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by Christa Melnyk Hines
fter all of the hours of prep work that go into Thanksgiving dinner, it seems as if the meal is
gobbled up in no time flat. Now what? Here’s a bounty of activity ideas, big and small, for the entire
family to enjoy after the big feast.
Sign a pumpkin.
According to positive psychology research, simply expressing gratitude can
actually enhance our overall happiness. Invite your family to consider their
individual blessings. Purchase a large artificial pumpkin that you can bring out
each year for your family to sign. Ask each person to write a note on it about
what they’re most grateful for this year. Perhaps a new baby arrived into the
family, wedding bells will soon be ringing, your child got an A in a difficult
class, or a loved one overcame a health issue. Be sure to have everyone sign
and date his or her note.
Create a Thanksgiving tablecloth.
Similar to the pumpkin idea, lay the Thanksgiving table with a
memory tablecloth. After the table is cleared, each person can
write a note to the host or a note of
gratitude using fabric markers. Protect your table
by placing a matte, like cardboard, under the tablecloth in case ink
bleeds through the fabric.
8 | VOLUSIA
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