were each grateful for on some homemade construction paper leaves. When we were finished we would put them on a Thankful Tree. I had to jot down what the younger sister said as she can’t write it out herself quite yet; her older sister however had many ideas of her own and began to write them herself.

Then she came up with a really neat suggestion. She said, “Why don’t we make a leaf for everybody in the family and when they come here on Thanksgiving Day then they can put down what each of them are thankful for.” I was rather proud of my little granddaughter and thought that was a great idea.

We cut out a leaf for each family member, put their names on one side of the leaf, punched a hole in the leaf and tied a string to the leaf so it could be draped on the tree. We then left a pen by where we had displayed the tree so everybody could write down what they were thankful for. As each one from the family came in on Thanksgiving Day, “TR” (the 8 year old that came up with the idea) handed them their leaf and explained what to do with it. Everyone joined in and before you knew it our Thankful Tree was brimming with thoughtful message leaves.

After we finished our Thanksgiving dinner TR read all the expressions of gratitude that everyone had contributed. This put a perfect ending to a wonderful day of family bonding time. Each person in the family was full of turkey and reflection of how much all of us do have to be thankful for. This blessing is one that can be carried on from year to year as we each can share with others in the family just all we do have to give thanks for.

I’ve seen many examples of how other families share their thoughts of giving thanks with different variations of a Thankful Tree. Some families make paper cutouts and hang them on a wall so that the leaves can be taped or glued to the tree. Others have a jar with a picture of a tree on the outside and blank leaves beside the jar for everyone to drop their message of giving thanks inside the jar. Maybe you would like to start a new tradition with your family this year. A Thankful Tree is but just one idea.

What are some of your family activities for giving thanks? I’d love to hear your thoughts on this; share with us would you please?

My closing thoughts for you are this; May you and your family be filled with good food, enjoy your time together and have continued blessings flowing your way.

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving!