Cultivating Gratitude: Five Thanksgiving Projects for Your Family

*photo by Loralie Hoffort @highwoodroad*

Amidst the talk of turkey and the flurry of holiday planning, November carries with it the gentle reminder to slow down, to look for goodness, to count blessings, and to give thanks to the Giver of all good gifts. Over the years we have done a variety of projects and activities to prepare our hearts for Thanksgiving and to cultivate an attitude of gratitude in our home and in our hearts. I included five of those project ideas in an article that appeared in the fall issue of The Joyful Life Magazine.

Below is an excerpt from that article—the section that details the project ideas—along with some amazing photography by Loralie Hoffort. I was thrilled to see her lovely photos accompanying my article and am equally thrilled that she is allowing me to share them here with you.

So whether your family is full of artists, poets, or mathematicians, whether you have time to go all out or want something simple and sweet, read on to find a thanksgiving project idea that is perfect for your family.

(P.S. If you want to see more of Loralie’s work (like on the cover of the fall issue!) or read my article in its entirety, pop over to The Joyful Life and order a copy of the BECOME issue.)

1. A FAMILY SCROLL OF BLESSINGS

Throughout the month of November, work together as a family to create a running list of the good things. Set aside a time, perhaps dinner or bedtime, to reflect together and add to the list each day. A plain old notebook would work just fine, but to add a little more pomp and circumstance to the process, consider recording your list on an ancient-looking scroll.

Start by compiling your list on a roll of paper. Crumple it up a bit and then dye it by dabbing it with a used, damp tea bag to create a worn, primitive look. Attaching wooden dowels to either end is a fun but optional touch. Roll both ends toward the center and use twine or pretty ribbon to secure the scroll. Place it on the Thanksgiving table, perhaps in a basket or vase, until you are ready for a dramatic unrolling of the scroll and a joyful recitation of all that your family is thankful for.

2. THANKSGIVING FROM A TO Z

A is for Apple trees in our orchard, each one full of fruit

B is for Bean Bags, our favorite family game

C is for…

You get the idea. Create a family ABC book that celebrates 26 blessings, one for each letter of the alphabet. You could assign a handful of letters to each family member and place them in charge of creating those pages, complete with illustrations. Or, you could brainstorm the content together and then assign each person a group of pages to illustrate. Illustrations could be drawn, painted, crafted collage-style, or even created digitally. The sky’s the limit!

For simple “publishing,” create each page on standard printing paper. Assemble the book by three-hole punching each page, then slipping them into a three-ring binder. Or make a front and back cover out of construction paper and once again use the three-hole punch. Bind the pages together with twine or ribbon.

3. A POEM OF GRATITUDE

If an ABC book feels like too big of a project or if your family is not full of eager artists, an acrostic poem might be a better fit. To write an acrostic poem, start with a word such as ‘Thanksgiving’ and write it vertically down the left-hand side of a piece of paper. Write a blessing that begins with each letter. Adding a few simple images, sketches, or borders, created by hand or digitally, can bring the acrostic to life. Have each member of the family write their own, all using the same word. On Thanksgiving take turns sharing your poems and enjoy comparing and contrasting your creative responses. (Here is a link to the template Loralie used in the photo.)

4. COUNTDOWN TO THANKSGIVING

10 blazing red maple trees

9 stuffed animals ready for a tea party

8 members of our family…

If numbers are more up your alley, look for good things you can count! Your findings could be recorded in lists, charts, graphs, or turned into a precious counting book for young mathematicians. As with the ABC book, it could be illustrated and published in a variety of ways. Whichever way you choose, this is a fun way to take ‘counting your blessings’ to the next level.

5. A COLLECTION OF BLESSINGS

For a super simple and beautiful way to look for goodness together, gather a collection of something small—acorns, buttons, small stones, etc.—along with a pretty vase or bowl. Encourage family members to transfer one of the objects to the vase or bowl whenever they spot or experience something good. This could happen throughout the day or during a time of reflection at the end of the day. You’ll be amazed at the collection that can be amassed in a few weeks’, or even a few days’ time. That collection can then serve as a centerpiece on your Thanksgiving table—a visual reminder of the good gifts God gives, the gifts you carefully counted one by one.