As a Thanksgiving family activity
Create a Thanksgiving tradition with immediate and/or extended family as a reminder of the many blessings the Lord gives us.
Make sure you have the following on hand.
Construction paper in fall colors
Scissors, pencils/crayons
Small plant or small tree branches in a vase
Optional: old magazines/glue sticks
Follow these steps for a great experience…
1. Place a small plant or arrangement as a centerpiece for your table.
2. Cut leaf shapes out of the construction paper or trace/cut everyone’s hand to make a special leaf. Punch a hole in the paper and run ribbon through it. Place the papers in a basket with pencils/crayons.
3. During the Thanksgiving season encourage family members to write out things they are thankful for on the leaves.
4. Place each of the leaves on the centerpiece “tree.”
5. During the meal on Thanksgiving day, take turns allowing everyone at the table to share what they wrote on their leaf.
6. Read 1 Chronicles 29:13 together: “Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name.”
7. End your time together by asking the oldest person to thank God for His abundance and the many blessings He has given your family.
Optional: When the meal is over, take the thankful leaves and record the items of thanks that were written down in a Thankful Journal. Update the journal each Thanksgiving and review the prior years’ blessings together.
Optional: When you are finished, have any children draw on a poster a tree trunk, grass, flowers, etc. Take the leaves and attach them. Hang the poster during the next couple of weeks to remind you of the things for which you are thankful.
Download a copy of this holiday guide to print.