THANKSGIVING CELEBRATION WITH HEART: WAYS TO GIVE BACK AND GIVE THANKS!!
Nationally Recognized Lifestyle Expert Provides Helpful Tips On How To GIVE Thanks This Holiday
Jim Morelli, Nationally Recognized Lifestyle Expert
Segment Description:
This year, how will you celebrate Thanksgiving? It’s the time of year to think of others. And while we aim to Give Back year round, Thanksgiving is the ultimate time to think about all we have to be grateful for and find ways to help others. National Lifestyle expert Jim Morelli comes to the rescue. He will discuss everything from ways to be grateful and give back to foods and recipe ideas and some thanks-filled activates.
Jim discusses: www.porkbeinspired.com/porkgiving
www.wheelingforward.org
Serve A Thankful Meal: Delicious Foods and Recipe Ideas
Thankful Centerpiece:
Make decorating the table a group effort. For the centerpiece insert artificial berry sprigs. Then ask guests to add to the arrangement by writing what they are thankful for on paper leaves and tucking them into the centerpiece
Thankful Toast: Have the eldest of the table or host/hostess provide the official toast of “Thanks”
Game
To facilitate the thankful spirit, create gratitude cards using scrapbooking paper and supplies. Cut out cards from scrapbooking papers using decorative-edge scissors and embellish with stamps, stickers, etc. Give the cards to guests before dinner and ask them to write what they are thankful for. As the meal begins to wind down, ask people to share their thoughts.
Drink Tags
Print out our free leaf-shape pattern onto fall-color papers, cut out, and punch a hole at the base of each leaf. Ask guests to pick a leaf and write a word or short phrase describing something they’re thankful for, such as “family” or “good health.” Attach leaves to the wineglass stems using lengths of gold cord or raffia.
Tell The Story
In my home, we start the meal by designating a family member as the storyteller to tell the grandkids about the origins of the holiday
Share Your Family
Welcome a person or family to your Thanksgiving dinner. It is a simple, but powerful gesture. It’s also a great way to establish a family tradition of real unity behind a common purpose and to set the example to share your family and its good fortune.
Share With Others
Sharing needs to be built into a ritual for this holiday. It’s a core component to the celebration. Celebrate what you, as a family, have done this year. There are many great causes to which to donate.
Give Thanks
Show your kids how to find their own voice of thanks. Let people prepare beforehand, so they are not panicked and try to turn this part of the evening into a competitive sport of clever oration.
Eat
As E. P. Powell said, “Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hands of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude.”
Jim Morelli:
Jim Morelli is an author, television personality and national lifestyle expert. Jim has appeared numerous times on a number of national TV, Radio, Internet stations as well as broadcast network affiliate stations across the country.