Do you wish for a simple way to make Thanksgiving about more than just turkey and football?  Consider adopting this tradition and adapting it in a way that fits your family schedule. 

On Thanksgiving Day each year, we have about a twenty minute drive to get to the extended family lunch or dinner.  The entire way there we go around and say what we’re thankful for.  Each person says one word each or a short phrase (“Thank you, God, for…”) as we continue around the circle of people in the car.  My husband and I started this tradition before we even had children as a way to get back to the heart of Thanksgiving.  Since then, it’s been fun to see the children catch on and participate more and more each year.  The year Jake was two years old, he thanked God for firemen every turn!   We appreciate the twenty minute time frame because it forces those of us who are beyond two years old to get creative and think past the usual thanksgivings (home, food, car, clothes) to fill up the whole time…no repetition allowed!   It puts our hearts in the right place and reminds us of our many blessings before a day of more blessings with our family. 

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.  Psalm 136:1

Last year I was hosting Thanksgiving for my side of the family and wanted a fun way for all ages to give thanks.  I spied a big pumpkin that was still hanging around and came up with the Thankful Turkey.  The idea is for everyone to write something they are thankful for on a feather.  However, the catch is that everyone must read all the feathers that have already been written, because no two thankful feathers can be the same.  This year, to extend the idea, my immediate family will start adding feathers several days leading up to hosting my husband’s family on Thanksgiving.  The templates I used for the turkey head, feet, and feathers are copyrighted or I would have gladly attached them.  But, I think they are simple enough to eyeball and sketch out your own to match the size of your pumpkin.   Enjoy your Thankful Turkey!  Gobble, Gobble!

Supplies: 
Big pumpkin
Wooden skewers (from the grocery store…bbq skewers)
tape
pens or markers
cardstock or construction paper for the head, feet, and feathers

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to
him and praise his name. 

For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness
continues through all generations.

Psalm 100:4-5