Happy Thanksgiving!

I had in mind to post something to do with Thanksgiving each day this week, but as fate would have it, I was extremely busy. My youngest daughter Allison did a little research here and there for me and came up with a couple of really good Thanksgiving crafts, some good Thanksgiving recipes you might want to try and a little information on Thanksgiving Traditions.

From our family to yours we want to wish you very happy Thanksgiving and offer you these ideas for the holiday season! Have a great one!

THANKSGIVING CRAFTS:

Finger Puppet Pilgrims

What You'll Need:

• Construction Paper: white, brown, black and yellow
• 2 short or one long cardboard tube (s)
• Scissors
• Glue Stick
• Peach and pink crayons
• Black marker
• Pattern (Click HERE)
  

How To Make It:

1. Color a 2" X 6' section of white construction paper with the peach crayon. Cut out section then cut in half. You should now have 2 - 2" x 3" peach pieces.
2. Glue the peach strips to the top of the 2 cardboard tubes. These will be the faces.
   
3. Cover the remainder of the cardboard tubes with black (man) and brown (woman) construction paper, overlapping the peach face a little.
4. Cut 2 collars from white construction paper using pattern. Glue to top of shirt, wrap around and glue in place.
5. Cut woman's hair from yellow construction paper using pattern. Cut man's hair from brown construction paper, cut a strip about the width of the woman's hair. Wrap around the back of the cardboard tubes, peach paper in the front, and trim if needed. Glue in place.
6. Cut hat from black paper and bonnet from white using patterns. Cut a small strip of brown for the hatband, glue and trim. Cut small strips of white paper for the buckle. Glue to the hatband. Glue hat to man's head and bonnet to woman's head.
7. Use pink crayon to add rosy cheeks.
8. Use black marker to add eyes and smile.
   
9. Insert fingers into bottom of tube and play with your puppets!

Styrofoam Turkey

What You'll Need:

• A 2 13/16" X 3 7/8" Styrofoam egg
• Brown paint
• 2 googly eyes
• Pipe cleaners: 2 red, 2 orange, 1 yellow
• Glue
• Scissors
• Paint brush
• Serated knife

To Make Your Thanksgiving Styrofoam Turkey Craft:

1. Use a serated knife to carve the very bottom off the styrofoam egg so it will set up.
   
2. Paint the egg brown and let it dry. (tip: setting the egg on a dixie cup is a great way to let the egg dry)
3. Glue two googly eyes onto the egg.
4. To make the feathers, cut a pipe cleaner in half, twist the ends together to make a feather shape and insert it into the back of the egg. Make 2 - 3 "feathers" of each color.
   
5. Cut a small piece of an orange pipe cleaner off and insert under the googly eyes for a beak.
6. Cut a small piece of red pipe cleaner and insert as a waddle next to the beak.
   
7. Cut an orange pipe cleaner into quarters. Take two of the pieces and bend in half and insert into the bottom of the egg as feet.
   

THANKSGIVING RECIPES:

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle

Ingredients:

• 2 (14 oz. ) packages of gingerbread mix
• 1 (5.1 oz.) box cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix
• 1 (30 oz. ) can pumpkin pie filling
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 teaspoon ground cardamon or cinnamon
• 1 (12 oz.) container of frozen whipped topping
• 1/2 cup gingersnaps, optional

Directions:

Bake the gingerbread according to package directions; cool completely. Meanwhile, prepare the pudding and set aside to cool. Stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cardamon into the pudding. Crumble 1 batch of the gingerbread into the bottom of a large, pretty bowl. Pour 1/2 mixture over the gingerbread, then add a layer of whipped topping. Repeat with the remaining gingerbread, pudding, and whipped topping. Sprinkle the top with crushed gingersnaps, if desired. Refrigerate overnight. Trifle can be filled in punch bowl.

Favorite Green Bean Casserole

Ingredients:

• 2 (16 oz.) packages of cut green beans
• 1 cup of water
• 1 (10.75 oz.) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 (4 oz.) jar diced pimento peppers, drained
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 (2.8 oz.) can French-fried onions

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, place the green beans in water, and bring to a boil. Cover, and cook 6 minutes, under tender. Remove from heat, and drain.
   
3. In an 8 X 8 inch baking dish, mix together the cream of mushroom soup, milk, pimentos, and pepper. Stir in the green beans. Sprinkle with French-fried onions.
4. Bake, uncovered, 30 - 40 minutes in a preheated oven, until the casserole is hot and bubbly in the center.

THANKSGIVING TRADITIONS:

• Turkey and Trimmings. From the first Thanksgiving to today's turkey burgers, turkey's are an American tradition dating back centuries. According to the National Turkey Association, 95 percent of American's eat turkey at Thanksgiving. Regional twists offer variations on the traditional roasted bird, including coffee rubbed turkey from Hawaii, salt encrusted turkey from New England, and deep fried turkey from the south.
  
• Time Out for the Pigskin. Throughout the United States, football on Thanksgiving Day is as big a part of the celebration as turkey or pumpkin pie. Dating back to the first intercollegiate football championship held on Thanksgiving Day in 1876, traditional holiday football rivalries have become so popular that a reporter once called, Thanksgiving " a holiday granted by the State and the Nation to see a game of football."
• Parading Around. The first American Thanksgiving Day Parade was held in 1920, organized by Gimbel's Department Store in Philadelphia, not Macy's as most people believe. The NYC Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade actually began in 1924, and has grown into an annual event of balloons, bands, and floats, enjoyed by more than 46 million people each year in person and on TV.
  
• Making a Wish. Does your family fight over the wishbone from the Thanksgiving turkey? Known as a "lucky break" the tradition of tugging on either end of a fowl's bone to win the largest piece and its accompanying "wish" dates back to the Etruscans of 322 B.C. The Romans brought the tradition with them when they conquered England and the English colonists carried the tradition on to America.
  
• Giving Thanks. Last, but certainly not least, Thanksgiving is about giving thanks for the people and blessings of the past year. From pre-meal prayers to providing holiday meals to the homeless, the holiday is truly a celebration praise and thanksgiving.