The spirit of giving and thankfulness permeates the month of November.  All month, Americans look forward to gathering together for a meal around the table at Thanksgiving. However, life gets busy around this time of year.  It takes a concentrated effort to demonstrate one’s gratitude, but it is an important step to finding satisfaction and getting the most out of this life for yourself and for your family.

At 100DaystoChristmas.com you can find a step by step guide to keeping your holidays less hectic. ListPlanIt‘s newly updated Holiday ePlanner will ensure no one forgets the cranberry sauce at your Thanksgiving meal.

• Brighten a meal.  For some families, candles at the dinner table not only set a festive mood but also serve as motivation to consider something for which to be thankful each night as the candles are blown out at the end of the meal.
• Plant a Thankful Tree.  Some families like to create a small tree, from a branch and a ceramic pot, and hang paper leaves listing things for which they are thankful.
• Be a Secret Turkey.  Make it a goal to remind each family member that you are thankful for them throughout the month of November. Leave a note in a private or a conspicuous place.  Share a special treat together.  Or offer a treasured trinket.
• Create a countdown to Thanksgiving.   Making a paper chain is not only a fun family activity, but it also helps kids visualize the countdown.  Write something that you are thankful for on each of the “links”.
• Take a photo.  As colorful leaves start piling up around the house, take advantage of the opportunity for great photos and family fun by making a few leaf piles to jump into.  Have each member of the family make a poster of the things that he/she is thankful for and take an outdoor photo of each person holding their poster.  Keep the photos together so each year you can look back and remember.
• Take a break.   Constant scheduled activities leave little time to reflect.  Make some family time and let each family member choose an activity they enjoy .
• Work it out.  Declare it a family work day.   Find tasks to work on together.  Working on a joint project is a great way to connect and find gratitude in shared responsibilities.
• Share the wealth.  You don’t have to be wealthy to share what you have with those less fortunate.  There is nothing that makes a person more thankful for what they have than an opportunity to see people who have less.  ‘Tis the season for giving and sharing with others.

How does your family show thankfulness and gratitude in the month of November?