In the hustle and bustle of Thanksgiving Day, the cooking, the gathering, the eating, the cleaning up, and fitting the other family traditions worked in… it’s often easy to become more frustrated than thankful (especially as the hostess). We don’t mean to be this way. We have every intention to keep a thankful heart. But we’re just so busy, aren’t we?
These short Thanksgiving Table activities will be an easy way to celebrate the day with a thanks-filled heart once the dinner is prepared and the table is filled, when we are all finally gathered together and settled for a moment. We have enjoyed these games around our table over the years, and though my people don’t “love” games, they have participated, and we’ve ended up laughing, tearing up, and filling up with gratitude and joy. Try one or two this year, and let yourself and those around you bask in the goodness of the Lord. 🙂
Do you have one minute today that you could squeeze in a little fun with the Lord? If so, play the “One Minute Thanksgiving Game” with Him and with those around you. Whether you are spending today home alone or in a house full, whether you are full of food, or loneliness, or angst… this game is a sure way to bring a quick smile to your face and a beautiful perspective to your heart. As Ann Voskamp says, “As long as thanks is possible, joy is possible.”
The One-Minute Thanksgiving Game
Items needed:
A timer (watch, phone, etc that can count down from 60 seconds)
A sheet of paper and a writing utensil for each person playing
A “reward” for the winner (In my family, that would be something little like a download of a song from i-tunes, or an app of choice, my treat. Other ideas: A free pass from kitchen duty, control of the family TV for an hour, a Christmas ornament, a full Thanksgiving “left-overs” basket, a yummy loaf of bread or baked treat… Just something little that makes the game more fun and that gives incentive to those “nay-sayers” who complain about participating – haha.) And, if you are playing this by yourself… give yourself a little reward, too. 😉
What to do:
Pass out the paper and pencils/pens. Set your timer for one minute. (You participate, too!) When the time-keeper says “Go,” everyone must , as quickly as possible, start listing that for which they are thankful. As many as possible. Write like crazy for one full minute, listing one blessing per line. {Hint, just use single words that remind you of the blessing. This isn’t the time to elaborate.} When the timer beeps and the one-minute is up, have everyone count their blessings. Then have each one read his/her list aloud, and award the prize to the winner of the most recorded blessings.
If you are feeling extra adventurous, award a separate prize to the one with the most unusual blessing listed, and/or to the one with the most sacrificial blessing listed (the one who listed the hugest difficulty as a blessing from God).
The Thanks-giving Dinner Roll Game
Materials needed:
Foil
Ball point pen
Scissors
Crescent Rolls or some other type of bread
1. On each small strip of foil, write a number, 1-10. Make sure you have one strip of foil for each piece of bread you’ll be baking.
2. If the roll is already buttery or greasy (like crescent rolls) you can skip this step. Lightly spritz the foil strips with Pam.
3. Place the foil strips inside of the rolls and bake according to directions.
To Play the Game: Before anyone can eat their piece of bread, they must give a list of thanks according to the number on the foil found inside of their roll. When they reach for seconds, they can’t eat the roll until they share their newly numbered list. This becomes funny the longer the dinner goes on, especially as people draw the rolls with the higher numbers in them.
The Thankful Leaves Game: Use fake leaves (either silk or paper), and write a letter on each leaf, spelling the word THANKSGIVING. Scatter these across your table as part of the decor, or place one near each person’s place setting. Each person picks a leaf and says something they are thankful for that corresponds with the letter on the leaf.
Speaking of giving thanks… I so very much appreciate you. Thank you for reading Smelling Coffee… and a special thanks for those of you who at some point have taken the time to respond and let me know that the Lord has used these words in your life. It’s an honor to serve you and the Lord in this small way.
A blessed, blessed Thanksgiving to each of you, my friends! With a grateful heart and prayers lifted for you as I type this~ (my “prayers are always spilling over into thanksgivings.” Col. 1:3, MSG)
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