Tips to Make Thanksgiving Meaningful

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With Thanksgiving only a few days away, it can be very easy to lose sight of the important things about this holiday, and just focus on the Thanksgiving meal. However, this is the perfect time to share in some old family traditions or to start new family traditions. Being thankful, and grateful are wonderful attributes to instill in your children, no matter how young or old.

The following tips are just a few suggestions to help you get Thanksgiving back on track.

  1.  Volunteer:  This can be as easy as volunteering at your local church or food bank. Check with your local agency and be sure they allow children and if so what age the children have to be. If you cannot volunteer at the food bank go to the grocery store and let your children pick out some canned goods or nonperishables to donate to the local food bank. Or drawing and decorating Thanksgiving-themed cards to bring to local hospitals or nursing homes to share with the residents. Giving of your time in one of these ways will give back to your family tenfold!
  2. Sharing Gratitude:  Let your children know the things that you are grateful for. Help them to realize the things that they have to be grateful for. You can do this with them the night before, when things are not as stressful. Cut out some leaves and have everyone write out something they are grateful for and decorate a paper tree hanging on your living room wall. Modeling this thankful behavior with your children is so important, especially in the midst of these trying times. Remember no blessing is too small, it is all about having a grateful heart!
  3. As stated earlier Thanksgiving is more than the turkey, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. Try and create memories or traditions with your children. Take time to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade together. Or take a “pre-turkey” time walk together. Maybe, as a family you decide to be “tech” free! Remember the sky is the limit, and you and your whole family can decide what traditions work for your family.
  4. Finally, enlist everyone’s help in cleaning the house and/or preparing for the meal. Finding a job for everyone might take some creative thinking but it is doable! Who knows, you might be surprised that some of their best memories will be the times that they have spent helping you in the kitchen.

If you have any questions, or need some more tips please feel free to call Welcome Baby, a program of the N.C. Cooperative Extension of Durham County, at (919) 560-7150.Children looking at camera