Stress Management for the Holidays with Natalie Mack- Special Replay

December 16, 2025 by Leave a Comment

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: Stress Management for the Holidays with Natalie Mack.

Stress Management for the Holidays with Natalie Mack- Special Replay

Stress Management for the Holidays with Natalie Mack

We know that stress can be a big issue, especially during the holidays, but even after the holidays, anxiety, depression, and the winter blues can creep in. Let’s talk about ways to manage these feelings and create a calm and enjoyable atmosphere for our families. Our friend and Cousin Natalie Mack shares tips for stress management for the holidays.

About Natalie Mack

Natalie has been a homeschooling mom for twenty-two years with five children, four have graduated from college while one is still homeschooling high school!

She is a retired Navy chaplain spouse and has a Master’s Degree in Education and Counseling. Natalie has worked in various fields such as drug and alcohol abuse, social work, and marriage and family therapy. Recently, Natalie has been leading the military outreach program for HSLDA. She also shares her wisdom at Natalie-Mack.com, where she offers some helpful freebies for homeschooling families.

Tip #1: Slowing Down and Embracing Fun

Homeschooling through the holidays can look completely different from “work, work work”! You can slow down with the schoolwork during the holidays and focus on creating fun experiences with your children. While it may be tempting to push through and maintain a rigorous academic schedule, remember that the academics will always be there. Take the time to enjoy holiday activities, bond as a family, and create lasting memories.

(Here’s a fun writing project about creating a Holiday Family Narrative, instead of typical academics.)

The picture-perfect moments we often see on social media or in magazines are not the reality of everyday life. Instead of striving for perfection, try embracing the joyful imperfections that come with family gatherings.

Remember the quote from GK Chesterton: 

Anything worth doing is worth doing badly. 

Learning happens in many different ways (including the developing a growth mindset during the ups and downs of imperfect celebrations).

Anything worth doing is worth doing badly. -GK Chesterton

Breathe and Relax

It may sound simple, but taking deep breaths and focusing on our breath can do wonders for managing stress. When we are feeling overwhelmed, our bodies flood with stress hormones, but the antidote is right there in the air. 

So, whenever you can, take a moment to pause, take a deep breath in, and slowly exhale. It helps chip away at those stress hormones and calms our nervous system. You can teach this technique to your teens as well!

Make Time for Field Trips

Take advantage of the unique field trip opportunities available during the holiday season. Many places offer special events and attractions during the holidays. 

Whether it’s visiting nature gardens with beautiful lights or driving along the boardwalk to see Christmas decorations, these experiences create lasting memories and provide valuable learning opportunities for your kids. Plus, they are just a lot of fun!

Field trips during the holidays are a fantastic way to bond as a family and create positive memories. Education an happen anywhere, and these experiences enrich our lives in so many ways.

Enjoy Holiday Books

Holiday-themed picture books are a great way to create a cozy and magical atmosphere during the season. They have a way of bringing joy and warmth to our hearts. Snuggling up together and reading these books aloud fosters a sense of togetherness and creates cherished memories. 

Explore book lists from resources like Read Aloud Revival and 7Sisters Homeschool to discover wonderful holiday reads. Visit your local library and pick up some holiday-themed picture books. Make it a tradition to read holiday books with your loved ones and let the joy and laughter fill your home.

7SistersHomeschool has a Literature Study Guide for A Christmas Carol. Not only that, we offer a Cinema Studies for Literature Learning Guide for A Christmas Carol, as well. This is a meaningful way to sneak in some no-busywork, meaningful education.

Organizational Tips

Organization can make a big difference in reducing stress during the holidays. (Hey, it’s okay if organization is not your strong suit.) You can learn the value of organization, especially during the holidays, from others, such as from our 7th Sister, Allison, who is a master at event planning. We turned her planning skills into a unit study for planning the Thanksgiving meal.

Some organizational tips from Allison:

Consider the flow of activities, such as setting up a buffet with silverware and napkins placed at the end to avoid juggling them while serving food. These small organizational adjustments can make a significant difference in reducing stress levels.

Do what you can to prioritize your to-do lists and let go of unnecessary tasks. Recognize that it’s impossible to do everything perfectly, and some things can be dropped without major consequences. 

Focus on what truly matters and be intentional about allocating your time and energy to activities that bring joy and fulfillment. Good holiday event planning is about finding what works for you and creating a sense of calmness amidst the busyness!

Stress Management for the Holidays with Natalie Mack

The holiday season should be a time of joy, togetherness, and relaxation. Follow these stress management tips for the holidays and then let us know how they helped you!

Find Natalie Mack at Natalie-Mack.com and lots of places through Linktree.

Wishing you a peaceful and joyful holiday season filled with beautiful memories!

Thank you to Seth Tillman for editing and Richie Soares with Homeschool & Humor for writing this blog post!

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Stress-Free Holidays Are Possible: Here’s How (Holiday Replay)

December 8, 2025 by Leave a Comment

Discover tips for stress free holidays with careful planning and creative entertaining ideas that wow your guests every time.

Short Cuts – Hints & Holiday Tips by Felice Gerwitz

Discover tips for stress free holidays with careful planning and creative entertaining ideas that wow your guests every time.

How does Felice Gerwitz tirelessly entertain 20+ guests of all ages, use real dishes, cloth tablecloths & napkins with home-made napkin rings, and still remain sane after the last guests have left? With some careful planning, cooking ahead and getting some amazing deals and after holiday sales, Felice pulls off the Martha Steward look year after year.

Learn how to create a wish list and look for deals, bake ahead and freeze, enlist help from your family members and guests, make fresh flower centerpieces that look like you’ve slaved for hours and other tips that Felice has learned during the years. She enjoys baking and entertaining but most of all rejoicing in God and celebrating the special ties between family and friends.

Here is a handout along with a free printable to hang on your wall! Vintage Handouts Stress Free Holidays

Recommended Resources from Media Angels

Introducing the Christmas Planning Printables from Media Angels – your ultimate toolkit for a joy-filled and organized holiday season! This 3-pack bundle includes three essential printables: the Christmas Planner, the Christmas Kids Activity Planner, and the Christmas Week Planner, each thoughtfully designed to elevate your festive preparations.

 

 

 

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Last Minute Planning ~ For The Holidays (Thanksgiving Replay)

November 24, 2025 by Leave a Comment
📚 Part of our guide: Homeschool Organization

Last Minute Planning For The Holidays | Here we go; the holidays are upon us, and now is the time to fine-tune that list and get to the last-minute planning. I have a sure-fire way to keep you on track, and I will share this method with you on today's episode | #podcast #homeschoolpodcast #Blessingsfromheaven #LastMinutePlanningForTheHolidaysLast Minute Planning For The Holidays ~ Episode 508

Here we go; the holidays are upon us, and now is the time to fine-tune that list and get to the last-minute planning. I have a sure-fire way to keep you on track, and I will share this method with you on today’s episode!

Thanks to our 10th birthday celebration sponsors. Check out our Homeschool Matters free eBook here

Catch these great podcast:

Last Minute Thanksgiving Treats

Great Gifts Kids Can Make

Thanksgiving Crafts 

Have you looked at the calendar yet? Do not stress out – repeat after me, “I am not stressed!” A quick “Dear Lord, help me!” goes a long way as well. No worries, I’ve got you covered. If you are a long-time subscriber to my ezine or have listened to this podcast over the years, you’ve heard me talk about my 4-Square Planner. I am attaching two forms to this episode in the show notes. So, if you want to print them out, you can.

Last-minute planning takes organization, and it is time to find it fast if that is not your gift. I use a method where I take a sheet of paper and divide it into four equal parts. They are not squares, more like oblong boxes. Then I write faith/ prayer, kids, homeschool, and household.

4-Square Planner – Blank

4 Square Planner – Filled Out Example

Quickly fill out this page, and you will have a thumbnail sketch of what needs to be accomplished this week. As I record this, we are fast approaching Thanksgiving, Christmas, and so on. This planner can be used daily or weekly. Personal use is permissible.

Now, here is the secret to last-minute holiday planning: it is okay to cut corners. I know making your favorite dip, covered strawberries, or that favorite pie is at the top of your list. But, this year, I give you permission to delegate where you can and to buy already prepared if needed. (Mashed potato story on-air.)

But I promised help, so here is what we will do. We’ll make a list using the 4-Square planner idea, then cut where we can.

Felice’s 4-Square Planner List:

Faith: 

  • Pray first thing in the morning
  • Ask the Lord to guide me
  • Pray for discernment.

Kids:

  • Postpone unnecessary activities
  • Allow time for puzzles or board games
  • Enlist the kid’s help
  • Assign specific chores.

Homeschool 

  • Finish assignments
  • Put away school books and supplies
  • Clean up the schoolroom or area

Household Cleaning!

  • Pick up first clear up the clutter

Example of Last-Minute Planning:

If you are down to a few days before the holiday, the one place you can cut back is food. Or, you can assign it to others! This year, my brother offered to make a turkey and stuffing and bring it. Yay! That was super exciting to hear. Someone else is bringing some sides and making the rolls. In years past, I’ve done it all and was exhausted. If I make rolls, I make them ahead and freeze them about three weeks before an event. I try not to do anything last minute, but it has happened to the most organized or planned person.

Household Food

  • Green bean casserole
  • Mashed Potatoes – other
  • Homemade rolls – other
  • Roast (prep ahead)
  • Turkey – other
  • Stuffing – other
  • Sweet potato casserole – other
  • Cheesecake
  • Apple pie
  • Mini-pumpkin pies
  • Dipped strawberries
  • Turkey-shaped cookies – other

Does this help? I hope so! Having a quick list that you can scale back, cross out, or call and delegate makes it easier to manage the last-minute planning. No matter what the holiday or the season, there is always so much to do. I pray you have a blessed event, Thanksgiving, Christmas, or even if you are listening to this at Easter time! It is always helpful to lean on a friend. Hope I’ve been here for you.

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Making Thanksgiving Meaningful for Your Family – MBFLP

November 21, 2025 by Leave a Comment

Discover simple, meaningful ways to celebrate Thanksgiving with Christ-centered traditions, Pilgrim history, gratitude habits, and family-friendly ideas.Celebrating Thanksgiving: Christ-Centered Traditions & History

Making Biblical Family Life Practical with Hal & Melanie Young

Thanksgiving is one of the few holidays that still says what it means—giving thanks. But how do we move it beyond food, football, and stress, and turn it into a joyful, Christ-centered family tradition?

In this episode, Hal and Melanie share how you can reclaim Thanksgiving as a time of purposeful remembrance, gratitude, and witness to your extended family—without losing the fun or the feast.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | Podcast Index | Email | Youtube Music | RSS | More

In This Episode, We Talk About:

Why Thanksgiving is worth “reforming”

  • How Thanksgiving is uniquely suited to be a God-centered holiday in modern culture

  • The biblical pattern of feasts and memorials (like Passover) as models for our celebrations

  • Why Christians should be known for joyful feasting, not just “saying no” to everything

The real story behind the first Thanksgiving

  • The suffering and “dying time” the Pilgrims endured their first winter

  • God’s providence in Squanto’s story and the empty land where they settled

  • Why reading William Bradford and Edward Winslow in their own words gives a truer, richer picture than the typical school version

  • How the character of the Pilgrims and Puritans still shapes the American mindset: conviction, courage, and willingness to do hard things

Making Thanksgiving Christ-centered at your house

  • Why hosting the celebration yourself lets you set the tone, pace, and priorities

  • Using history, Scripture, song, and simple traditions to turn the day into a living testimony

  • How these practices can gently impact even very “worldly” or skeptical family members

Practical Ideas You Can Use This Year

1. The Thanksgiving Tree
A simple, powerful gratitude habit:

  • Tape or pin a paper tree trunk to the wall

  • Put a basket of paper “leaves” and a pen on the table

  • Every time you sit down to eat, everyone writes one thing they’re thankful for and adds it to the tree

  • Over time, the tree fills up and helps your family see just how much God has done—even in hard seasons like job loss or uncertainty

2. Five Kernels of Corn Tradition

To remember the Pilgrims’ real hunger and God’s real provision:

  • Place five kernels of corn on each person’s plate

  • Have the youngest confident reader read the poem “Five Kernels of Corn”

  • As you eat, each person shares five specific things they’re thankful for—one for each kernel

  • This tradition humbles us, reminds us of what our ancestors endured, and helps us appreciate God’s daily mercies

3. Reading and Singing Together

Bring back the old, good traditions:

  • Read from primary sources about the first Thanksgiving (Bradford, Winslow, historic proclamations from Washington or Lincoln)

  • Share the story of God’s providence in the Pilgrims’ lives in their own words

  • Sing classic hymns of praise and thanksgiving as a family after the meal

  • Don’t be surprised when even very “sophisticated” or non-religious relatives are deeply moved—many people quietly long for meaning, ceremony, and reflection

Resources Mentioned

  • We Gather Together (Thanksgiving e-book) UPDATE 2025: This resource is not titled, “Christ-Centered Thanksgiving”
    A complete guide to celebrating a Christ-centered Thanksgiving:

    • True accounts and quotes from Pilgrim history

    • Thanksgiving proclamations

    • Songs and hymns to sing

    • Planning pages, charts, and forms for stress-free hosting

    • Tried-and-true recipes (including how to cook the best turkey ever!)

    • Scripts and ideas for what to say and do at your celebration

    👉 Learn more at: RaisingRealMen.com

  • Pollyanna (Unabridged Audiobook by Melanie Young)
    The original, funny, thoughtful story—not the syrupy version!

    • A pastor’s daughter who always looks for God’s blessing in every circumstance

    • Perfect family read-aloud or listen-together in the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving

    • Helps cultivate a “gratitude habit” in your home

    👉 Find it at: RaisingRealMen.com/Pollyanna

Takeaway

You don’t have to settle for a holiday that’s all about food and football. With a little planning and a bit of boldness, you can:

  • Turn Thanksgiving into a family tradition your kids will treasure

  • Offer a gentle, powerful witness to your extended family

  • Reclaim a holiday that’s already about thanking God, and point the gratitude clearly back to Him 🙌

Listen & Share

You can listen to this episode and others in the series at:
HalandMelanie.com/radio or by searching “Making Biblical Family Life Practical” on your favorite podcast app.

If this episode encouraged you, would you take a moment to leave a review on iTunes? It helps more families discover the show and recapture their holidays for Christ.

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Make a Thanksgiving Memory Book Your Family Will Treasure

November 18, 2024 by Leave a Comment

Thanksgiving Memory Book | What is your favorite Thanksgiving memory? Another episode just for kids! Join Felice as she shares her encouragement to notice those little things that are important to appreciate. | #podcast #homeschoolpodcast #thanksgivingmemory #memorybook #thanksgivingmemoriesThanksgiving Memory Book ~ Episode 416

What is your favorite Thanksgiving memory? Another episode just for kids! Join Felice as she shares her encouragement to notice those little things that are important to appreciate.

Thanks to NowProgams for sponsoring this episode.

Be sure to go to VintageHomeschoolMoms.com – episode 416 and you will find a copy of the Thanksgiving Memory Book – Thanksgiving Memory Book

Thanksgiving is a time to make memories and share joy with others. A fun craft is to take branches and make a Thankful tree. You add leaves to the tree and on each, you can put a word that reminds you of something you are thankful for.

Think About This:

What are you thankful for? People may ask you that question and you may say, “I don’t know!” I get it, sometimes it seems that the questions you get asked don’t really have good answers. Here is a challenge for you. Do you think you can do this? Start looking around. What do you see?

Here are some possibilities. You see people in your family, you see the things that you own, you see the things that are part of your world. Maybe a pet, or something you think is important. It may not be valuable meaning it costs lots of money, but it is valuable to you.

So what are those things? Maybe you are thankful for:

  1. Your family.
  2. Your home.
  3. You brothers or sisters.
  4. Your friends.
  5. Your toys.
  6. The food that you eat.
  7. Your pets.
  8. A favorite vacation.
  9. A favorite sport you play.
  10. A hobby you have.

These are just a few of the things you may be thankful for. We did this quickly, but you can take more time to do this on your own. So, the next time someone asks you what you are thankful for you will be able to answer it quickly.

Have you ever had a super fun time doing something and wish you had pictures or written down exactly what you did? How about keeping a memory book? Have you ever kept a journal? A memory book is something like that.  I have a free one you can download here: – Thanksgiving Memory Book

You can add things like what you are grateful for but you can also list who was at your celebration, what you did, and what you ate. Maybe your family plays games. What is it that made the day special. What are some traditions that your family does every year? Think about this.

  1. Do you have your celebration at your house?
  2. Do you go somewhere special for Thanksgiving?
  3. Do you eat turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and gravy?
  4. What is your favorite dessert?

One time, friends of mine lived far away from their family and friends, in fact, they had just moved to a new town. So they decided they wanted to have a different type of Thanksgiving and had a picnic. They had turkey sandwiches, and fun sides, and they played games at the park. The kids all said it was one of their favorite Thanksgiving memories. Have you ever heard that what makes something special is what you put into it? You might not think the food at Thanksgiving is very good, maybe you don’t like turkey and gravy. But, either way what you are celebrating makes it special to you. (Remember – what are you putting into the celebration?)

I had another friend who used Thanksgiving as a day to help out at a soup kitchen, a place that cooks meals for the poor. She said she felt so thankful for all that God had given her that she wanted to give of her time for others. That is truly being unselfish, isn’t it? Each person can give from what they have and share it with someone else. You can do this in your family as well.

Whatever you do to celebrate this happy day, I pray that you make memories that you will always remember. I hope you have a very special thanksgiving with your family and your friends. Even if you have a turkey sandwich at the park this year, make it the best Thanksgiving memory ever!

 

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Stress Management for the Holidays with Natalie Mack

November 18, 2024 by Leave a Comment

This week on Homeschool Highschool Podcast: Stress Management for the Holidays with Natalie Mack.

Stress Management for the Holidays with Natalie Mack

Stress Management for the Holidays with Natalie Mack

We know that stress can be a big issue, especially during the holidays, but even after the holidays, anxiety, depression, and the winter blues can creep in. Let’s talk about ways to manage these feelings and create a calm and enjoyable atmosphere for our families. Our friend and Cousin Natalie Mack shares tips for stress management for the holidays.

About Natalie Mack

Natalie has been a homeschooling mom for twenty-two years with five children, four have graduated from college while one is still homeschooling high school!

She is a retired Navy chaplain spouse and has a Master’s Degree in Education and Counseling. Natalie has worked in various fields such as drug and alcohol abuse, social work, and marriage and family therapy. Recently, Natalie has been leading the military outreach program for HSLDA. She also shares her wisdom at Natalie-Mack.com, where she offers some helpful freebies for homeschooling families.

Tip #1: Slowing Down and Embracing Fun

Homeschooling through the holidays can look completely different from “work, work work”! You can slow down with the schoolwork during the holidays and focus on creating fun experiences with your children. While it may be tempting to push through and maintain a rigorous academic schedule, remember that the academics will always be there. Take the time to enjoy holiday activities, bond as a family, and create lasting memories.

(Here’s a fun writing project about creating a Holiday Family Narrative, instead of typical academics.)

The picture-perfect moments we often see on social media or in magazines are not the reality of everyday life. Instead of striving for perfection, try embracing the joyful imperfections that come with family gatherings.

Remember the quote from GK Chesterton: 

Anything worth doing is worth doing badly. 

Learning happens in many different ways (including the developing a growth mindset during the ups and downs of imperfect celebrations).

Anything worth doing is worth doing badly. -GK Chesterton

Breathe and Relax

It may sound simple, but taking deep breaths and focusing on our breath can do wonders for managing stress. When we are feeling overwhelmed, our bodies flood with stress hormones, but the antidote is right there in the air. 

So, whenever you can, take a moment to pause, take a deep breath in, and slowly exhale. It helps chip away at those stress hormones and calms our nervous system. You can teach this technique to your teens as well!

Make Time for Field Trips

Take advantage of the unique field trip opportunities available during the holiday season. Many places offer special events and attractions during the holidays. 

Whether it’s visiting nature gardens with beautiful lights or driving along the boardwalk to see Christmas decorations, these experiences create lasting memories and provide valuable learning opportunities for your kids. Plus, they are just a lot of fun!

Field trips during the holidays are a fantastic way to bond as a family and create positive memories. Education an happen anywhere, and these experiences enrich our lives in so many ways.

Enjoy Holiday Books

Holiday-themed picture books are a great way to create a cozy and magical atmosphere during the season. They have a way of bringing joy and warmth to our hearts. Snuggling up together and reading these books aloud fosters a sense of togetherness and creates cherished memories. 

Explore book lists from resources like Read Aloud Revival and 7Sisters Homeschool to discover wonderful holiday reads. Visit your local library and pick up some holiday-themed picture books. Make it a tradition to read holiday books with your loved ones and let the joy and laughter fill your home.

7SistersHomeschool has a Literature Study Guide for A Christmas Carol. Not only that, we offer a Cinema Studies for Literature Learning Guide for A Christmas Carol, as well. This is a meaningful way to sneak in some no-busywork, meaningful education.

Organizational Tips

Organization can make a big difference in reducing stress during the holidays. (Hey, it’s okay if organization is not your strong suit.) You can learn the value of organization, especially during the holidays, from others, such as from our 7th Sister, Allison, who is a master at event planning. We turned her planning skills into a unit study for planning the Thanksgiving meal.

Some organizational tips from Allison:

Consider the flow of activities, such as setting up a buffet with silverware and napkins placed at the end to avoid juggling them while serving food. These small organizational adjustments can make a significant difference in reducing stress levels.

Do what you can to prioritize your to-do lists and let go of unnecessary tasks. Recognize that it’s impossible to do everything perfectly, and some things can be dropped without major consequences. 

Focus on what truly matters and be intentional about allocating your time and energy to activities that bring joy and fulfillment. Good holiday event planning is about finding what works for you and creating a sense of calmness amidst the busyness!

Stress Management for the Holidays with Natalie Mack

The holiday season should be a time of joy, togetherness, and relaxation. Follow these stress management tips for the holidays and then let us know how they helped you!

Find Natalie Mack at Natalie-Mack.com and lots of places through Linktree.

Wishing you a peaceful and joyful holiday season filled with beautiful memories!

Thank you to Seth Tillman for editing and Richie Soares with Homeschool & Humor for writing this blog post!

PLEASE SUBSCRIBE TO HSHSP VIA COMPUTER

  1. Follow this link to our Apple Podcasts page.
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  4. Click SUBSCRIBE.
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  6. Thanks!

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7 Festive Fun Thanksgiving Traditions to Cultivate Gratitude

November 20, 2023 by Leave a Comment

Finish Well Homeschool Podcast, Podcast #198, 7 Festive Fun Thanksgiving Traditions to Cultivate Gratitude, with Meredith Curtis on the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network

7 Festive Fun Thanksgiving Traditions to Cultivate Gratitude

In “7 Festive Fun Thanksgiving Traditions to Cultivate Gratitude,” episode #198, Meredith Curtis inspires homeschooling families with meaningful ways to give thanks this year. God has been good to us this year and Thanksgiving is a great day to let Him and each other know how thankful we are! Traditions include Praise Breakfast, Gratitude Guessing Game, Thankful Tree, Blessing Place cards, Pass the Praise, Old-Fashioned Hymn Sing, and Thankful Poster. Try one this year and watch gratitude grow in every heart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

PowerlineProd.com Homeschool and Bible Resources

 

Powerline Productions, Inc.

Bringing Homeschool Joy to Families Everywhere!

 

Show Notes

God is good. His goodness is everywhere but we often focus on what we don’t have rather than our blessings. These traditions are easy and fun, yet they truly cultivate gratitude!

Praise Breakfast

Supplies needed: yummy breakfast food, instrument (guitar or keys), or online music, and words to songs.

Gratitude Guessing Game

Supplies needed: very small whiteboard, dry erase markers, and notebook paper for each family member.

Thankful Tree

Supplies needed: poster board, markers, and brown/orange/yellow/red construction paper.

Blessing Place Cards & Scripture Cards

Supplies needed: cardstock, markers, and Bible.

Pass the Praise

Supplies needed: basket of candy corn.

Old-Fashioned Hymn Sing

Supplies needed: hymnal and instrument (piano, guitar) or online music.

Thankful Poster

Supplies needed: poster board and colorful markers.

Sign up for our Newsletter

100 Homeschool Hacks by Meredith CurtisSign up for our updates and get your copy of 100 Homeschool Hacks FREE. Sign up here.

 

 

 

 

 

Resources

Celebrate holidays with these festive, fun books and unit studies:

Celebrate Christmas with Cookies Unit Study by Meredith Curtis Celebrate Christmas in Germany Unit Study by Meredith Curtis Celebrate Christmas in Colonial America by Meredith Curtis
Celebrate Thanksgiving by Meredith Curtis Celebrate Easter Devotions Celebrate Our Christian Super Heroes by Meredith Curtis and Laura Nolette at Powerline Productions, Inc. Christmas Thoughts and Prayers Journal by Meredith Curtis

 

 

Thank You to our Network Sponsor – CTC Math!

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Creating Meaningful Thanksgiving Traditions | Replay

November 20, 2023 by Leave a Comment

Today I am joined by guest Meredith Curtis, a fellow podcaster on the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network and a teacher at True North Academy. Today we are talking about How to Create Meaningful Thanksgiving Traditions.Creating Meaningful Thanksgiving Traditions!

Today I am joined by guest Meredith Curtis, a fellow podcaster on the Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network and a teacher at True North Academy. Today we are talking about How to Create Meaningful Thanksgiving Traditions! Check out the fun and doable list of activities that you can implement today to enrich and preserve wonderful Thanksgiving memories!

Thanksgiving can definitely be a time of sharing great food, but it’s also a wonderful time to engage with each other in meaningful ways. We all have so much to be thankful for!

Creating Meaningful Thanksgiving Traditions; it’s can be simple as:

  1. Bring people home to celebrate and eat with your family- invite people over!
  2. Pass out kernels of corn and then everyone share something they are thankful for for each kernel of corn they took.
  3. Have a special Thanksgiving Tablecloth and have everyone sign it.
  4. Decorate for Thanksgiving with guards and fall décor – create a cornucopia as a centerpiece.
  5. Create a “Thankful Tree”
  6. Create posters where people can write in what they are thankful for
  7. Eat and share good food
  8. Host a Pie Breakfast Open House
  9. Play board games
  10. Have a time of worship and testimony together
  11. Sing old Hymns together. Check out CrossSeven for some great ones!
  12. Watch or play football
  13. Play cornhole, volley ball or croquet
  14. Take an after dinner/ before desert walk
  15. Watch a parade
  16. Honor relatives you only see on holidays and record family stories

Resources:

Find Meredith at Powerline Prod

More Homeschool Help from Lisa Nehring

If you want gratitude to be part of your homeschool all year long, Lisa has help for weaving it into your family’s learning.

  • Free homeschool resources at Not That Hard to Homeschool: Lisa’s Start Here guide, help for your first 30 days, and her free Typical Course of Study for junior high and high school.
  • The Fourfold Method curriculum from Not That Hard to Homeschool: Gather, Test, Connect, Commit. A simple, repeatable way to help your kids keep what they learn, with a free guide and a full line of books built on the method.
  • Self-paced classes at True North Academy: courses your student can work through on your family’s schedule.
  • Live online classes at True North Academy: accredited classes for grades 7 through 12, taught live by real teachers. Browse high school and junior high classes.

Find more episodes like this one on the Life Skills 101 podcast page.

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Hope and Thanksgiving, A Step in Faith

November 13, 2023 by Leave a Comment

hope and thanksgiving | Is there hope when you are devastated or have a loss? There is hope and thanksgiving joy, but it takes a choice. | #podcast #homeschoolpodcastLet’s Talk About Hope and Thanksgiving with Felice Gerwitz

Is there hope when you are devastated or have a loss? There is hope and thanksgiving joy, but it takes a choice. Have you felt like things were hopeless? Is there a time when you felt like the Lord was asking you to thank Him and praise Him even when there was no hope? In this episode, Felice shares this time with you – and it took place some time ago. Trusting in the Lord, she stepped out in faith.

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Resources mentioned in this podcast

– Media Angels, Inc 

Homeschooling With Proverbs. 

Hope and Thanksgiving

When something horrible happens depression knocks on our door and it never wants to leave. All we can think about is what we don’t have or who isn’t there. If we lose a loved one during the holidays that makes it even worse. We remember the time we had, but often can’t remember the good in our time of grief.

At times when we feel depressed, we are telling ourselves things that make it worse. Our well-meaning friends or relatives may also add to the depression or hurt. There are stages we go through and sometimes we just need to allow time to heal but that does not mean we ever forget.

 

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All About Giving Thanks

November 3, 2023 by Leave a Comment

It's all about giving thanksIt’s all about giving thanks!

Happily I never tire when discussing “Giving Thanks” … this is one of my favorite topics. Giving thanks assumes there is something about which to give thanks, right?

But can you give thanks?

For instance, can you give thanks when you are upset or stressed?

Give thanks when you are under financial strain?

Give thanks when the kids are misbehaving and everything goes wrong?

Ah…and that is the crux of the issue, while we know we can’t have everything going our way or extremely well 100% of the time, we may not realize that the reason we are upset many times is because of this very fact.

Life happens.

It happens when we try to homeschool. Life happens when we plan a vacation. It happens on the way to the grocery store. Life happens when the economy tanks.

So, if we realize “life” is going to happen we should be prepared for it and give thanks anyway. That is a very hard lesson I’ve learned the last several years. I’ve learned that no matter how much you plan for or save for the inevitable, in our case a very severe recession, you just can’t plan enough. Life happens! Both my husband and I are self-employed. Actually, we would have it no other way. My husband builds new construction homes, remodels, and has a home-inspection business, so you can imagine how it effected our lives. The recent economic downturn hurt the housing market severely.

So we give thanks, right? Wrong.

It wasn’t until much later when after countless hours of prayer I remembered how beneficial being thankful was in the face of hardship. Giving thanks when we didn’t understand where the next job would come from, giving thanks as we watched our retirement fund dwindle. We continued to be thankful.

And, our children watched us.

I found a picture among my presentation slides folder and made it larger and wrote the words “Give thanks to the Lord everyday” and hung it up where we could all see it. And, we did. WE gave thanks even if we didn’t want to give thanks. It helped us tremendously and little by little there was more, and more things in which to give thanks! [If you want a larger size of the picture below to print out it is here.]

Giving Thanks | Printable Image Ultimate Homeschool Podcast Network

I’m working on a talk for church, the topic is “Prayer: Humility before God.” I believe that thankfulness is showing the Lord that we are humble before Him and we realize He knows our plight and understands! Humility is a virtue, and we acknowledge that God is the author of all that is good! He knows what we are going through and understands. We also know that the Lord of the universe has the ability to answer our prayers or to say, “not yet,” and accepting that truth takes every ounce of our being. That is true humility…and can we continue to thank Him through that time? With His strength we can (the strength that surpasses all understanding!) Philippians 4:7

Please share ways you praise the Lord even when things are tough!

And one last thing, thankfulness is a character trait, isn’t it? We have to train ourselves to be thankful and build up that virtue muscle.

I want to recommend my Character Counts 12-Pack of Character Planners to you- they are designed for your kids!

Thankful for character planners. Giving Thanks is a virtue.

Meet Felice Gerwitz: A Devoted Homeschool Mom, Author, Publisher, and Podcast Host

A heartfelt enthusiast for both education and faith, Felice Gerwitz has embarked on an incredible journey as a homeschooling mom, guided by her unyielding devotion to the Lord. Alongside her incredible husband and five wonderful children, Felice’s life is a testament to the beauty of balancing family, faith, and personal aspirations.

In 1986, Felice embarked on her homeschooling adventure, a path that has been colored with both triumphs and challenges. Through the years, she has amassed a wealth of experience and wisdom that she eagerly shares with the world. As the founder of Media Angels, Inc., Felice has not only embraced her role as an educator but also stepped into the shoes of an author and publisher. Her creative ventures have not only enriched her own family’s learning journey but have also inspired countless others seeking alternative educational paths.

You can continue reading her story in her very personal story, One More Child, from Media Angels, Inc.

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