Here’s a New Fall Tradition Your Family Should Start-The Thankful Pumpkin

As we head into the craziness of the holiday season, one blogger has shared a simple fall tradition that can help you and your family take a little time in the days leading up to Thanksgiving to focus on being thankful. It's called the Thankful Pumpkin, and believe us, this is one tradition you are going to want to try. All that it requires is a permeant maker, a pumpkin, and some time to reflect on gratitude.

The idea behind the Thankful Pumpkin came from blogger Anne Latta, who is the writer behind One Artsy Mamma. She writes that the inspiration for this simple but lovely family tradition comes from taking the time every day to focus on what the Thanksgiving season is really about and to help your children do the same. "We need to stop and focus and be intentional about counting our blessings," she writes. "To help do that in our family, we started the tradition of the Thankful Pumpkin."

She adds "All you need to make one is a pumpkin and a permanent marker and a heart full of gratitude." For every day in November or whenever you start, you and your family list what you are grateful for that day and write in on the pumpkin. It can be big or small, serious or silly, it just has to be the parts and pieces of your life that you are taking the time to acknowledge gratitude.

You'll start writing at the top and make a continuous list circling down the pumpkin. When Thanksgiving rolls around, your Thankful Pumpkin will be full of everything your family is thankful for this year and will be the perfect centerpiece of your Thanksgiving table.

Latta says the first year she and her family started the Thankful Pumpkin they used a small pumpkin, but when her son noted they have so much to be thankful for, they have since opted for a much larger pumpkin. In fact, that could be one item on their list--needing a bigger pumpkin because they have so much to write.

We are in love with this tradition and will be starting it in our homes this year. How about you? If you start the Thankful Pumpkin, we want to see! Tag TLCme on Facebook and Twitter and tell us all what you and your family are thankful for this year.