6 ways for families to give thanks

Thanksgiving might be my favorite holiday. Beyond the pie and other festive trappings, it is a holiday devoted entirely to offering up thanks and gratitude.

The British author G.K. Chesterton wrote, “When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.”

Gratitude may come naturally to some, but for most of us it is a virtue that needs to be cultivated and practiced. There is no better time to foster gratitude than during this month of thanks and giving. We can take this opportunity to shape the culture of families toward one of appreciation.

Here are six simple ways for families to show gratitude and thanks during the month of November. They don’t require fancy equipment or lots of cash. In fact, most cost nothing more than a few minutes or hours of your time:

1. Make a gratitude board. Encourage children to look for ways they can be grateful each day. Hang a whiteboard, chalkboard or poster board near the diningroom table. Over dinner, have each family member state something they were thankful for that day, and record it on the board.

2. Enlist the family in a daily act of service. This doesn't need to be fancy or organized. Every member of the family can take five minutes to do something for someone else. It can be as simple as making a sibling’s bed and writing them a note or helping a friend at school. Again, this is something that can be reported on over dinner.

3. Give back to the community. Look for a Thanksgiving event in your area that allows kids to participate. This can involve delivering meals, packing food boxes or serving at a soup kitchen on Thanksgiving Day. Some communities do toy parades where kids can donate toys for children in need. Look to other church congregations or your own and ask an ecclesiastical leader for ideas and ways your family can serve.

4. Donate. Not only are the holidays a great time to clean out, they’re also a great time to give excess items to charity. Encourage each family member to find 10 things in his or her room that he or she would be willing to donate. Go room by room and find donation items, then find an appropriate donation site. Bigger thrift stores like Goodwill, Deseret Industries and Savers are good options, but there are often other community-run donation services that might not get as much attention, such as women’s shelters.

5. Find a charity to sponsor. Have a family home evening lesson centered around Elder Jeffery R. Holland’s recent LDS conference address, “Are We Not All Beggars?” Find a charity in which your family would like to get involved. There are some great ones geared toward kids. Heifer International allows to you to purchase animals such as llamas, chickens or honeybees for families in third-world countries. The families are trained to raise the animals for meat, eggs or honey and provide income for their family. Another great family charity is KIVA, which provides worldwide microloans to small-business owners who don’t have access to traditional banks. When the loan is repaid, you can use the money and donate to another small-business owner. Have each family member donate some of his or her own money, and choose, as a family, where the money will go.

6. Make something. Tie a fleece blanket as a family and donate it to a local shelter. Check with your local children’s hospital, which might be in need of pillows, baby blankets and other comfort items for children who are ill. LDS Humanitarian Services is often in need of quilts, which can be tied as a family.

There is no shortage of ways to show gratitude. As families, we can use this month to turn our thoughts and actions outward in thanks. As Elder Holland said, despite our varied circumstances, we may each “do what we can” to acknowledge our blessings and help those in need.

The result is more gratifying and lasting than the best pumpkin pie.

Tiffany Gee Lewis lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, and is the mother of four boys. She blogs at thetiffanywindow.wordpress.com. Her email is tiffanyelewis@gmail.com.