Small Memories

Make your Thanksgiving Day celebration more than a family meal. Thanksgiving is always a great time to take advantage of having your loved ones in one place. Here are some ideas to make your Thanksgiving Day special.

Thankful Cards – Make a card for each family member who is attending your Thanksgiving get-together this year. On the card, tell that person what you love most about them, and why you are thankful for them.

These cards can also be used as place cards. To do this, make sure you add each person’s name to the front of the card and keep the message short. If you use the thankful cards in this manner, consider making the cards small so they don’t take up a lot of room on the table.

Family Recipe Books – Have each family member bring the recipe for the dish they bring to your Thanksgiving Day celebration. After your celebration has ended, compile the recipes into a book. Print the books from your computer or have them printed at your local print shop.

To make these books extra sturdy, punch holes in the sides of the pages and add them to a three-ring binder with a nice personalized cover. These recipe books can be given to family members a week or so after your gathering or you can wait and present it to them as a Christmas gift. The choice is yours.

Family Scrapbooks – Ask family members, who attend your Thanksgiving Day celebration, to choose a recent photo of themselves; have a copy made for each family represented at the gathering; and bring the photos to the Thanksgiving celebration. The pictures can be a school picture, picture from work, or family photo. Be sure to have a digital camera handy for people who forget their pictures.

Purchase a mini scrapbook or photo album for each family attending. Consider buying stickers, markers, and various scrapbook supplies to help each family make their scrapbook special. This is a great family activity to begin after the holiday meal.

Family Recordings - Invite older members of the family to sit and talk about what Thanksgiving was like when they were young. Encourage them to give details and talk about loved ones who are no longer with you. Use a camcorder to capture the event or create an audio version to share with other family members.

Please keep in mind when recording that many older family members may not like to be “in the spotlight.” In order to make your “speaker” comfortable, you may have to do your recording out of their field of view. The key is to have them focused on the conversation rather than the camera or microphone.

Whether you choose to make thankful cards, recipe books, family scrapbooks, family recordings, or something else, do something to make Thanksgiving Day special for your family members. Older family members will love spending the time with everyone and younger members will have a memento of special people and times.

A Thanksgiving meal is a great way to bring your family together. Memories of the past year can be relived and a good time can be had by all. However, a family get-together can also be stressful and hectic if you don’t plan ahead. Here are a few tips to help you cut out the stress before carving the turkey at your Thanksgiving Day celebration.

Plan Your Menu Early

By planning your menu early, you will take a lot of the last minute chaos out of the picture. Try to limit the menu to two types of meat, which you can purchase and cook ahead of time. Plan on serving a variety of vegetable dishes. Since most of us tend to overeat at the holidays, this will help your loved ones eat healthier. Consider serving small individual sized dessert items such as cupcakes, cookies, tassies, fried pies, etc.

Share The Expenses

You don’t have to do it all! Ask family members to bring something with them. This not only helps to cut out the stress but also helps cut down on the shopping and expenses. Members can bring their favorite dish to share with others. Non-cooks may opt for helping to supply the paper and plastic products. You may also consider asking someone to supply the tea or drinks. If your family is like mine, someone may need to bring a chest filled with ice. This comes in especially handy if there are a lot of children attending.

Choose A Specific Meal Time

Choose a specific time for your Thanksgiving meal to begin. This will help everyone know what to expect and when to arrive. Don’t put your meal on hold to wait on a few family members. This creates stress for everyone else. When you say the meal will be at a specific time, make sure the meal begins at that time. Some family members may have to attend another family gathering that day; so, be a sweetie and help them stay on schedule. Knowing what time the meal will begin also helps parents with young children by allowing them to adjust the kids’ nap or feeding time. This can cut out stress for everyone.

Make Your Gathering Special

Make this Thanksgiving gathering special by doing something new or unique. Here are a few activities you can incorporate into your stress-free holiday. Ask family members to bring pictures from the previous Thanksgiving gathering. Have each person share one thing for which they are thankful. Plan a special time to remember family members who are no longer with you. Record the event and watch it after the family meal.

It’s not uncommon for Thanksgiving celebrations to be hectic. Cut out the stress before carving the turkey by planning ahead. This will allow you and your guests to have a relaxing stress-free holiday filled with wonderful memories.

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4 Ideas To Make Thanksgiving Day Special