 Thanksgiving
Holiday Features, Recipes & Crafts
 Thanksgiving
is a time for families and friends, when we share the
bounty at our table with others and reflect on the
relationship between the Wampanoag native people of
Massachusetts (as it is now known) and the Pilgrim settlers
of Plymouth Plantation.
 Enjoy
the stories we've collected about sharing and caring
(see links
below). Print and send free
Thanksgiving cards to loved ones who can't join
you at the table this year. Print and cut out all the
pieces to make a free Advent
Calendar Wreath decoration with the kids.
 Decorate
the table with personalized Thanksgiving
Place Cards - print out and cut apart these fun
place cards and add each guest's name. More ideas for
your Thanksgiving Table.
You'll enjoy the harvest crafts for kids, holiday decorating
tips and delicious Thanksgiving recipes
in this section. Why not start a Thanksgiving memory
tradition this year - scrapbook
or journal your holiday get together with your own photos
and embellish with our free graphics.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy
Thanksgiving Banner Art - FREE!
A Gathering of Friends for the Fall Season
by Janell Sewall Oakes
The signs of fall are unmistakable in my part of the country. Golden aspens
shimmer in the crisp breeze and crimson leaves float through the air. Weekend
visitors flock to apple orchards, pumpkin patches, and intricate corn mazes
that farmers have carved into their fields. Canned food drives and Coats for
Kids programs are in full swing. The comforting aromas of warm soup and a crackling
fire fill our homes. Just as the animals prepare for colder weather, there is
something almost instinctual about our desire to make the most of the last days
of temperate weather, stock up on autumn's colorful offerings, count our blessings,
and nurture, not just those we love, but the community as a whole.
Now that we've comfortably settled into our school routines, gathering friends
together around the dinner table becomes a Friday night tradition. With my friends,
this started in late September, when Susan casually mentioned that she'd made
a big pot of chili (too much for just her family) and it would save her freezer
space if we would bring the kids over and help them finish it. Within hours,
there were six adults sharing stories around the kitchen island and nine children
planning a circus in the playroom. The next week, Lee called to say he'd just
brought home a new fire pit for the backyard and had soup on the stove. Once
again, the week's tensions fell away as we gathered around the campfire, laughing
and roasting s'mores.
America's Second Harvest
When our turn came, I knew better than to plan a large meal. No matter how
many assurances of, "Don't bring anything, I have it all under control,"
I knew no one would come empty handed. Nancy's always sure to bring an appetizer
or dessert, along with an excuse for going all out. Sometimes it's a simple
collection of cheeses, pears, and spiced walnuts (because, "I bought them
at the Farmer's Market last week and I have way too much."). To our gathering,
she brought her famous lemon bars (because, "The girls really wanted to
make them."). After Susan arrived with a spread made from cannelini beans,
sage, garlic, and olive oil, a loaf of good, crusty bread, and an armload of
games for the kids, I knew we were in for another memorable evening.
As I greeted my friends, each bearing a gift from their own kitchens, I was
reminded of the Children's folktale, Stone Soup. It's a story about a group
of individuals who don't have enough to eat but, when they come together as
a community, bring all they have to the table to create a sumptuous stew. Our
friends are like that. Each of us, with our own personalities and experiences,
bring joy and support to one another.
I gazed around that night, feeling lucky to have found such a warm group of
friends, and remembered the gratitude wreath my family creates each year for
Thanksgiving. We build a wreath of autumn leaves, each displaying a written
message about what we are thankful for. Lacking a pile of leaves, I asked my
guests to grab a gourd from the centerpiece, gave them each a permanent marker,
and told them to write anything that came to mind. When we were through, we
filled a glass vase with the gourds and placed it between us on the table. The
small pumpkin on top simply said, "Good Friends."
Copyright © Nine Twenty Press
About the Authors: Janell Oakes is the co-author of the
award winning book, Together: Creating Family Traditions. She wants to
give you the most important gift you can give your family. You can be a part
of an irresistible offer available for one day only on November 17th.
The website will be posted for one day only. http://www.TogetherCreatingFamilyTraditions.com
For a reminder email send a message to :rondi@togetherparenting.com
and type "reminder" in the subject line.
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Thanksgiving
Activities for Kids
Make a Thanksgiving
card with the clip art and printables
in our downloads section - they're FREE for your
personal use.
A
New England Child's Thanksgiving
Make
a 3D Paper
Thanksgiving Turkey
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