During our school time this month we have been studying the importance of giving thanks and being thankful for the blessings of God around us.  We should not only be thankful for monetary things but also for those loved ones that surround us each day and the freedoms we sometimes tend to take for granted.  During our discussions we talk about the importance of not only giving thanks in our hearts but also saying how thankful we are for those things.  To make these things tangible for my children we built a ‘thankful tree’ made with leaves full of the things we are thankful for in our lives. (http://www.enchantedlearning.com/crafts/thanksgiving/thankfultree/).  We add leaves everyday and keep these in a visible place so we can reflect on these things throughout the day.

Giving is an important aspect to teach our children as well.  When we give we need to ensure that our children see and know what and why we are giving.  We build boxes for the Operation Christmas Child each year (http://www.samaritanspurse.org/) these boxes are given to children in other countries who would not otherwise receive a gift this Christmas.  Along with these boxes we also give coats to the many charities that are looking for these donations to keep people warm this winter. 

These are just a few ideas to ensure that our children are not only giving thanks this holiday season but also finding simple opportunities to give back to their community.  There are so many opportunities to give back in your hometown; you can contact your local branch of the Salvation Army (http://www1.salvationarmy.org) or Red Cross (www.redcross.org) to see where you and your children can pitch-in to lend a hand.