From all of us here at More4kids we wish everyone a very happy and safe Thanksgiving. Even if things are not perfect, it is important to reflect on what we have, and to help out those that may be less fortunate than us. No matter how bad things can be they can always be worse. Thanksgiving for me is a time to reflect and be grateful. It is a time for family and friends. For me I am very happy and grateful to God to have two beautiful and healthy boys, and to have a loving wife which I cherish dearly. Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving holiday.

My son and I usually get up early the day after Thanksgiving and spend a couple hours hitting the Black Friday sales. And you know what? That is about all the “bricks and mortar” shopping I do. Cyber Monday, the Monday after Thanksgiving is the start of the online shopping frenzy. I have discovered the joy of online shopping, and it sure does make Christmas a whole lot easier and more fun –

• I get my shopping done from the comfort of home after the kids are in bed. No schlepping through the mall, trying to find a parking place, waiting in line to check out, and then trying to sneak packages into the house.
• We get mail! What is more exciting for kids than the UPS truck stopping in front of their house and delivering a mysterious brown box? But I can leave the box securely taped shut until I am ready to open it far away from prying eyes.
• I can find more unusual gifts. My daughter collects Statue of Liberty items and one of sons collects owls. I have been able to find cool items for their collections that I would never find on a store shelf at the mall.

Read More

by Stacey Schifferdecker

Thanksgiving is a uniquely American holiday, but the idea of an annual celebration to thank God for his bounty stretches back through time and around the world. Here are some ways other cultures celebrate Thanksgiving. Maybe you can find some ideas to enrich your own family’s Thanksgiving celebration this year.

The ancient Greeks, Romans, Hebrews, Chinese, and Egyptians all held harvest festivals and thanksgiving celebrations. These celebrations continue today in various forms. Jewish families celebrate with a seven-day autumn harvest festival called Sukkoth. Sukkoth commemorates how God cared for Moses and the Hebrew people as they wandered in the desert for 40 years before entering the Promised Land. During Sukkoth, families build small temporary huts out of branches and foliage. Inside the huts, they hang fruits and vegetables such as apples, grapes, corn, and pomegranates. A special ceremony is held each day to remember their Hebrew ancestors and to thank God for the harvest. Families eat in the hut at night and sometimes sleep there as well.

Read More

by Stacey Schifferdecker

Ask most people to name the main focus of their Thanksgiving celebration, and chances are you will hear about time spent with family and friends at a Thanksgiving feast. From turkey and dressing to pumpkin pie, Thanksgiving is all about the food and the chance to share a special meal with friends and family. But have you ever noticed how much time is spent preparing the Thanksgiving meal compared to the time that is spent sitting down at the table together eating it? Many Thanksgiving meals take hours to prepare, but the eating is over within minutes. If the dinner table is the site of your fellowship time with friends and family, this doesn’t give you much time to connect and share together.

To extend your time together, make cooking the meal as much a “togetherness” time as eating it is. And especially invite the children into the kitchen to help with meal preparations. Kids love to help in the kitchen and will feel proud and happy to be included.

Read More

"Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a single day"

Robert Caspar Lintner

 

When people ask me what my favorite holiday is, I always say Thanksgiving. I don’t know that deep down Thanksgiving is really my favorite holiday, but I feel sorry for it. There it is, sandwiched between the candy, costumes, and trick-or-treat of Halloween and the gifts, glitz, and glamour of Christmas. How is a simple, mostly non-commercialized holiday like Thanksgiving supposed to compete?

Read More