Busy families looking for simple ways to spread warmth and thanks this Thanksgiving, here are quick and easy activities to try. Get ready for a table full of smiles and hearts.
🍁 Family Thanksgiving Gratitude Ideas
Use these ideas with your family through November or on Thanksgiving Day with your guests.
Thanksgiving Gratitude Board
Decorate a dry-erase board or chalkboard with Thanksgiving-themed decorations. Tie chalk or a dry-erase marker onto a string, then attach the string to the board. It is fun to see what others write.
Thanksgiving Gratitude Jar
Decorate your jar however you want. Use paper or cut-out leaves from cardstock to write on. Place the jar, leaves, or slips of paper and a pen on a table. Invite people to write what they are grateful for on the leaves and drop them into the jar.
Thanksgiving Garland
Find leaf templates online or use your die-cutting machine to cut the leaves from fall-colored construction paper or cardstock. Display your leaves on jute or a string strung across a fireplace mantel, a doorway, or the wall. Clip them on with a clothespin or paper clips. Or use a stick and tie strings that hang below it to attach your leaves to.
Thanksgiving Gratitude Tree
There are numerous ways to make a Thanksgiving gratitude tree. It can be made of paper and attached to a bulletin board or the wall. Another option is to use twigs placed in a can, vase, or jar. The leaves may be decorated or left plain.
Thank-You Notes
Buy a pack of thank-you notes and have your family write why they are grateful for one another, other family members, friends, neighbors, etc. Two or three sentences are a good length.
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🦃 Thanksgiving Gratitude Traditions
Many families have the tradition of going around the table with each telling what they are thankful for. Here are some ideas to vary the tradition.
Gratitude Basket
When your guest arrives, have them write what they are grateful for on a slip of paper and put it in a basket. Or you can use a gratitude jar. Later have your guests draw a piece of paper from the basket and read what it says. You can discuss what it states or guess who wrote it.
Gratitude Video
Assign someone to interview the guests about what they are grateful for and why. Film the answers. The video will be something you can watch for years to come.
Gratitude For Others
Have the guests state why they are grateful for the person sitting beside them or across the table. It is always nice to hear you are appreciated! If someone gets skipped, have everyone at the table state why they are grateful for that person.
Gratitude Quotes
Collect gratitude quotes, write each on a piece of paper and place it in a basket. Have your guests draw one of the quotes and read them.
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❓ Questions People Ask
How Can I Make Gratitude Activities More Engaging For Kids?
Incorporate fun elements like drawing, coloring, or using stickers in your gratitude activities to make them more appealing to children.
What If Someone Struggles To Find Something To Be Grateful For?
Encourage them to think about small things, like a good cup of coffee in the morning or a kind word from a friend.
Can These Activities Be Done Virtually?
Absolutely! Many of these activities can be adapted for virtual gatherings, such as sharing gratitude quotes or creating a digital gratitude board.
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