Make Thanksgiving Special This Year
Maybe Thanksgiving day is full of traditions and memories for you, maybe this day has never held much significance to you, or maybe now you have a family of your own and are still searching for the right Thanksgiving tradition. No matter your experience with Thanksgiving, it is a day to be intentional about being thankful for those around you, God, and yourself.
Here are 3 ways to make Thanksgiving special this year:
Make it a family thing:
Hosting and preparing food for Thanksgiving can be stressful and overwhelming but don't rush through it! There is good to be found when you slow down and connect. What if instead of rushing through cooking the meal this year, you invited your kids in and taught them something new in the kitchen and laughed together during the process? What's a dish that holds meaning to you from your childhood that you can share with your kids? Moments become memories when you least expect it! Inviting. others (kids, friends, neighbors, etc.) into the kitchen as you prepare for Thanksgiving dinner is a great way to make Thanksgiving special for everyone involved! Friends become family around a dinner table, so who can you invite?
Make it a contribution-from-everyone thing:
Relationships where everyone contributes are the ones that thrive. Real friendships are not one-sided; they are partnerships. Contribution from everyone shouldn't only happen in conversation but also in action. What does that look like on Thanksgiving? Taking on the Thanksgiving meal is a big deal! What if everyone contributed? The beauty of partnership is in everyone bringing their unique best, which can be true with food! Picture a Thanksgiving meal where everyone who gathered brought a dish that mattered to them, with a story to share. Thanksgiving turns from a meal one night a year to a great way to deepen friendships and relationships across your life when everyone contributes.
Make it a joyful thing:
Most people long for deep connections with those in their lives. Yet, most conversations around a dinner table on Thanksgiving are full of questions like "what are you thankful for?" leaving little room for genuine, heartfelt connection. Relationships take work and intentionality! This year, you have the opportunity to make the conversation around the Thanksgiving table a joyful thing. One definition of joy is a gladness to be together. The people you gather around your table matter to you! Imagine how the conversation around the table would shift if everyone shared what they were thankful for about the last 24 hours, one another, and God, a practice also known as the Appreciation 1-1-1. Expressing joyful gratitude actually helps to open and deepen relationships with God and others!
Thanksgiving is a day when you can be intentional with those around you - something God invites his people to do everyday. Invite others into the process, not just the result. Invite others to contribute and create space to connect deeply with others and God! You never know what stories, memories, or new traditions come out of this year!