Remembering For What We Are Thankful

Last year (2011), I hosted Thanksgiving for the first time.  In years past, we've just celebrated with my parents - even after I was married we spent the day with them (my in-laws got Christmas).  But last year my parents passed on the tradition to my family.  They claimed it was because we just bought our first home and now had the space, but I think secretly they were ready to not have that hassle anymore!  (They still host Christmas Eve).

I am a hostess at heart and jumped at the chance.  I also am not afraid to delegate, so Thanksgiving Dinner became more of a potluck.  I decorated the table, put out matching dishes, and started a new tradition.

I purchased a plain white tablecloth.  On each corner of the cloth, I wrote in Sharpie a Thanksgiving quote from scripture.

After dinner, everyone at the table took another Sharpie and wrote what they were thankful for, signed it, and put the date down (especially the year).

(this is my favorite, of course...)

Once the dishes were cleared, the thankfuls from my family was clear.  This year, in 2012, I will be bringing out this same tablecloth (it's been washed, of course, and the sharpies stayed put) and having my guests sign again.  Won't it be a wonderful problem to have in the future to find an empty spot?  What a great memory to see from year to year!  And to see my children's notes (my eldest's from 2011 is in the top left corner - she took up nearly the entire side there!) will be precious to see as the years go by.  

I know my daughter is really looking forward to this.  She wrote a story about it at school (even without me reminding her of this activity last year - so it must have stuck in her mind!). And then when she asked if we were going to do it again this year, she squealed with excitement when I said yes.  Oh, the joys of a child!

What are your favorite Thanksgiving traditions?

UPDATE: Here are pictures from our 2012 tradition!
The table was a bit longer this year...(more guests!)  But here it is with two years of signatures

Our place settings: