Sharing gratitude

Giving thanks isn’t reserved for a single day of the year, but sometimes Thanksgiving does serve as a gentle reminder to acknowledge all that we have and to be grateful for these wonderful things in our lives. To help kids get in the spirit, here are a few things you can do.

Give thanks as you eat. While you’re eating so many yummy foods (like our potato casserole pictured here), offer thanks to the earth, the potatoes, the cow who gave the milk for the cheese; you get the idea. Show how there is someone or some organism, whether an animal or a plant, behind everything we have, and often a sacrifice is made to give us our own blessings.

Write cards together and deliver them to people in your life to whom you wish to offer thanks. Make a list as a family; maybe you will include the mailperson, local fire fighters, a teacher, or a beloved friend. Write these heartfelt letters together and either mail them or deliver them in person for a truly memorable gift.

Make a holiday Tree of Thanks and list everything you are thankful for on the tree. We include pets, people, creature comforts and even water on our list. While you are at it, you may wish to include a Tree of Giving to commemorate each gift or donation you give this winter to someone in need, whether it is a blanket or coat for someone who is cold or a warm shoulder for someone having a hard time.

How do you demonstrate thankfulness as a family or a community?

Photo courtesy of Wood Sprite