It was a breezy whim born on Thanksgiving 11 years ago. Now, it’s a deeply important family tradition. Thanksgiving Day with our kids wouldn’t be the same without our Snoopy Thanksgiving celebration.
At around 11 am on Thanksgiving morning, post-parade, pre-feast, we have the kids prepare their special observance of the holiday. Like Snoopy in “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving,” they toast bread, pop popcorn, pour jellybeans into a bowl, and tear into a pretzel bag. They munch their snack while watching Chuck and the gang learn that Thanksgiving dinner isn’t really about the food. It’s about being together and being grateful.
As Marcie said, “But Thanksgiving is more than eating, Chuck. You heard what Linus was saying out there. Those early Pilgrims were thankful for what had happened to them, and we should be thankful, too. We should just be thankful for being together. I think that’s what they mean by ‘Thanksgiving,’ Charlie Brown.”
Snoopy Thanksgiving 2010 ~ Used stickers to dress up the bowls
My favorite part of Snoopy Thanksgiving is how the kids take it so seriously. Not only do they make the Snoopy-invented feast, they declare they can’t wait to do it with their own families some day. You can’t begin a tradition without making some promises to tomorrow. Tradition implies a respect for the past and a dream of the future bright and open. It’s recognizing something good and wanting that same goodness for people they won’t meet for years ~ their children.
For one half-hour on Thanksgiving Day, our kids gather, create, and laugh a lot. By the time the credits roll, they’ve made more memories to draw upon someday. Plus, it tides them over until it’s time to start asking what the green bits are in the stuffing or inquire about the wishbone.
Now, to find fresh jellybeans in November…
We also do the Snoopy Thanksgiving and my boys take it very seriously as well (we call it Charlie Brown Thanksgiving). It is fun, it is sweet, it is full of love! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!
I was just telling a friend yesterday how I had shamelessly copied this idea from you. It is now one of our favorite Thanksgiving traditions, as well. In our house, there are many more adults than kids at the non-Snoopy Thanksgiving meal, so I think this helps the children feel like they get their own special part of the day. Happy Thanksgiving to the Lifenut family!
That is such a cool idea… I love traditions that are doable!!! Dare I say we have never seen a Charlie Brown Movie – we clearly live on the wrong side of the world. Hope you all have a fun weekend!!!
Yes, you are spreading this tradition outside your own family. This will be year 3 we’ve done it 😀
Amazing; thanks for sharing your family’s tradition… it seems like so much fun. (And the exact opposite of the high stress frenzy that holidays can sometimes turn out to be.)
Well, I may just have to add your tradition to our traditions, but maybe the night before… Thank you Gretchen 🙂
I love that y’all do this and that your kids love it and plan to continue it. So great. Our kids eagerly look forward to the night we watch Polar Express and eat popcorn and drink hot chocolate and they get to sleep in the living room in sleeping bags. And so do I.
I really love this tradition! I would love for you to link it to my Thanksgiving Traditions Link Up!
I’d go for the Jelly Bellys! We have a store nearby that sells them by flavor. I hope you’re feeling better!
Steph