Our Thanksgiving journal

As I was growing up, my mom instituted a Thanksgiving tradition. One evening prior to Thanksgiving day, our family would gather around the table and make a family thanksgiving tree.

Basically, we drew a big tree on a poster-sized piece of paper, dated it, and then we'd each grab markers and write down things we were thankful for-- usually just a short phrase or even one word. When we were done, mom would hang it up near our table and there it would remain for the next month or two... a daily reminder of the things our family was grateful for.

I loved doing this, and wanted to have a tradition similar to that in our home. I wasn't quite sold on the tree-on-a-paper idea, although Mark and I tried that for a couple years when we were first married. What I didn't like about that format was that I wanted to save them from year to year, and I didn't want another stack of papers- least of all poster-sized papers.

When our daughter was born, I came up with the idea to make a family Thanksgiving journal. We basically do the same thing-- record the things we're thankful for-- we just do them in a spiral-bound book, and each family member gets a page.


It's really a sort of family scrapbook-- we use words and photos. Each year I begin the new section by using a page to mark the year, and then the following page is Mark's, the next page mine, and so on. We take an evening and work on it together. Our children get to color on their pages, too- and choose their own photos. We help them think of the things they are thankful for-- and obviously two of our three children can't write, yet-- we write for them.

Ella's pages, last year


Our Thanksgiving journal sits on an end table in our home during the month of November. Others have the opportunity to peruse it when they're in our home, and of course our children look through it frequently. And it is a delight to look back at the things God has done in our family through the years.

I'd love to hear some of your Thanksgiving traditions!

2 comments:

  1. Nov. 15, 2006 - Think I might try this this year...
    Posted by Joni
    Thanks for the great idea! Last year we did a big turkey with feathers. I used glitter for the feathers (what was I thinking?!?). Although the children loved it, it was a huge mess. So, a journal will be less messy, smaller, and keepable (is that a word?).

    BTW, whatever happened with bloglines? Did you get it worked out?

    Blessings,
    Joni

    ***

    Nov. 15, 2006 - Hi there!
    Posted by dawilli
    I love that idea! I think I may need to stop and get a big sketch diary this afternoon on our way down to church. Or, I suppose I could just give each child some cardstock pages and then put them in page protectors and keep them in a scrapbook... decisions, decisions... either way, I'm definitely adopting some version of this idea. I love the thought of adding to it every year, watching them grow- physically as well as spiritually, in the things they are thankful for... oh, how sweet! Now I'm excited!
    Have a good one,
    enjoy them,
    ali

    ***

    Nov. 15, 2006 - Lovely Idea
    Posted by AussieinAmerica
    My mother in law started a Thanksgiving Journal and we all write in it each year. Since I have never had Tahnksgiving in my own home I had not yet thought about doing one just for us. I think I might have to start one. It is such a nice way to keep memories.
    Hope you are having a great day,
    Stacy

    ***

    Nov. 15, 2006 - Untitled Comment
    Posted by Rebeca
    This is another great idea- thanks!
    And thanks for asking how I am. I'm doing well. Physically I am feeling normal again. Emotionally I feel overall like I'm okay, but the sadness seems to always be under the surface and I never know quite when it will spill over. Peregrine had a very hard time for a while, and he is doing a lot better, so life is feeling more normal, not so unsettled as it did for a while there.
    I'm glad your blogging again. How is Amy? Is she close to having her baby? I can't remember when she was due.
    Bless you,
    Rebeca

    ***

    Nov. 15, 2006 - the chocolate turkey
    Posted by Fletch
    in mangoland we award the chocolate turkey to the family member that is voted the biggest turkey... we recall all of the dumb events of the year and then award the real chocolate turkey to the one that made us laugh hardest...

    ***

    Nov. 15, 2006 - Super cute!
    Posted by Dana
    I love that...
    we write on leaves and hang them on a tree. I think I will paste them to a page in the scrapbook! Duh! Why didn't I think of that!
    Thanks!

    ***

    Nov. 16, 2006 - What a great idea!
    Posted by Sandi
    We usually do the tree too but then it's gone. Even if we take photos you cannot really see what's on it. I think I am going to do this next year. I am living in Canada and Thanksgiving is in October. I ususally celebrate the US Thanksgiving too (I am an American) but this year we are moving the 25th so if we eat turkey it will be from some one elses oven LOL! They already have all the Christmas stuff out here....drives me crazy every year ;o)

    ***

    Nov. 16, 2006 - Untitled Comment
    Posted by Anonymous
    No kidding, just yesterday I made a thanksgiving journal for our family, decorated it and everything, we have never done this before but I thought of the idea last week. All the girls can write, Mollie with help, so it will probably be more writing than scrapbooking, but overall the same idea. I also planned to have it out through the week up to Thanksgiving for the girls and Dean and I to write in and then share with each other over the Holiday, keep it out for awhile and then bring it back out next year to revisit and add to it!
    Happy Thanksgiving,
    Carrie

    ***

    Nov. 18, 2006 - Apparently great minds think alike...
    Posted by Michelle
    and that would be your's and Carrie's...NOT mine! This is a great idea! Very fun for your family to have to look back on through the years.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Nov. 15, 2006 - Think I might try this this year...
    Posted by Joni
    Thanks for the great idea! Last year we did a big turkey with feathers. I used glitter for the feathers (what was I thinking?!?). Although the children loved it, it was a huge mess. So, a journal will be less messy, smaller, and keepable (is that a word?).

    BTW, whatever happened with bloglines? Did you get it worked out?

    Blessings,
    Joni

    ***

    Nov. 15, 2006 - Hi there!
    Posted by dawilli
    I love that idea! I think I may need to stop and get a big sketch diary this afternoon on our way down to church. Or, I suppose I could just give each child some cardstock pages and then put them in page protectors and keep them in a scrapbook... decisions, decisions... either way, I'm definitely adopting some version of this idea. I love the thought of adding to it every year, watching them grow- physically as well as spiritually, in the things they are thankful for... oh, how sweet! Now I'm excited!
    Have a good one,
    enjoy them,
    ali

    ***

    Nov. 15, 2006 - Lovely Idea
    Posted by AussieinAmerica
    My mother in law started a Thanksgiving Journal and we all write in it each year. Since I have never had Tahnksgiving in my own home I had not yet thought about doing one just for us. I think I might have to start one. It is such a nice way to keep memories.
    Hope you are having a great day,
    Stacy

    ***

    Nov. 15, 2006 - Untitled Comment
    Posted by Rebeca
    This is another great idea- thanks!
    And thanks for asking how I am. I'm doing well. Physically I am feeling normal again. Emotionally I feel overall like I'm okay, but the sadness seems to always be under the surface and I never know quite when it will spill over. Peregrine had a very hard time for a while, and he is doing a lot better, so life is feeling more normal, not so unsettled as it did for a while there.
    I'm glad your blogging again. How is Amy? Is she close to having her baby? I can't remember when she was due.
    Bless you,
    Rebeca

    ***

    Nov. 15, 2006 - the chocolate turkey
    Posted by Fletch
    in mangoland we award the chocolate turkey to the family member that is voted the biggest turkey... we recall all of the dumb events of the year and then award the real chocolate turkey to the one that made us laugh hardest...

    ***

    Nov. 15, 2006 - Super cute!
    Posted by Dana
    I love that...
    we write on leaves and hang them on a tree. I think I will paste them to a page in the scrapbook! Duh! Why didn't I think of that!
    Thanks!

    ***

    Nov. 16, 2006 - What a great idea!
    Posted by Sandi
    We usually do the tree too but then it's gone. Even if we take photos you cannot really see what's on it. I think I am going to do this next year. I am living in Canada and Thanksgiving is in October. I ususally celebrate the US Thanksgiving too (I am an American) but this year we are moving the 25th so if we eat turkey it will be from some one elses oven LOL! They already have all the Christmas stuff out here....drives me crazy every year ;o)

    ***

    Nov. 16, 2006 - Untitled Comment
    Posted by Anonymous
    No kidding, just yesterday I made a thanksgiving journal for our family, decorated it and everything, we have never done this before but I thought of the idea last week. All the girls can write, Mollie with help, so it will probably be more writing than scrapbooking, but overall the same idea. I also planned to have it out through the week up to Thanksgiving for the girls and Dean and I to write in and then share with each other over the Holiday, keep it out for awhile and then bring it back out next year to revisit and add to it!
    Happy Thanksgiving,
    Carrie

    ***

    Nov. 18, 2006 - Apparently great minds think alike...
    Posted by Michelle
    and that would be your's and Carrie's...NOT mine! This is a great idea! Very fun for your family to have to look back on through the years.

    ReplyDelete

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