Kate Farrell, author of Story Power, has written a blog post on storytelling techniques for the upcoming holiday! Read Kate’s blog post here.
Thanksgiving Storytelling 2020
This week we will gather with our families and friends to feast on food and reflect on our greatest blessings. Perhaps some of us will enjoy an outdoor meal if the weather is mild, or eat indoors with a small, household group. Many more of us will meet online in a video conference.
But however we gather, Thanksgiving stories will be a natural part of this day. Spontaneously telling and preserving stories can add even more meaning to our holiday celebrations.
So, instead of talking about the current political climate, which is sure to draw ire on any side, here are a few ideas to bring your family and friends closer together this holiday. Also, because this marks the beginning of a season that may bring families together, it’s a great time to more intentionally gather family stories and their legacy.
Here are a few ideas to get you started sharing and preserving Thanksgiving stories. Send or email the questions below ahead of time. Ask your family members or friends to think about the questions and to volunteer to answer one or two when you gather in person or on a video call.
Gain family members’ or friends’ permission to record their conversational vignettes and stories. If you are meeting in person, pass around a cell phone or place it on the table within reach of everyone. If you are on a video conference call, ask if it can be recorded.
After Thanksgiving, share the audio or video file with all those who were present and with those who could not participate.
Here are some questions to evoke memories and stories:
- What are some of your favorite Thanksgiving traditions and why?
- What are some of the different places you have spent Thanksgiving?
- What do you like to eat the best at Thanksgiving and why?
- What are you most thankful for this year?
- What incident changed your life in the last year? What happened?
“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” – Melody Beattie
Thanksgiving is a reminder to take a step back and shift our attention to the things that mean the most to us and for which we are most thankful. If we get caught up by small, irrelevant issues that distract us from the bigger picture, it makes the holiday no different than any other day of the year.
Celebrate the Thanksgiving spirit with heartwarming, unforgettable stories!
Story power
Secrets to Creating, Crafting, and Telling Memorable Stories
Stories are everywhere. The art of storytelling has been around as long as humans have. And in today’s noisy, techy, automated world, storytelling is not only prevalent—it’s vital. Whether you’re interested in enlivening conversation, building your business brand, sharing family wisdom, or performing on stage, Story Power will show you how to make use of a good story.