What elevates Thanksgiving from one hefty meal, sandwiched between football games, to a real holiday and celebration of all that's good in our lives? We often forget this, in the middle of our exciting meal preparations, but we want to remember to give thanks as well.

Our family has a tradition of writing down things we're thankful for from the last year and reading aloud lists from previous years. This can be amusing; reading a list of things you were thankful for at 7, 10, and 14 is slightly embarrassing. It also gives a big-picture sense of perspective and gratitude.

What sort of thankfulness traditions do you practice? Do they take place around the table? Check out another suggestion below the jump...

These Thankfulness Cards from Paper Source were recently featured on Oh Happy Day, and we like the idea of asking guests to fill them in and read aloud during dinner. They would make great placecards too. $7 for a set of 10 at Paper Source. You could also easily make these yourself with index or blank business cards.

(Image credit: Willis Henry Auctions: Old Shaker diary)