Each year it seems that Thanksgiving gets quietly relegated to a lackluster status between two very dominant and materialistic holidays – Halloween and Christmas. As a society, we skip right over the giving in favor of the taking. This year, lets pause to really think about the reason for the “thanks” in Thanksgiving. Try a game of Thanksgiving bingo at your family gathering. All you need is a computer, printer, your loved ones and a thankful heart.
Here’s how you do it:
Assemble your family after your mid-day meal and assign someone the job of secretary. Go around the room and take turns sharing what you are thankful for. Encourage older children and adults to steer away from only naming materialistic items. James 1:17 says, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” Since we know that every good thing in us and around us comes from God, we have an infinite number of things to be thankful for. Think in terms of spiritual gifts, blessings, and truths from His word. If you are in the company of non-believers, you can use this as an opportunity to share your faith.
Once you have assembled a comprehensive list of at least 25 things that your group is thankful for, you are ready to make your Bingo boards. Simply go to this website to create your own unique cards. Here you can enter the title for your game (instead of BINGO, why not substitute THANK?) and the items from your list. Then print and play. Have some fun and use M&M’s or nuts as your tokens. Young children can pair up with an older child or adult and share in the fun as well.
As you prepare for Thanksgiving this year, be thinking about what could be on your Bingo card. Then take a moment and give thanks to the One who has blessed you with “every good and perfect gift.”
Happy THANKSgiving!
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