Start of A Thanksgiving Tradition

    November, wow, here it is. When realizing that we are in November and that this is the Thanksgiving month, I realized that I didn't have much in traditions besides the Thanksgiving dinner. So, of course, I looked up Thanksgiving traditions to find something to teach and remind my family why we have Thanksgiving and also to make Thanksgiving special. Many have already probably been doing this as a tradition but I had never seen this and thought it was a great idea. 
     My family during the November month is making a Thankful Tree. You can tell that making trees is not a strong point, but I'm hoping that with all the grateful leaves, we will have a beautiful tree. When deciding to do this tradition with my family, I didn't know if the kids would be excited or if they could think of things they were grateful for, let alone write or draw it but once again, they remind me how creative and smart they are. They both love siting down to draw a picture of something that they love or at least tell me what they love and I sometimes try to help them draw a picture of it to hang on the tree. I decided to have the kids do one thing they are grateful for a day but the kids beg to do more. I finally cut them off at three, so they can do some for another day and I will run out of paper for leaves. I am so proud, though, to see my kids grateful for the things they have around them. After Halloween, we have a tendency to start focusing on Christmas and what I I I want and not what we already have. Sadly, I am the one to blame for this, since I like to start getting Christmas lists from my kids to start planing. I don't know if it is because of our Thankful Tree or if it is because they have to much stuff, but when asking my children what they want for Christmas, I get the blank stare and the scratch of the head. They really don't know what they want and as a mother, I am trying to take that as a sign to keep it simple this year and to stick with the be grateful with what we have theme. Also, the giving to others. 
      Even today, when the kids were making their leaves of gratefulness, Matthew came out and asked if he could also contribute to the tree. The kids were so excited and gathered around Daddy to see what he was going to write. What a surprise that Daddy wrote MAGIC on his leaf with a drawing of some cards. Ethan thought that was pretty cool. Just before Daddy wrote his leaf Ethan wrote games and drew a picture. Like father like son but it is still sweet to see. I love this holiday season and the memories and feelings involved.