10 Simple Ways To Make Thanksgiving Meaningful For Your Busy Family
It’s almost here…an American holiday of gratitude sandwiched between two polar opposites. Some go all out on Halloween to celebrate evil, darkness, and gory everything. That’s not my thing. Still, others prematurely extend Christmas into the pumpkin spice season to try and savor the Christmas spirit for a few more months. That’s not my thing either.
I’m Team Thanksgiving, which means Halloween and Christmas should stay in their lanes.
Though its roots were meant to celebrate the harvest between the Settlers and Native Americans, we all know that football, turkey, and pumpkin pie were eventually tacked on. Though Thanksgiving has a bit of an identity crisis with all of the odd traditions, the holiday's very name should spark some purists (like me) who want to make Thanksgiving represent more than just overeating.
The problem is we’re all busy. Very busy. Football owns the advertising dollars, and the food industry pumps us full of disgusting green bean casserole, so being thankful doesn’t often appear in our social media feed. For my family, however, being grateful is the most essential part.
If you’re like me, you’re stuffed to the brim on your calendar and can’t possibly think of adding one more thing. However, I try to prioritize Thanksgiving in a few simple ways to instill gratitude in my family.
Even though you’re busy, here are 10 simple ways to make Thanksgiving more meaningful:
Create A Thankful Tree.
Our Thankful Tree
I already know what you’re thinking, so stop rolling your eyes. It doesn’t take that long, and I’m not super crafty either, so you’ve got this! Sometime soon after Halloween, tape a tree trunk with empty branches on a wall (we put ours in the dining room). I made a basic tree out of construction paper years ago and continue to reuse it every year. I don’t have time (nor do I care) to make it Pinterest perfect. My kids cut out simple, multi-colored leaves and write what they are thankful for, one item on each leaf. The idea behind the Thankful Tree is to encourage your whole family to think of people and things they are grateful for. Bacon, snow days, and puppies are always big hits, and I encourage the kids to think of all relatives and friends, too!
When the kids were young, I had no trouble getting them to draw or write a fistful of leaves at a time. Mommy, Daddy, and chicken nuggets were easy targets. They proudly taped their leaves as high as they could reach, which usually resembled falling leaves in piles at the base and a haunted, bare tree trunk up top. However, as the kids got older (and taller), I’ve needed to prioritize being thankful.
“Write five thankful leaves before we go to the game,” I’ll say. Or, “Before you have Bella over, add her name to our Thankful Tree.” Though my teens groan, it instills the importance of the entire season instead of being thankful for just one day. And I bet they will repeat it with their kids someday, too.
My adorable nephew and his Thankful Leaves
Alternatively, my sister prefers to create a Thankful Turkey instead of a tree. She is more crafty than me and laminated a cute turkey body a few years ago, but she cuts out new feathers each year. Whatever you choose, remember to prioritize continually adding leaves throughout the weeks before Thanksgiving, and make it fun!
If you’re hosting on Thanksgiving Day, set out some thankful leaves at each place setting, along with markers, so guests can also be part of your tradition!, you’re not the only one who cares for this family and situation, which is a beautiful gift! Steward it wisely.
2. Create Thankful Bible Verses.
The Bible has a lot to say about giving thanks to God. Pick a few verses, have your kids copy them onto paper, and decorate as they wish. Tape them to the walls and encourage your family to memorize the scriptures.
Over the years, I’ve had my kids copy the same thankful verses. I save them every year and compare them to previous years. Their writing used to be so adorable!
Thanksgiving Scripture Verses
Here are a few Bible verse recommendations:
“I will praise God’s name in song and glorify Him with thanksgiving,” Psalm 69:30 (NIV)
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done,” Philippians 4:6 (NLT)
“I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart,” Psalm 138:1 (ESV)
3. Decorate For Thanksgiving.
Though it’s not a popular opinion, I recommend waiting on the Christmas music and tree decorations until Thanksgiving is over. Give Thanksgiving its proper space instead of rushing it into one day, and you’ll see meaningful results. It’s kind of like exercise. The more you work out, the healthier you’ll be! As with most things in life, dwelling on being thankful for a few weeks instead of a few hours will generate a more impactful Thanksgiving tradition.
How do I do this? By creating an atmosphere of gratitude. I decorate my house with Thanksgiving items, including signs that say “Give Thanks,” pillows, candles, fall flowers, and more. I don’t go overboard, but I purposefully decorate for the season so my family understands that Thanksgiving is important.
4. Host A Friendsgiving (kids or adults).
Some of you enjoy hosting others in your home, so why not throw a Friendsgiving party? Now that my kids are teens, I’ve considered hosting one for just their friends. We have room for 12 at our dining room table, so my girls could each invite three friends. Have each friend bring a dish to pass (which doesn’t have to be Thanksgiving-themed unless you want) and set up a festive table for them to enjoy!
Or, host an adult-only party and cook the turkey, but have your friends bring side dishes and desserts. Or skip the turkey because who really likes to eat it anyway?
Friendsgiving is a great way to gather with and honor friends, especially if you’re like my family. We always spend time with relatives on Thanksgiving Day, so hosting a Friendsgiving gives us a different opportunity to make the Thanksgiving season more meaningful.
5. Hand Out Blessing Bags To The Homeless.
We can talk to our kids about gratitude and thankfulness, but showing them is far better. Helping others who are less fortunate is a great way to show our kids how to be thankful.
In years past, we’ve gathered various items like bottled water, granola bars, toothpaste, candy, mittens, etc., put them into paper bags, and handed them out to people without homes. The homeless tend to stand at stoplights in our city, so we keep the blessing bags in our van and hand them out when the opportunity strikes.
I recommend shopping together for the items so the kids can think through what they might want to give away. In addition, assemble the bags together as well. Try to involve everyone in the family from beginning to end.
There are many ways to give back to your community, and other ideas include volunteering at a homeless shelter. Our town has the Kalamazoo Gospel Mission, and there are opportunities to serve in many ways, including helping with meals or donating clothing items! Perhaps your kids could choose some clothes and toys to give away.
6. Pray Thankful Prayers Each Night.
Though this seems self-explanatory, I know some of you don’t pray as often as you would like as a family, so this is a great season to start! Before everyone heads to bed, have each person pray aloud for at least one thing they are thankful for. My teens typically complain for a bit but then get over it. As a parent, I’m trying to instill that being thankful to God is our first priority. Prayers don’t have to be fancy or wordy, but it does allow you to practice praying out loud and together. Being thankful for something is the bonus outcome.
I’m a Sunday School teacher, so I often teach my little cherubs about the “Oreo” prayer, where we thank God for something, ask God for something, then thank God (again) for already answering and listening to our prayer. The chocolate sandwich cookies are the thankful parts sandwiched between our needs. The focus, ultimately, is being grateful to God for everything.
Thankful “Oreo” prayers can be simple, like this:
“Lord, thank you so much for my day today. It was so nice and sunny outside. Please help me with all of my homework this week, especially my math test on Tuesday. Thank you for always listening; I know you are always with me. Thank you. Amen.”
7. Handwrite A Thank You Note.
It sounds ridiculous and old school, but guess what? People still appreciate handwritten notes, especially because no one sends them anymore. A phone call or text message is ok, but receiving a letter in the mailbox is next level appreciation. There are multiple ways to make Thanksgiving more meaningful by writing thank you notes. For example, a child’s handwriting is adorable, so sending someone a card or coloring page from your little one is perfect! Or, have your older kids pick one or two teachers, coaches, or neighbors they are thankful for and send them a note. Include a gift card if your budget allows, but being thankful doesn’t have to be expensive.
8. Honor A Loved One Who Has Passed Away.
I know what it’s like to have family members missing during the holidays. I remember my mom absentmindedly setting out a plate for my brother after he died while climbing Mt. Fuji (yes!), and then I had to watch her put it all back. I’m publishing a book about my brother’s story, and I’d love for you to follow my journey here.
Flat Matt on Thanksgiving
Each family grieves differently, so I recommend honoring your loved ones in special, unique ways that would make them smile! For my family, we honored Matt for years with “Flat Matt,” a hand-held cardboard cutout with this picture. We’d bring Matt to all the holiday functions and take photos with him on our vacations. It was a funny, yet simple way to remember him.
When we lost my dad, I found ways to honor him at Thanksgiving by making sure I made his favorite dishes. Homemade applesauce, cherry pie, and mashed potatoes to name a few. What about you? How can you show gratitude for a loved one who has passed away?
9. Read Books About Thankfulness.
No matter how old you are, books are a great way to make the Thanksgiving season more meaningful. When my kids were younger, I had a special basket of books that I set out specifically for a holiday. In the basket, I’d place a handful of books about Thanksgiving. Once the holiday was over, I put the books away until the following year so the novelty didn’t wear off.
If you have younger kids, I recommend the following books:
“Little Mole Gives Thanks,” by my author friend, Glenys Nellist
“The Berenstain Bears Give Thanks,” by Jan and Mike Berenstain
“A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,” by Charles M. Shultz
Junie B. Jones #28: “Turkeys We Have Loved and Eaten (and Other Thankful Stuff),” by Barbara Park
Magic Tree House #27: “Thanksgiving on Thursday,” by Mary Pope Osborne
If your kids are older, or if you would like to experience some more thankfulness this season (based on other people’s pain), how about reading (or listening to) the following:
“Ground Zero,” by Alan Gratz (or any others by him!)
“The Hiding Place,” by Corrie TenBoom (abridged by Lonnie Hull DuPont, Elizabeth and John Sherrill)
“All The Light We Cannot See,” by Anthony Doerr, a fictional story that has been recently made into a tv series!
10. Have Family Movie Night.
If you’re not the reading type, watching movies is the next best thing. Even though movies aren’t solely based on themes like “thankfulness” alone, there are some fantastic, clean family movies out there. In our family, movie nights are something we all love, from the popcorn and ice cream to the crackling fire and cozy blankets. During the Thanksgiving season, make it a point to have at least one family movie night. It’s a time to be grateful for each other, and nothing is more valuable than our time. So set aside your busy calendar, cancel a few things, and host a movie night in. Ambiance is important, so set the stage with lighting, blankets, seats, and favorite snacks! Sometimes, our family drives to the local grocery store so everyone can pick out their own treat. Usually, everyone but me comes home with ice cream. I prefer anything but ice cream.
For the younger ones, of course I recommend the funny, quintessential Thanksgiving movie, “Free Birds,” and also the classic, “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.”
For something even funnier (and for the tween crowd), I recommend a movie that has nothing to do with Thanksgiving, but it’s a family favorite: “Paul Blart Mall Cop.” Perhaps we can be thankful for our mall cops? And if you like the first one, you’ll enjoy the hilarious and cheesy sequel too.
For a more classic approach (and an extra long movie), I suggest “The Sound of Music” or “Rudy,” the traditional overcomer sports movie. I could write a whole blog on movie recommendations, but I’ll give you just one more: “National Treasure.” We love the sense of adventure and mystery! There’s a sequel and a tv series if your family is super into it.
