new traditions.....

H-A-P-P-Y  H-O-L-I-D-A-Y-S!!!

It has been far too long since I showed up around here but I'm always glad to be back putting my thoughts and feeling to paper (or computer) ha! Today, I wanted to share my heart on a brand new tradition that I started with my family this year. It's a focus on the act of giving thanks. Every year I try to push my luck with my husband and try to get the tree up early....hehehehehee.... I have to admit, I am definitely the pushy, bratty, fight for my way type.

This year hubby put up a good fight, that we shouldn't put the tree up until after Thanksgiving, and I can totally agree with that thought of not skipping over a holiday, but that isn't what I was trying to do. I truly just wanted the celebrations, good feelings, and happy thoughts to start early! I am so in love with this time of year and I can't get enough of it and, quite frankly, 25 days of celebrations isn't enough..... so I got creative and came up with an idea for a new tradition. I hope you'll try it too!

A THANKSGIVING TREE!!

We pulled out our tree from the garage and as a family we fluffed it and put lights on it. 

Then I cut out some small pieces of paper and as a family we each wrote something that we are thankful for and that is what I used to put on the tree. Our 3 year old just scribbled all over most of the papers but that's ok because it's her personal touch. I asked her what she was thankful for and I wrote it out for her on one of the pieces of paper.

I would have loved a real tree but I ran in to one problem with wanting to decorate early, no one is selling trees yet. Maybe in December we will switch it out for a real tree!

All of the pumpkins and the small trees are from hobby lobby, I bought it all for 50% off after halloween!

 

I hope you enjoy this and are encouraged to start a new tradition with your family. I decided that from now on starting in January I will have a "Thanksgiving jar" somewhere in the house. Randomly, we can write down things we enjoyed together, memories or moments that made our heart smile and collect them in this jar throughout the year. Then next November when we put our tree up we will have lots of little notes that we can read to re-live and remember those moments that we loved!