Count Your Blessings

By Pat Graham

The cornucopia is the symbol of plenty or abundance. It is usually shown filled to overflowing with fruits, flowers, and grain.

At Thanksgiving time we give thanks for all of our blessings. Sometimes we have so many blessings that it is hard to name all of them.

Cut out cornucopia and mount on 8 1/2″ x 11″ piece of construction paper. Mount fruits on lightweight cardboard and cut out. Write out your blessings or draw pictures of them on the fruits. And as you place each blessing on or around the cornucopia say something like, “I’m thankful for ______ so that I can ______.” Think of the many reasons why you are grateful for each blessing.

When you have completed the picture, you can play a game with your family. Have everyone close their eyes while you take away one picture. Let your family guess which blessing is missing. Talk about what it would be like without that blessing. Keep playing until none are left.

Sharing Time Ideas

Make a large cornucopia out of posterboard, and laminate it so that fruit pieces may be attached with tape and removed without tearing.

Invite children to draw and color pictures of their blessings. Then cut out and mount pictures on colored paper fruit shapes.

Place fruits in a box and choose several each week to add to the cornucopia. Let each child tell about his blessing.