Thanksgiving is one of those holidays were it doesn't seem like we have many things that are "tradition." Growing up, we didn't live close to extended family so it was normally just me and my immediate family plus another couple or whoever we'd have over.
My memories of Thanksgiving while growing up include watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and of course lots of football. It was one of the few times of the year when we had mashed potatoes from scratch (we all loved the boxed version so we didn't care the other times of the year) and I remember my dad sitting there peeling all the potatoes.
One year we decided to go down to the local homeless shelter and help out prior to eating our meal. We got assigned the job of wrapping Christmas gifts that the shelter was going to pass out a few weeks later. It was so much fun and I'd love to do it with my children some year.
Another thing we always do is find verses that have to do with thanksgiving/giving thanks. Each person has one written on the back of their place card and prior to eating, we take turns going around the table and reading our verses.
Does anybody else have any fun Thanksgiving traditions or memories?
A NEW Thanksgiving tradition for my family is celebrating the birthday of my niece and nephew (my sister had twins). In fact, this year their birthday actually falls ON Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteCelebrating their birthday on Thanksgiving is practical (the family is all together anyway), plus a really good reminder about the miracle babies that they are. My sister and brother-in-law went through infertility, even being told at one point by their infertility specialist that they would probably never be able to have biological children.
Needless to say, we have a LOT to be thankful for in our family!