Thanksgiving Tree

Thanksgiving Tree

We all know Thanksgiving is a time of reflection on the blessings we have in our lives, yet it seems more and more a holiday to overstuff ourselves with a turkey dinner and pumpkin pie.  The thankfulness we should feel, especially on this day, but also year-round, has been replaced with a time to have the day off, watch football, and gorge on a great dinner.  We tend to forget why we even celebrate this holiday at all. 

Did you know that the Pilgrims had it extremely difficult that first Thanksgiving, yet still had a feast to consider all they were thankful for?  Here are a few hardships they endured their first year in 1621:

·    They didn’t even reach the place they had set out to go (Virginia) and ended up in Massachusetts. 

·    They had extremely bad weather (storms and snow) that first year and very rudimentary shelter.

·    They had little food.

·    Almost 2/3 of the first Pilgrims died of disease, malnutrition, or sickness from the cold.

·    Their first crops they planted, with help from the Indians, failed and what little they did get they sent overseas only to have it stolen by Pirates.

If you had endured all this, would you really be thankful?  Gratitude isn’t an emotion most of us cultivate, even on Thanksgiving.  We are more likely to concentrate on the turkey or television than on giving thanks.

Here’s my crafty solution for establishing a grateful heart in your family: a simple, child-friendly Thanksgiving Tree.  There are many ways to incorporate this into your holiday festivities, but here is my favorite.

You will need:

 

·         Construction paper (in fall colors)

·         Leaf stencil or your child’s hand

·         Markers

·         Glitter (optional)

·         Two-sided sticky tape

To do:

1. Cut a tree pattern with brown construction paper.  Make it as big as possible (note: you could also use real tree branches from outside or felt for this as well).
2. Have children use the stencils or trace their hands and make lots of leaves in a variety of colors with the construction paper, then cut out the leaves.
3. Put the tree up in a prominent spot so everyone will see it (maybe even in a glassless frame or as a centerpiece on your table).
4. Have every family member take a leaf (or several) and write something they are thankful for, then decorate with glitter if desired.
5. Stick the leaves to the tree with tape. 

This is a great way to encourage family members to express their thanks and can quickly become a wonderful Thanksgiving tradition.  It’s also fun to see how your family’s gratitude changes over the years.  Remember as the Pilgrims remembered, not to take the gifts and blessings in your life for granted and have a very Happy Thanksgiving!

Party Planning 101 - Thanksgiving Memory Game

While the turkey’s cooking, cook up some good old fashioned family fun by playing this test of memory, sure to get your tummy grumbling and your family laughing!

All players sit in a circle.The first player starts by saying, "At Thanksgiving dinner I ate turkey." The next player must repeat this and add another dish, "At my Thanksgiving dinner I ate turkey and cranberry." The third player must repeat it and add yet another dish, "At Thanksgiving dinner I ate turkey, cranberry, and stuffing." The game continues with each player adding an item to the menu after first listing all the previous items in the exact order they were first said. If a player makes a mistake he drops out and the game continues until there is just one person left.

Simple, yet fun!

Party Recipes - Twice Baked Potato Casserole

Ingredients

• 10 large russet baking potatoes (about 7 pounds total)
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) plus 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 pound bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
• 1/2 pound sharp white Cheddar, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3/4 pound mild Cheddar, grated (3 cups)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped green onions
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Scrub the potatoes well and rinse under cool running water. Pat dry with paper towels and prick the potatoes in several places with a fork. Place the potatoes in the oven and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes, or until tender. Remove from the oven and set aside on a wire rack until cool enough to handle.

When the potatoes have cooled, cut each potato in half and, using a spoon or a melon baller, scoop the flesh out of the skins, leaving as little flesh as possible. Place the potato flesh in a large bowl and add 1 stick of the butter, the sour cream, heavy cream, salt, and pepper and mash until chunky-smooth. Add the bacon, cubed white Cheddar, half of the grated Cheddar, the green onions, and eggs and mix thoroughly.

Butter a 9 by 13-inch casserole with the remaining tablespoon of butter and reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees F.

Place the seasoned potato mixture in the prepared casserole and top with the remaining grated Cheddar. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until bubbly around the edges and heated through and the cheese on top is melted and lightly golden. Serve hot.