Thanksgiving Treats on a Shoestring

By Beth Engelman and Jenna Riggs of Mommy on a Shoestring

Give thanks this year by mixing up a batch of these goodies to serve with your holiday meal!

Candy Turkeys

You Need:

Double Stuff Chocolate Sandwich Cookies

Candy Corn

Whoppers

Peanut butter Cups

Chocolate or Vanilla Frosting

Yellow Frosting

Optional: Red frosting

Optional: black sprinkles for eyes

Directions:

• Give your turkey some feathers by adding candy corn to the top of one cookie.   Use frosting as glue if desired.
• Put a dab of frosting on the opposite end of the cookie and secure it to the “base” cookie.  You may want to prop it up next to a wall until the frosting dries.
• Turn the peanut better cup into a “turkey body” by cutting a tiny sliver off the end and attaching it with frosting to the cookie with  “feathers.”
• Add a head by gluing a whopper on top of the pb cup.  TIP: Put frosting on the side of the whopper that hits both the cookie and the pb cup.
• To make the beak, cut off the white tip of the candy corn and “glue” with frosting.  Add yellow dots and sprinkles for eyes and red frosting for the little “gobble gobble” below the beak.
• Once everything is dry and secure, flip the turkey over and draw little yellow feet.

Pilgrim Hats

You Need:

1 Bag Chocolate Chips

1Tablespoon Vegetable Oil

Marshmallows

Yellow Frosting

Fudge-Striped Cookies

Directions:

• Place cookies (striped side-down) on a piece of waxed paper.
• Melt chocolate and oil in microwave.
• Dip marshmallows in chocolate and place in the middle of each cookie.
• Wait an hour or two until dry.
• Add a buckle with yellow frosting.

Friendship Mix Rolls

Ingredients

Mini pretzels

Raisons

Pretzel m & m’s

Nuts

Banana chips

Dried apple pieces

Cranberries

Small clear plastic bags and ribbon

Directions

• Mix all ingredients in a bowl and add to a jar or container of your choice.
• Be sure to include a “key” with what each ingredient means.
• Pour mix into small bags and tie with a bow and a “key” telling what each ingredient means.

• Mini pretzels = hugs
• Raisins = old friends
• Pretzel m & m’s = new friends
• Nuts = self explanatory
• Banana chips = love to monkey around and have fun
• Dried apple pieces = health
• Cranberries = love

These mini bags of love are perfect accompaniments for place cards or a special  “treat” to send home with guests after home after a Thanksgiving meal!  Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Jenna Riggs and Beth Engelman are the creative talents and owners of Mommy on a Shoestring, a website and weekly radio show chock full of ideas on how families can live creatively and large on a small budget.

Changing Thanksgiving Traditions

Laura Rolands of My Attention Coach

Sometimes holiday traditions need to be supplemented or updated to become more current.  At our house, the Thanksgiving Day Detroit Lions game has long been a family tradition.  Whether watching the game in person or on television, the games have been disappointing in recent years.  We even witnessed the end of the 0-16 Lions season a couple years ago.  I am assuming you can understand the need to focus on something besides the Lions on Thanksgiving Day!  Now some in our house are going to watch the game regardless of the season.

Last year we found a better alternative that gets more of our extended family into the game and makes a difference in our community.  Coalition on Temporary Shelter (http://www.cotsdetroit.org/), a local homeless shelter partners with The Majestic (http://www.majesticdetroit.com/), a local theater and restaurant, to offer a breakfast buffet and Thanksgiving Day Parade watching from the very beginning of the parade.  Last year we went with our kids and some of our extended family.  It was an amazing morning with many memories for kids and adults alike!  When we asked the kids if they want to see the parade again this year, everyone responded with great enthusiasm!  This year, we are adding more to the group and even including a sleepover!  I just love how this event has already become a tradition and looks like it will grow over time.

If your traditions are getting old, take some time and plan a new tradition for your family.  Here are a few thought starters….

• Of course, check out the Families With Purpose resources at http://family-life.familieswithpurpose.com/category/family-time/thanksgiving-traditions/.  You will find some fun ideas.
• Talk with your kids.  What do they want to do on Thanksgiving Day?
• What are some things you did when you were younger?  How can you recreate them for this year?
• Break into teams and go on a scavenger hunt.
• Build a bon fire if local fire codes allow it and have s’mores.  A great way to make summer memories during the cold weather if you live in colder areas!

No matter what you decide, you will invigorate your family by trying something new.  Remember to take a break from the kitchen and make time to enjoy your family.  Let us know your new traditions to share with others!  Enjoy!

Laura Rolands is the founder of LSR Coaching and Consulting, LLC. She is a coach whose passion is to support, lead and inspire independence and success for people who have either been diagnosed with ADD or ADHD or who are facing other attention-related challenges. Her clients include individuals with attention-related challenges and/or their parents. If you have any questions or more suggestions to add, please visit her website at www.MyAttentionCoach.com.

Thanksgiving Fun on a Shoestring

By Beth Engelman and Jenna Riggs of Mommy on a Shoestring

Celebrate the spirit of Thanksgiving with these family friendly crafts and activities.

Story Bracelets

Teach your kids the story of the first Thanksgiving with this memorable craft.  Your kids will love having a special bracelet for their Thanksgiving feast and you will love knowing they learned a bit of American History in the process.  Thank you to Jennifer W and her blog, Ramblings of a Crazy Woman, for inspiring this activity.

You will need:

Colored Beads

Pipe Cleaners

Directions:

Have your children string their bracelets according to the story of Thanksgiving.

• String 1 bead (any color) to represent the Pilgrims leaving England.
• String 1 white bead to represent the white sails on the Mayflower.
• String 3 blue beads to represent the long trip over the ocean.
• Add 1 green bead to show when the Pilgrims saw land.
• The Pilgrim’s first winter was long and snowy, so add 3 white beads to represent winter.
• String 1 green bead for the arrival of spring.
• String 1 yellow bead to represent the warmth of the sun.
• Add one bead (any color) to represent the Native Americans who helped the Pilgrims.
• Add 4 beads to represent the food the Pilgrims and Native Americans enjoyed together on Thanksgiving which includes:
  • 1 red bead for cranberries.
  • 1 yellow bead for corn.
  • 1 brown bead for turkey.
  • 1 orange bead for pumpkin.
• Once the beading is complete, twist the ends of the pipe cleaner together to make a bracelet.

Thankful Tree

Create a family heirloom with this charming craft idea.

You will need:

Small tree branch (cleaned and dried)

Vase

Paper (cut into leaf shapes)

Markers and / or crayons

Hole-punch

Ribbon

Directions:

• Place tree branch in vase.  If necessary, use stones or acorns to anchor the branch in place.
• Ask each guest to write or draw one thing for which they are grateful. On the other side of the paper, have them draw a self-portrait and write their name and age.
• Punch a hole at the top of each leaf and hang them on your “tree” with ribbon.
• When the holiday is over, keep your leaves in a secure spot so you can hang them on your tree next year, being sure to add “new” leaves as well.  In years to come your tree will be full of leaves as well as reminders of holidays past.

A is for Apple, U is for Unscramble Place-Cards

If you or your children love puzzles, this clever DIY place-card craft is for you.

You need:

Apples and/or pears

Colored cardstock or index cards

Markers

Sharp knife

Directions:

• Make the name-card holder by making a slit at the top of each piece of fruit.
• Make the name-cards by writing the scramble letters of each guest’s name on a small piece of card stock.
• Place the scrambled name-cards in the fruit holders right before the guests come to the table to ensure the paper doesn’t get too soggy.
• When your guests arrive at the table, ask them to unscramble each name to find their seat.

Family Games

If you are in search of an icebreaker, or need an activity the whole family can enjoy, try one of these Thanksgiving games that come courtesy of Mary Giles, Executive Editor of Disney FamilyFun magazine.

Chopstick Pass:

This game keeps restless kids engaged and entertained between courses.

Object: To pass a set of items (almond, acorn, cranberry, and pea) around the table using chopsticks (or a small spoon) without dropping them.

You Need:

Chopsticks or spoons

Almond

Acorn

Cranberry

Pea

Small plate

Directions:

• Each player gets either a set of chopsticks or a small spoon (perfect for younger players).
• Place the almond, acorn, cranberry, and pea on a small plate.
• Place the plate next to the oldest player who will begin the game by passing each item to the person on his right, who will receive it with chopsticks and pass it along to the next player. The game continues until all the items have been passed around the table.

Turkey Egg Hunt

Object: To find the hidden turkey egg using the following clues:

“Gobble, gobble” = you’re getting closer to the egg.

“Giblet, giblet” = you’re moving away from the egg.

You Need:

One hard-boiled egg

Directions:

• Chose one player to leave the room while the “turkey” egg is hidden.
• When the player returns, the others will call out “gobble, gobble” or “giblet, giblet,” to help the seeker find the egg. Once the egg is found, a new seeker is named, and the game repeats.

Jenna Riggs and Beth Engelman are the creative talents and owners of Mommy on a Shoestring, a website and weekly radio show chock full of ideas on how families can live creatively and large on a small budget.

Thanksgiving Game Idea – Taking Pictionary to a Whole New Level

Here is a family fun idea for Thanksgiving this year (or any family get together) that we had a lot of fun with last year.  We played Pictionary as a family (I think there were around 18 of us playing) by dividing into two teams.  One team was called Team Pilgrim and the other Team Turkey.  All you need for this game is the Pictionary game, two table top flip charts (you can buy them at your local office supply store) and a few markers.  Optional are the team t-shirts that I made in advance.  They added to the fun, but if they won’t fit in your budget or if you don’t have time to make them (I bought blank tshirts online and ironed on the decals), they you can easily skip them.

Thanksgiving Traditions and Rituals

Add some spice to your family Thanksgiving this year with these fun family ideas.

Create a family tradition by having everyone sign the dinner table cloth with their name and something for which they are thankful. Use the same table cloth every year and have family members add something new every year.

Teach your kids to give back to their community by letting them organize a mini toy or food drive. Ask family members to bring either a toy or food donation to the family dinner and once the day is over drive the kids to your local charity to drop off the collected items.

Take a family photo and have it made into a jigsaw puzzle. Mail the puzzle to family members who couldn’t attend, elderly family members confined to a nursing home, or to family members overseas. You can have puzzles made from your digital photo’s at places like Snapfish.com, Shutterfly.com or Upinpieces.com.

Visit our website for more great ideas for family Thanksgiving rituals, traditions, and activities.

Thanksgiving Traditions

This suggestion comes from Saralee Sky, owner of Baby Nut and is great for families with older kids.

“I usually put some kind of quote by everyone’s plate and have them read it. One year the quotes were from the Dalai Lama. Last year [my husband] read something from Carlos Castaneda I think. This year I plan to print out the Simple Gifts song – from the Quakers – and put it on everyone’s plate.”

Families with Purpose