My best part in the movie titled The Blind Side is about Thanksgiving. The Tuhoy family has prepared themselves to celebrate the event in a unique way. All plates are full and everyone is in front of the TV watching football, when the newest member in the family, Michael Oher fills his plate and sits alone at the table. This is when Lee Ann, the mother notices, takes a moment and switches off the TV and sets the table for a good Thanksgiving meal. In only 2 minutes, the scene illustrates what usually happens to Thanksgiving and how to fix it.
Currently, Thanksgiving has lost its original purposes of celebrating God’s greatness and the expression of our gratitude since it has turned to the indulgence of our appetites for food, possessions, and entertainment. Therefore, it is essential for people to return to a more catholic approach to the celebration of the Thanksgiving event.
From thanksgiving decorations to thanksgiving meals, you can plan many ways to improve family bonding. Instead of simple and common decorations every year, try something new this year that all family members can join. You can even think of having thanksgiving flags to make the celebration great. Every family member can join the flag mounting. Be sure to buy a flagpole hardware kit too when you choose a flag. Then it is easy to assemble and mount your thanksgiving flag. Other than such team activities, below are some other steps for a better thanksgiving.
Attend a Mass
You can go to the local ecumenical service if you want but it should not prevent you from attending the Mass. Stop doing your daily chores like cleaning, cooking or even watching your favorite show and go to the Mass so that you can fellowship with others. The Eucharist serves as an expression of thanksgiving, and it should be your priority to the holiday.
Make your peace
A family should remain a central focus of thanksgiving, and consistently, the family will bring stress, conflict, and unnecessary arguments. For this reason, you must put a halt on a conversation that might lead to anger. Whenever a family member provokes you, pauses takes a deep breath and recite a Hail Mary quietly. Two people drive conflicts. There is no assurance that all will be smooth, you don’t have to be ersatz, and you don’t need to endure abuse either. As you consider that, you might be overwhelmed by how peaceful you will feel by letting somebody get an opinion other than yours.
Be thankful even when going through hard times
God never sleeps irrespective of what you might be going through. Just like the days of Jesus Christ’s life, God’s doing might be invisible to us in the center of it. Get one life trial and in the course of the celebration day, find ways to be thankful for it.
Devote the entire day to Thanksgiving
Show appreciation for the new day through morning offering. Pay attention to even minor things like indoor plumbing, electric lights, the house you living and the food on the table that you never lacked. Note that for many families in the world, those are not minor things. Remember the poor in the society and let that awareness stay in your heart for a long time to induce you to be of help when the celebration is over. During this day, remember every person who helped you see this day like your parents, the turkey farmer, and his workers and the first person who discovered how to lessen speech to writing.
Eat with your family at the table without interruptions
Avoid concentrating on the television or phones. Eating together at the table and truthfully being present for each other is the best way whereby society and family come to be.
Stay home
Don’t plan to do any shopping on Thanksgiving Day even if it is on Black Friday. If you failed to do your shopping on Thursday, do without it.
Limit the use of entertainment gadgets
Your phone should be far from you and create a designated emergency contact. Avoid playing the football games on this day and break out the board games for a while. Consider taking a walk in the park, sitting around or even visiting some friends. Ring those people you can easily reach and compose an inky letter to that person you miss most.
Do not overdo
Celebrating is fantastic, but undergoing through stress is not necessary. Get some people to help you with cooking, cleaning or even cleaning up after the celebration are over. You can designate some meal making corners to offer the required convenience and frees more time for family. Meal preparation provides the best time for the family to bond. Allow every family member to assist and laughing loudly as they do it.
Invite the people who don’t have a place to go during that day
The day offers a better chance to show love to that homeless man on the street. Invite him over and share the little you have to experience God’s love. The book of Hebrews 13:2 warns of neglecting hospitality since it is through the good deeds that have unknowingly entertained the angels.
steps to a good and sustainable Thanksgiving
100-Mile Meal
Including festive meals like Thanksgiving in your 100-mile diet can be of great importance. Buying turkey vegetables for your meals from the local farmer allows you to get rid of carbon footprint and assist you to promote local farm farmers.
Eradicate Waste
Make sure you use recycled plates and cutlery during the Thanksgiving celebration so that you can put less waste in the bin. If you are stressed about when to do the clean-up, you can request the people who enjoyed the meal to the cleaning and wash the dishes.
Less use of energy
Instead of preparing separate meals, making one will allow you to save on the consumption of energy, gas emissions and you will not waste a lot of food. Every family should have its turn to host the celebration.
Enjoy the Outdoors
Thanksgiving can also be enjoyed through various outdoor activities. Since it is October, the inside temperatures are unbearable. All you need to do is add a scarf to your clothing and go to nature hikes where you can spend some quality time with the family. You can also sit in your yard around a bonfire and share some stories with your family. Winter is approaching fast and it’s that moment you need to enjoy the short window that you have of bearable climate.
Once the celebrations are over, it is the time to clean up the rubble through everywhere after the suitable catholic feast. Use your rosary beads to say a prayer to the almighty as you calm your people. Be grateful for sufficient food, your family and the family of faith that gives you immeasurable love.
