Thanksgiving Ideas
What a wonderful holiday is Thanksgiving! A time to stop and Give Thanks!
1. I’m Thankful for You Game.
Mark Twain said a good compliment could carry him for two months. Likewise, family members can lift one another with a list of compliments in this activity. For a Family Home Evening, sometime in November, we like to do the “I’m Thankful for You” game. Here’s how you play:
First, Everyone sits in a circle. Give each family member a sheet of paper and have them write his name across the top. Mom or Dad can sit by and help those who are unable to write.
Next, each person passes the sheet of paper to their left. Then everyone writes at the bottom of the paper one good quality about that family member. One could write, “I am thankful that Sarah helps me with my homework” or “is so thoughtful.” Other compliments could be “I am thankful that Dad tickles me when I am sad,” “helps me,” or “trusts me.”
After all have written the quality they are thankful for, have them fold the paper up a line or two, covering the words just written, and pass it to the left. The next person writes his compliment above the fold.
Keep passing the sheet to the left until all have written what they are thankful for on each piece of paper. If the family is small, the papers could go around twice.
Finally, when you have finished rotating the papers, pass them one more time to the left, and have each person read the qualities we are grateful for, about that person named at the top.
This activity is simple and inexpensive, but the words are priceless. Some of our children keep their sheet for a long time, or even put it up on the bedroom mirror or bulletin board. All enjoy the boost from family!
2. The Pie Game.
Is there leftover pie at your house, after Thanksgiving? Play the pie game!!
You will need a pie, a knife for each person, a hat and scarf, a newly washed pair of gloves, and a pair of dice! Place the pie in the middle of the kitchen table and start the dice around. Each person takes his turn to roll the dice until he rolls doubles. At that point, the pie is passed to him and he quickly puts on the hat and scarf and gloves, then grabs his knife and begins to eat pie with it!
Meanwhile, the dice have continued around the circle, and the minute another person rolls doubles, the pass is passed to him. The person who had the pie stops eating, and removes the hat, scarf, and gloves (sometimes we use glasses too!) and passes those to the next eater, who puts them all on then starts eating with his own knife. All must hurry, if he wants a bite or two before someone else draws doubles. It gets fast and furious, and hilarious!
My Best Idea.
3. Give Thanks for 10 things.
For the entire month of November, our family tradition is to give thanks for ten things in each prayer. Even the blessings are a bit longer, but are filled with ten things the person giving the prayer is thankful for. This helps everyone feel more gratitude for the month of Thanksgiving. (And helps everyone think a little bit more about and listen a little bit more to the prayers!)
Thanks for commenting with your Thanksgiving idea!