We like to emphasize the Thanksgiving Holiday because we believe that it is a perfect time to really reflect on that for which we are grateful.  Here are some things we started to do to make Thanksgiving more meaningful to our family.

1.  We, at dinnertime beginning on November 1st, each member of the family begins their personal list of what they are thankful for. This is done until Thanksgiving "Eve". On Thanksgiving "Eve", we make fall leaves by tracing our hands on fall-colored construction paper and cutting them out for as many items on our Thanksgiving lists. We write the things we are grateful for on our "leaves" and make either a tree, a wreath, or a garland.  This is center of our holiday decor.  We keep either the tree, the wreath, or the garland up until Christmas.  Before we take it down, we take a picture of it so that we can put the photo and the lists in a scrapbook.  It is fun to look back at what we are thankful for.

2. We also like to make a list of people for whom we are thankful and make little gifts that reflect our appreciation for them.  For example, for grandparents we make an acrostic with their names and have it framed.  Or with the pictures we have taken with them over the year, we make a collage. Or we put together a "Bounty Basket."

"Bounty Basket" contains a note of thanks and appreciation and various combinations of the following items:
Pumpkin Bars
Pumpkin or spice scented candle
Pumpkin Bread
Candy Corn
Decorative miniature pumpkins or gourds
Have fun giving thanks!