a new take on our beloved thanksgiving tradition

gratitude tablecloths and napkins

For many years my extended family has had a very meaningful Thanksgiving tradition. Each year as we gather, my mom pulls out the tablecloths. It began with just one tablecloth, but we've outgrown it a few times over the years.

Each year fabric markers are placed around the table and as we catch up with extended family, we gather around, find a space on the crowded tablecloth and record what we are grateful for.

When this tradition began both of my grandparents and my great-grandma were still alive. One week before my Grandpa passed away he wrote "Just to be here another year". His passing was very unexpected and this short handwritten note has become such a treasure as we seek it out each Thanksgiving.

In the years since they've passed, I have the new tradition of searching through the writings on the tablecloths to find my grandparents’ additions. Their gratitude written in shaky handwriting, or recorded by someone else on their behalf, helps them feel a little closer.

I trace their handwriting, pausing for a moment amid the raucous gathering of a large family full of life, to remember those who created us.

While some of us add silly references, there are very sincere additions as well.

We do not do a new tablecloth each year, instead we add to one for multiple years until it’s bursting with memoires. Tablecloths we’re no longer adding to are displayed so we can reminisce over previous additions.

I love this tradition and wanted to create something similar for our own little family.

So a few years ago I ordered some cloth napkins (though of course you could make your own) and a water soluble pen.

I began by stitching each family member's name in the corner of the napkin.

Then I asked each member of the family to use the water soluble marker to make a simple drawing or write a word or two describing what they’re grateful for. I then stitched over the top of their drawing, using a single color of thread (a new color each year). It has been such a joy to preserve our memories this way.

One of the most commonly asked questions about our Thanksgiving tablecloths and/or stitched napkins is:

Do you actually use these during your meal? And the answer is no.

When it’s time to eat we remove the tablecloth and replace it with another, less precious one. In our home I use the napkins as a decoration and we use a different option as actual napkins.

Here’s a short video I made on this project:

I hope one or both of these ideas inspire you to create a similar tradition in your family. Happy Thanksgiving to those who will be celebrating this week!

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Around Here

Reading: I finished A Sorceress Comes to Call by T. Kingfisher on a long drive this week and LOVED it.

Unraveling by Peggy Orenstein was also fantastic.

Watching: We just returned from an out of state soccer tournament, so mostly I watched a lot of soccer last week. We also watched Miracle during a little free time.

In the Shop: Christmas Stick and Stitch

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Here’s to making the time for the things we love to do!

Heidi

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