5 FUN Thanksgiving Day Traditions

Thanksgiving Day Traditions

On this day people express gratitude to God for his blessings and give thanks to dear ones for their love & support. Feasting with family is an integral & most delightful part of Thanksgiving Day celebrations. Making family traditions shows just another way to bond with your family and friends. Your children will remember these traditions and perhaps keep them going or start new ones when they have their own children.

5 FUN Tradition Ideas

By Leslie Pleasant

1. Turkey Tablecloth:

Create a Thanksgiving Day tablecloth that will be enjoyed by generations of your family.

You need:

a plain tablecloth (prewash before decorating)

fabric paints

fabric markers

foam paint brushes

Each year, have guests -- yes, even Great Aunt Joanna -- use the paint to make a handprint turkey on the tablecloth.

They can then draw in the turkey's features and write their names and ages with fabric markers.

The entire family will enjoy seeing the tablecloth grow from year to year and watching as the little turkeys grow into big turkeys.

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2. Thanksgiving Album:

Take photo's of all of your Thanksgiving Day guests. Put the photo's in a scrapbook with the heading "Thanksgiving 2010." Then you can add the menu and could include any new recipes that you liked. On another page, you can ask everyone to sign their name and then write a few lines about what they are most thankful for that year. Each year you can add new pages as your family grows.

This activity will not only create a cherished heirloom filled with the handwriting of generations gone by, but it encourages guests to remember the true meaning of the day -- giving thanks for the blessings in their lives.

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3. Thanksgiving Slide Show:

Another great way to show off previous Thanksgiving's is to make a slideshow. Have it displayed on a TV in your house that your guests aren't going to be watching football or parades on. Could be even a small TV in your kitchen, or office. You could even just have it on your computer to display. Add graphics, music and pictures from previous Thanksgivings.

There is many different ways that you can make a slideshow from that are FREE....

PowerPoint

http://www.dvd-photo-slideshow.com/thanksgiving-presentation-slide-show.html

http://www.photo-to-dvd.com/dvd-photo-slideshow/thanksgiving-slideshow.html

http://www.dvd-ppt-slideshow.com/blog/download-free-thanksgiving-powerpoint-backgrounds/

http://www.photo-flash-maker.com/create-thanksgiving-slideshow.html

many more... go to Google and type in Thanksgiving Slideshows

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4. Christmas Ornament:

After dinner... everyone decorate (paint) a Christmas ornament. Wood or Ceramic that you can pick up at the craft stores Christmas section.

What you need:

Enough ornaments for everyone (you will be surprised how adults enjoy painting them too)

Craft paint

Paint brushes for everyone

Newspaper to lay down

Small paper plates to let the ornaments dry on

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5. Hunt for Turkey Feathers:

Buy some colorful feathers at a craft store. Hide them in your house or outside and have the kids look for them. Just like a Easter egg hunt.

What you need:

Colorful feathers (you can find at your local craft store)

* Hide the feathers around the house. Make a note of how many feathers you have hidden for your kids to find so you know when he/she has collected all of them.

* Explain to your kids that Tyler turkey has lost his feathers and needs your their help to find them for Thanksgiving.

* Ready. set. Go... off your kids go to hunt for Tyler's turkey feathers. Help your kids as needed

* After your kids have found all the feather, let them "play" with them... counting colors, feeling how soft they are.