While the Thanksgiving holiday isn’t prescribed in the Bible, Scripture consistently speaks about thanksgiving as a crucial part of faith and worship.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:18, Paul instructs us to “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” God’s plan for us includes being thankful in every situation, praising him for his sovereignty, provision, and grace. Paul connects thanksgiving with prayer and finding peace in Philippians 4:6-7. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Gratitude ushers us into God’s presence. Psalm 100:4 calls us to enter the Lord’s presence with thanksgiving, central to our right relationship with the Father.
As Jesus followers, we can take the biblical theme of thankfulness and apply it to this American holiday, lifting our vision higher and finding even greater blessing in Christ.
Here are 5 biblical Thanksgiving traditions to start this year.
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This year, start a new tradition with your family with a Thanksgiving Jar. Psalm 9:1 inspires this tradition: “I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.” The Thanksgiving Jar simply encourages everyone to reflect on God’s goodness.
Starting on the first day of November, place a big jar in a central spot in your home. Provide note cards and pens. Each day, every family member writes down one thing they are thankful for and places it in the jar. Encourage everyone to be specific and thoughtful in their responses, whether something small like a beautiful day or more personal like support from a friend on a difficult day. Writing these notes becomes intentional and daily helps shift perspectives.
By Thanksgiving, the jar will be full of notes. At some point during the Thanksgiving festivities, gather the family, open the jar, and take turns reading aloud each one. You’ll be reminded of all the ways God blessed your family through the month, and the notes will spark great questions and conversations for all to celebrate together.
The Thankful Jar builds anticipation and keeps everyone’s focus on gratitude, making the holiday more meaningful while honoring God’s instruction to recount his wonderful works.
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A Gratitude Walk can be a great new tradition to begin with your family this year. Again, pointing to 1 Thessalonians 5:18, God’s will for us in Christ includes our gratitude toward God. Living in Christ, as the Father’s children, we have access to kingdom resources. Aiming our hearts in thankfulness recognizes all the treasures we have in God.
Most people have several days off work and school over the Thanksgiving holiday. On Thanksgiving Day or during that week, gather your family and head outside for a nature walk. Perhaps travel to a nearby park. During the walk, take turns sharing things you’re thankful for. It could be something you see around you or spiritual blessings like health or friendships. Answered prayers become testimonies that encourage others. Be specific and thoughtful. Allow others to respond and ask questions to get more details which lifts everyone’s spirit. Counting special ways you’re thankful for others on the walk can be powerful.
Practically, the walk tears us away from screens and gets our bodies moving in the fresh air, including physical health along with gratitude. The walk serves as a time to slow down and reflect on the many ways God cares for us, big and small.
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Food is a huge part of Thanksgiving. Families pile the table high with amazing dishes. To incorporate a new tradition, start sharing Thanksgiving recipes. Like in Philippians 4:6, God calls us to pray with thanksgiving, as we should in every area of our life. Instead of making random dishes, your family can be more intentional with choosing the food, connecting cherished memories and symbols of thankfulness into the meal.
Leading up to Thanksgiving, ask each family member to think of a dish that might hold special meaning for them. It could represent a memory, a blessing, or a person they are thankful for. Perhaps the recipe has been passed down from a grandparent or other extended family or just simply a favorite food. Food often helps people feel comfort and nostalgia, and choosing these dishes can bring thanksgiving for family roots and God’s goodness.
On Thanksgiving Day, prepare these recipes together as a family. While cooking, encourage everyone to share why they chose their specific recipe and what it might represent. Enjoy the meal and have the dishes spark good memories shared from the past. This infuses the meal with more meaning, creating another amazing memory.
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One amazing way to bring more thankfulness and impact to your family’s Thanksgiving is to introduce Thankful Acts of Kindness. Ephesians 5:20 says, “Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Again, Paul tells us to find our thankfulness within the person of Christ, as our lives are hidden within him at the right hand of God (Colossians 3:3-4). Generosity and service marked Jesus’ ministry, and our thankfulness within him leads us to find ways to be kind to others.
Before Thanksgiving, gather the family to brainstorm simple acts of kindness you can do for neighbors, church members, or strangers. These acts could be baking cookies for an elderly neighbor, delivering groceries for someone going through a difficult time, writing encouraging notes or cards for people nearby, or offering to help with yardwork. Have each member come up with ideas based on need and your resources. Decide together how much you can realistically do, but keep in mind that serving others often involves sacrifice.
While carrying out each act of kindness, remind the family how these actions express your own thankfulness for God’s blessings in your life. God gives us his love and Spirit to share, not to keep for ourselves alone. Acting in service from your thankfulness leads to more thankfulness, as others will feel blessed and feel God’s love.
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A creative and fun tradition to begin this Thanksgiving is to make a Gratitude Tree. James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.” The Bible includes trees as themes for life, provision, and God’s goodness, from the Garden of Eden to the Tree of Life in the New Jerusalem (Revelation 22:2). The Gratitude Tree visually expresses thankfulness and reminds everyone of God’s continued blessings.
Start by getting a small tree, large plant, or perhaps create one from craft supplies like poster board or a combination of these. Place the tree in a visible and central spot. Provide paper leaves for each family member. Like the Thankful Jar, throughout the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, have each family member write something they’re thankful for on a leaf and place it on the tree with pins or tape.
When Thanksgiving Day arrives, gather around the tree as a family and take turns reading the notes of gratitude aloud. Leave space for other family members to comment on how the leaves bless them as well. These moments can spark conversation and lead to remembering even more reasons to give God thanks. The tree serves as a powerful centerpiece for your Thanksgiving dinner, symbolizing the thankfulness of the whole family.
If the trajectory of our country is going to change, it must begin with our hearts. America’s systemic problem is spiritual in nature; therefore, we must first steward our own hearts and the hearts of our families before speaking about changing the direction of our country; anything less is hypocritical. May God use the following thoughts to aid in crafting a special, constructive day centered on our love for Jesus. Let us give thanks for all He has done for us!
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