How to Personalize Your Thanksgiving

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Thanksgiving is just weeks away and I’m excited. My mom and two brothers will be coming up to have Thanksgiving dinner with us and of course to see the grandkids!

Since this is the first time in over a year that I will be able to see my family, I wanted to find some ways to personalize Thanksgiving and make it special. Below are many of the ideas I found and plan to use this Thanksgiving!

How to Personalize Your Thanksgiving

3 Ways to Personalize Your Thanksgiving

1. Personalize Your Table.
At Thanksgiving, the dinner table is the center of the holiday. It’s where your family will come together to talk, eat, and tell each other what you’re grateful for. I don’t usually worry too much about what my table looks like, but this year I want to make everything beautiful.

At the center of my table, will be this beautiful fall table runner that I was able to personalize at PersonalCreations.com. I wanted it to say, “Give Thanks” but you can also personalize it with your family’s name or anything else you want it to say (up to 12 characters).

give thanks

This table runner is a cotton/poly blend and I was really amazed at the high quality of it and that it’s machine washable too! I know this will be a staple we’ll have on our table at many Thanksgiving dinners for years to come!

Another idea for your Thanksgiving table and place settings are personalized place cards. If you have a lot of family coming it might be nice to have their names where you want them to sit.

You can also make these DIY placemats that will let your guests write what they are thankful for. For the kids in your group, You could make a placemat or printable with these adorable Thanksgiving jokes for kids!

Another way to personalize your table is with a tablecloth. There are many ideas out there that can show you ways to make your tablecloth a hit for your next Thanksgiving dinner, here are two of my favorites:

  • First, get a white tablecloth and with a black permanent marker have each guest write what they are thankful for. Each year you can bring it out and have guests write on it again. It’s sure to be treasured memory and tradition for years to come.
  • Second, find an old white sheet. Set it outside before dinner and have the kids paint Turkey Hands all over it. It may be messy, but it’s a fun tradition and one the kids will love being occupied with!

personalized thanksgiving

2. Personalize Your Food.
Even thought the true meaning of Thanksgiving is about giving thanks, many people also see the food of Thanksgiving as the main event. Make your dinner a bit more personalized with these Gratitude Rolls that have a surprise when you open them!

One reader told me this about her family’s Thanksgiving traditions:

“My husband always makes the mashed potatoes. The girls and I wash and cut them and he cooks and mashes them.” – Kelley

I love this because there are so many ways to include the whole family in cooking the food and this makes it personal. It doesn’t have to be just mom in the kitchen, get the whole family involved and have fun!

Have a family member that has allergies or intolerances? Try to make something new and different this Thanksgiving! Have a dish you know one of your guests just love? Make it for them! Your friends and family will appreciate the extra effort and personalization. Here are a few recipes to get you started:

Want to personalize your food even more? Try some of these personalized dishes for serving: Pie Baking Dish or Ceramic Baking Dish.

3. Personalize Your Traditions.
Many families have Thanksgiving traditions. One of the ones I have fond memories of growing up is simple. We had a notebook, and one at a time each person and guest would take the time to write what they were thankful for in the notebook. Even the kids participated, and the adults would help the ones who couldn’t write yet.

We wrote in that notebook for years and eventually had to start a new one because the old one was full. My family and I loved looking back over the years and seeing what everyone wrote and how we had grown as people. It is a wonderful, cherished memory I will always have. Here’s a tutorial I found to make your own Book of Thanks.

Other suggestions for creating personalized traditions are here:

What about YOU? I would love to hear how you personalize your Thanksgiving and make new family traditions!

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