Gratitude, Thanksgiving & Tables
(and FREE Printables!)
Thanksgiving was always my favorite holiday. I love the meaning of Easter, and the magic and hope of Christmas, but Thanksgiving is different for me. It blends some of my favorite things, being in the kitchen with family, and friends. Just genuine company and comfort food.
We typically host Thanksgiving. Some years it’s been our family of 5 and a few more and other years almost 30 guests. That may sound crazy and stressful for you, but it’s one of our family’s favorite things each year.
I could go on and on about planning, recipes, and hosting but this post is the heart of why I love Thanksgiving; the giving thanks part.
Gratitude
We took a different approach to gratitude this Thanksgiving. It was a small group of people this year and a group we spend a lot of time with so we know their stories. We know, without asking, that they are grateful for their family, job, home, and health. So, how do you get to what someone really means? Ask them the question a different way.
Instead of, “What are you grateful for?”, ask:
What is something that God did in your life and how has that changed you?
Tell about an unexpected source of joy.
Who or what are you grateful for but more importantly, why? How has that impact changed you?
List things that have made you smile recently.
Let kids draw! Sometimes the most meaningful thing comes from them and we all learn from it.
Most years, we write down what we’re grateful for and hang them up with clothespins and twine, but this year I wanted to do something different so I made the activity part of the table.
I used things I had on hand:
White table cloth
Roll of kraft paper
White table runner
Thanksgiving decorations sitting around the house
Sticks (yes, from the backyard)
Pens, pencils, markers
These stencils
Now, it’s time to decorate the table!
Lay out your tablecloths and runners if you’re using them.
Placemats and dishes are next.
Now, you know how much room you have for the centerpiece.
Decorate! We link tables together so we all fit in one space, so I like to have a trail of decorations down the table instead of one centerpiece. You don’t have to have extra decorations for the table. I steal from all over the house for the table using fall decorations and vases already sitting out. If you have any flower arrangements you’ve received for the holiday, the main table would be a great place for them.
Here are a few ways to use the stencils for gratitude:
Have your guests write out what they’re grateful for on the leaves (but really, a simple piece of paper will suffice) while you’re having appetizers or the finishing touches are being made.
Scatter them around the table. It’s like confetti and makes for an added table decoration.
Using clothespins, clip them to branches you put in vases. If you have flowers on your table, clip them to the greenery or stick them in the arrangement.
There really are so many ways to show gratitude and use that in your holiday, any holiday! What’s your family’s tradition?
