Thanksgiving dinner is a special time of sharing and of coming together to give thanks. We should concentrate on what we have, not on what we do not have. If I could relive the many Thanksgivings that I have experienced, I would have written my grandmother a Thank You note every year. Then, I’d write a Thank You to my mom and now, all my children and extended family. Truly, we take for granted the precious ones who work so hard to prepare food for a Thanksgiving meal. In this blog post, I’ll share about my own family’s Thanksgiving and some basic manners for kids that you can practice ahead of time with your children.
My Family’s Thanksgiving
My mom has prepared Thanksgiving dinner for my family and I since 1985. Before that, my grandmother, Mary Lee Harper, prepared the meal. My mom is now 88 and she will prepare her 37th Thanksgiving meal. I can promise you that, as I am writing this blog post, she has already purchased the turkey and groceries for her meal. She will prepare turkey and dressing, cranberry salad, potato salad, pickled relish, gravy, corn, beans, and mac and cheese. Her dessert bar will consist of pumpkin pie, pecan pie (with pecans from her yard!), pound cake and cookies. Coffee will be served and who knows how many neighbors will drop in for coffee and cake. I give thanks that I can dine with my mom again this year.
Prior to arriving at her home, Elliott and I will host three of my children and grandchildren as well as Elliott’s family on Thanksgiving Day. At 8:30 AM, we will gather for the Dallas Turkey Trot and then we will gather with all our neighbors to host Herb’s Coffee (https://herbshousecoffee.com/pages/the-herbster). We have started a tradition of having the coffee truck every Thanksgiving for our neighbors and families to enjoy. One year ago, we lost a dear friend shortly after Thanksgiving. We vowed to each other to have some type of gratitude celebration every Thanksgiving for our family and friends.
After this, we will travel to Fort Worth to dine with Elliott’s niece Zibby. Zibby will have pumpkin pies, and her house will smell of Thanksgiving. Oh what a wonderful time we have in Fort Worth! Thanksgiving will be special this year because we will host Mei and Benli Zhao from Beijing, China. They are the parents of my daughter-in-law, Huamin. Mei will prepare a special dessert, and all will gather.
Where Does Gratitude Come From?
I believe that gratitude originates in spiritual teachings and must come from and through the Holy Spirit. A person with gratitude recognizes divine benevolence and this will permeate their whole being.
In England and Canada, our ancestors observed Thanksgiving as a season of prayer for blessings as well as for journeys, military victories and abundant harvests. Today, Americans celebrate this holiday as we remember the harvest feast shared between the Wampanoag people and the Pilgrims in 1621.
Luke 12:48 says “…From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.”
You Can Have a Smooth Thanksgiving Holiday with Good Manners for Kids and Adults
Plan and make a schedule for everyone…this will help to give all some guidelines to follow. The holiday schedule should not be rigid, but a Thanksgiving Day schedule is very helpful. I always send out phone numbers and addresses…in case my guests cannot get in touch with me, they can reach out to another family member.
Plan for extra food. We all know we have those relatives who are takers and those who are givers. Take a hostess gift…this is a requirement, not an option.
Write a Thank You note to the person who provided Thanksgiving Dinner. A handwritten note is the correct way to show gratitude. Teach your children to do the same and make it a family sit-down event together. Years later, they will remember the importance of showing gratitude.
Dress up for Thanksgiving! This is not a time for exercise clothes or sweats. Dress your best.
Concluding Thoughts
Brief your children before any event! I cannot emphasize this enough. As a Dallas area etiquette expert, I teach manners for kids as well as etiquette for adults and business professionals. However, my training needs to be reinforced and practiced at home.
Parents, please talk to your children about making others feel good. Teach them to have an awareness of the needs of others instead of themselves. If your child has younger siblings, make chores and responsibilities a part of your older child’s routine. Your younger children will copy their older sibling’s behavior, plus, your older child will feel special.
As you prepare for Thanksgiving Day, please remember the importance of prayer at the holiday table. From now until Thanksgiving, discuss with your child about thankfulness and gratitude. Have them make daily lists of what they are thankful for at home, church and school. This may also include personal health and family members. As a family, practice a routine of “stop, drop and pray” whenever anything comes up that needs prayer. Parents, it starts with you! Practice prayer to God regularly and your children will learn how to pray from you.
Today, I give thanks to my Heavenly Father for all my family, blessings and community. A special thanks for our church and neighbors.
Time is fleeting! Do not forget to give thanks, hug your family / friends and visit grandparents and as many loved ones as you can. Above all, make those around you feel special. What we do while on this earth with what we have been given is our Thank You note to God!
Holiday Prep with Lisa’s Training in Manners for Kids
Dallas, Texas etiquette expert, Lisa Burdette, offers private and group etiquette lessons to help children and teenagers learn etiquette and social skills for success at home, in school interactions, with family members and throughout life.
Ready to book a session for your family? Simply use our Booking page to schedule your manners for kids session with Lisa today! The Dallas School of Etiquette also offers classes for interview skills and social graces, business etiquette and fine dining sessions for teens and adults.
