Favorite Thanksgiving Traditions

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!:D
I recently made a book order on Amazon... The books just keep coming in, and I love it! :D One of the books is titled Aspire - Discovering Your Purpose through the Power of Words, by Kevin Hall. The first night I could only read the intro, as I found myself nodding off to sleep too quickly. But already, I read some gems! :)

I am anxious to share with you a couple of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions. But first, in light of Thanksgiving I just have to share one particular gem which I enjoyed while reading the intro to Aspire. I hope you enjoy! :D

As I learned in Aspire, a world-renowned authority in the field of positive psychology (and author of Leaned Optimism, and Authentic Happiness) says we are

...brought to a new level of happiness through the act of reaching out and thanking those who have made a positive impact in our lives.

He goes on to say that science has proven that these "gratitude visits" are the #1 way to promote personal happiness.

WOW! I used to say that Christmas was my favorite holiday. Recently, I realized that Thanksgiving is actually my favorite (most likely followed by New Years Eve because of the goal setting and fun party dances etc..., but I'm really not sure; they are all so wonderful it's hard to decide which holidays are my favorite! :o). Anyhow, in addition to gathering with friends and loved ones, I think this is why I love thanksgiving...

As I contemplate upon my blessings, my heart is turned towards those who have blessed my life. When my heart is turned, I want to think about and express my gratitude to these wonderful people. When I contemplate my blessings and express my gratitude, I am filled with overwhelming happiness, and inexpressible joy. :) I can see that the person I am thanking also feels happy, and this in turn triples my happiness, engulfing me in a warm whirlwind cocoon of love and joy... What could feel better?

And so, I look forward to hugging friends and family, and sending out some phone calls and "thank you" cards to a few people who have made an impact on my life. By the way, I hope to make snail mail a permanent part of my life again. I also hope this Thanksgiving finds you overflowing in gratitude to the point of expressing it as well! :)

And now, a little about traditions...

I absolutely LOVE traditions!!! We have many traditions, but as our family grows older some of them lose appeal and change. One which I am especially fond of begins with sitting around the table writing what we are thankful for on our homemade name cards.

These are ALWAYS made by Mindy, which brings up another favorite tradition; every person has the same something special to contribute year after year. Miles makes "pink stuff" (a recipe he got from his mother years ago but modifies a bit each year); Mindy does place setting cards and sets the table, in addition to a pie and whatever else she does just because she is awesome; Devry makes a Mayflower center piece out of french bread and crackers; Dausen makes some kind of delicious finger food, this year he is making pinwheels again (yum!); Levi makes a layered jello with mandarin oranges and mini marshmallows (how ever he chooses to make it each year); and I do all the other traditional stuff (which of course I rope Miles and or whoever else into helping me with! :o)... turkey, potatoes, rolls, hot apple cider, stuffing... you get the drift.

Oh, but I didn't tell you the rest of the first tradition I started telling you about. While eating, and after some time to converse, the fun comes of taking turns reading our list of things we are thankful for to each other. If you think it sounds boring because you haven't done it (or if your family just isn't as awesomely cool as our is.. JK ;o) then you will just have to trust me that it is a ton of fun! For some reason this activity gets everyone to open up and get excited! :) I love it when something that is said resonates with someone and you hear them enthusiastically chime in with "me too!" as they add it to their card. It isn't uncommon for several of us to do this at the same time with some of the really good ones... (The cards get very full with small writing on them (another phenomenon which I greatly enjoy witnessing).

This is a very happy tradition for me. The feeling in the air while it is happening is AMAZING! Pure Joy and Happiness and an incredible swelling of the soul that leaves you feeling like a helium balloon! :D (Sorry, I don't know how else to describe that happy "full" feeling! :o) LOL

I hope you count your blessings and have a very wonderful Thanksgiving Day!!!

Hugs, and happy tradition making...
Corine :D

Thankful Thoughts: I'm thankful for home and family, friends and loved ones, good food, beauty, freedom, traditions, progress, Jesus Christ and His gospel, the Atonement and forgiveness, snowmen, candles, fun and laughter!

*And ~ My daughter stayed up all night last night, to make me a couple of aprons!!!! Can you believe that? That's just the kind of person she is... :) I am so blessed!!! I'm thankful for my beautiful daughter and my beautiful new aprons!!!! I

'm going to get my picture taken in them to show them off to you, so I will be back to post them here soon.
TTFN! :D