5 Simple Traditions for Thanksgiving Morning

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. This year, as we process the world around us, gratitude can be the healing gift for our troubled souls. The Bible says to give thanks to the Lord for He is good – His love endures forever. It does not say to give thanks because our circumstances are good. It says to give thanks because HE is good. We need to practice that being enough.

This Thanksgiving may look a little different for some. You may be quarantining, staying home, or not hosting as big a crowd as usual. But that doesn’t mean we must sacrifice a fun and meaningful experience.

Today I am sharing 5 simple ways you can celebrate Thanksgiving morning with the people in your home.

Creative Breakfast

We always start Thanksgivimg morning by making Turkey-shaped pancakes. They are so simple and my kids look forward to it every year! Simply take 2 pancakes and cut one into slices for the turkey’s feathers. Then add raisin eyes, a banana beak, and a strawberry wattle.

Other fun Thanksgiving breakfast ideas…

Fun Activities

I love passing the time before dinner with a few simple activities and crafts. Here are some great ideas…

Virtual Parade

The beloved Macy’s Day Parade is not cancelled! But it is reimagined. NBC will host it as usual on Thursday morning from 9:00-12:00 pm. Click HERE for details. We love having the parade on in the background while we get ready for Thanksgiving dinner.

You can also find fun parade-themed printables and coloring pages HERE.

Act of Kindness

I am so passionate about sharing God’s love with others through small acts of kindness. Thanksgiving is the perfect day to reach out and bless someone who might be feeling the affects of COVID-19. Maybe you know someone who is home alone for the holiday or who is not feeling well. Arrange a time to drop a small treat on their doorstep. Here are a few ideas (click the links below)…

Drop a loaf of homemade pumpkin bread with a note.
Turn a cookie into an encouraging Thankful Turkey Treat.
Attach THIS tag to a mini pumpkin pie and deliver.
FaceTime or Zoom with someone who is alone and do a Thanksgiving Word Search or Thanksgiving Mad Libs together.
Write thankful messages on someone’s sidewalk to brighten their day.
Text some of THESE Thanksgiving Jokes to someone who needs a smile.

Go Outside

Decide now to make Thanksgiving a screen-free day. If the weather is nice, get outside. Here are some fun ideas to do in God’s creation!

Draw turkeys with chalk on the sidewalk.
Go on a Turkey Hunt using THIS FREE Printable.
Play Turkey and the Hunter. This game is like Hide and Seek. Have one person be the hunter and everyone else the turkey. The turkeys hide and the hunter hunts. When the hunter finds a turkey, the turkey must Gobble loudly!
Go on a Thanksgiving Scavenger Hunt.
Do a Nature Chalk Game.
Keep it simple. Go on a walk.