Thanksgiving at our house
Since Kathrynne is finally old enough to understand and enjoy a little bit of what Thanksgiving is about, we decided to devote some time to studying about the first Thanksgiving as part of our homeschooling. 
In lieu of our usual missionary story time, we're reading through The Thanksgiving Primer this week and next. And can I just tell you? I can't believe how much I am learning. I've studied about the Pilgrims countless times, but this little book has some fascinating stuff in it.
At the end are some authentic recipes, most of which didn't look too appetizing to us (we're just not really into prune tarts around here and such!). But we're going to try making the three most normal-sounding ones as part of our Thanksgiving studies next week. Should be fun!
Besides the usual family get-togethers and oh-so-scrumptious family dinners, are you all doing anything special to commemorate Thanksgiving? Tell us about it!
In lieu of our usual missionary story time, we're reading through The Thanksgiving Primer this week and next. And can I just tell you? I can't believe how much I am learning. I've studied about the Pilgrims countless times, but this little book has some fascinating stuff in it.At the end are some authentic recipes, most of which didn't look too appetizing to us (we're just not really into prune tarts around here and such!). But we're going to try making the three most normal-sounding ones as part of our Thanksgiving studies next week. Should be fun!
Besides the usual family get-togethers and oh-so-scrumptious family dinners, are you all doing anything special to commemorate Thanksgiving? Tell us about it!
posted by Crystal Paine at 4:45 PM
14 Comments:
I'd like to share something we do every Thanksgiving for about 5 years now.
When it's all done and the meal is winding down, we start clearing the table and packing up all of the leftovers into disposable Glad containers. We pack EVERYTHING. We then neatly fill an igloo container (you can find them somewhat resonably priced if you're just looking for a temporary little holder, which we are) with everything....starting with warm, tasty turkey and ending with chilled pumpkin pie with topping. We include disposable eating utensils, a bottle of water and most importantly, some sort of "track". This has been over the years anything from a sheet of paper introducing Jesus, to a small, hand-held daily devotional book to a Bible. Then my husband, I and all our children (this year will be 4!) pray over this igloo of blessings, that it would find it's way into the hands God wants it in. We then all load up and drive around our community, praying the Lord reveals a homeless or less fortunate person to us that we could bless with the igloo.
Without fail, every year the Lord brings someone into our sight that truly needs and appreciates what we're giving them. Since it's usually dark by this time of day/evening, we all wait in the car as my husband gets out and humbly offers our abundance to them. He then asks them if he can pray with them, which they have never refused yet, and we drive off discussing how blessed we were by that moment and how thankful we are for God's hand in our lives.
This has become the hightlight of our Thanksgiving, and everyone has come to look forward to it. It's so amazing the way we as "well-off" people, who have warm homes filled with love and food, can be the ones being blessed by reaching our hand out and giving this way.
God is amazing!
Wow, Simmie Flock, that is an incredible idea. Thank you so much for sharing. Oh and thank you for your emails - I *really* appreciated them and will be responding soon! :)
This week we're starting a series on Columbus and the discovery of America. Next week I hope to do the pilgrims.
I'd also like to get a few crafts in. I have this crazy idea in my head about using pinecones and leaves to make a thanksgiving turkey centerpiece...
And, I'm merrily plugging through pumpkin recipes. :) More than one way to eat a pumpkin, I've discovered! :D
We just started a book called The Pilgrims at Plymouth. It is a great book! I am really enjoying it. We will read a short chapter or two everyday until Thanksgiving. We also on the way to my moms for Thanksgiving listen to the Focus on the Family Radio theater CD on Squanto.
My mom and dad usually invite people that they have found that have no place to go, we do not always have someone, but more often than not over the years we have had some interesting people. One man who did not believe that Paul was a real Apostle still sticks in my mind!
Ooh-- that book is on my Vision Forum catalog wish list!!
One Thanksgiving when my siblings and I were young, we had a special Pilgrim Thanksgiving celebration. We dressed up as Pilgrims, made some old colonial recipes, and played some games that the Pilgrims used to play. I still remember what a wonderful day we had, and how much we learned about the Pilgrims!
I look forward to doing this type of thing with my children some day, Lord willing!
I am glad to hear you recommend that book, Crystal. I have been very interested in purchasing it. I also really like simmie flocks comment. What a wonderful idea! Thank you for giving.
We are celebrating Thanksgiving early with my family this weekend, so on the actual day we will be helping distribute Thanksgiving baskets to homes through a local charity. It's the first time we've done this, and I'm pretty excited about it. Already we've been clearing out lots of canned goods, toiletries, etc (which I stockpiled through coupon shopping) to donate to this same charity. They distribute it straight to the people who need it, which is one reason they're one of my favorite organizations.
Simmie Flock, what an AWESOME idea!
Normally for Thanksgiving, we invite those who have no where else to go for Thanksgiving, usually a single mom and her kids. This year though we are having over a couple without children. Both were raised in Christian homes but fell away, and the wife recently came back to God and is on fire...and they are in great need financially and otherwise, and she commented about having mac and cheese for thanksgiving, so my dh and I knew who we were going to be inviting over. She was thrilled, and her husband is touched. We are praying we can minister to him and that the Lord will soften his heart to thing things of God once more :-)
We also usually decorate for Christmas while we are cooking dinner.
My comment is about your mention of how much you're learning as you read this book to your daughter. I found that I learned more in the 16 years I spent homeschooling my daughters than in 13 years of public education and 4 years of higher education. To tie this into Thanksgiving, I am thankful that I am finished homeschooling (my health is not good, and my husband is battling cancer & kidney failure) and that I had a second chance at education during which I learned that it can be fun!
normally as the single parent I always get invited to someone's home especially when I can't make it home to visit my family. My mom likes me to take the holiday and just rest and visit for Christmas. This year I think I am just going to cook dinner with my girls afterwards we will deliver tasty treats to the nurses who work at Arkansas Childrens Hospital. Many of them are at work taking care of very sick children... There are a lot of mommas who sacifice thier family time to take care of someone else's babies...
simmie flock your tradition is inspiring!!! What a wonderul display of stewarship.
I do know that the day after thanksgiving we are going to go shopping for our Angel Tree family that we plan to adopt this year.
Prune tarts, delish! They sop up the buttery moisture and are almost like plums again.
My side of the family was one of those that invites everyone under the sun over, but now that almost all of us are moved out and/or married my parents have been going out to the base and having Thanksgiving at the Officer's Club. We may join them this year.
Last year my husband went to the local soup kitchen and helped serve the Thanksgiving meal to the homeless (I had to stay home with our children because they are so young). This year we won't have anyone over so we will probably take food around to the homeless. The local soup kitchen provides the food and we drive the food to the homeless in our area. Because this will take most of the morning and it is just the five of us we will go out to eat for Thanksgiving and then wrap up the day with a family movie!
We've had this book for several years and we love it. We get it out every year.
Thanks for the recommendation, Crystal. I've been debating purchasing this from Vision Forum in their special that they offer. I have a $10 coupon that is burning a hole in my pocket!
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