If you want to focus on thanksgiving in the month of November, here’s a fun little activity for you.

Based on a tradition that my family has done for decades (see the cute little booklet my mom sent me), each day establishes a “thankfulness price” based on an item or an activity. Assess yourself each day in November and pay your “price”.

At the beginning of December, sum up all your daily “prices” and bring total amount to church and give it as an offering of Thanksgiving.

As you read your Bible and see that the people of Israel would bring an offering of thanks to the temple, you can think back to your experience with your own offering of thanks.

Here’s the daily assessment…

November 1: How many cups of coffee, tea, water did you drink yesterday? Five cents per cup.

November 2: Have you bought any items of clothing this past month? Five cents per item please.

November 3: How much time did you spend on a computer today? 10 cents each 15 minutes (it’s up to you if you count work time)

November 4: Did you sleep in? A dime for every half hour past 6 am (alternatively, a quarter for every time you hit snooze on your alarm clock).

November 5: Have any member s of your family visited you this past week? Five cents for each one.

November 6: Did you invite someone to come to church this week? No? Your fine is 35 cents!

November 7: Did you get a friendly letter or email this week? Say thanks with 25 cents for each one.

November 8: How many pairs of shoes in your closet? Five cents for each pair please.

November 9: How many hammers and screwdrivers do you have? Three cents for each one.

November 10: Did you go to a beauty shop or barber last week? If so, 20 cents please.

November 11: How many times did you use your phone yesterday? A toll fee of five cents for each time (this originated in the era before smartphones – so it’s up to you what constitutes a “phone usage”)

November 12: If your car is more than 5 years old, save your money today. Otherwise we need 20 cents.

November 13: Did you go to Sunday School and Church today? 25 cents for each service missed.

November 14: Have you been out of the sate in 2022? 25 cents for each time!

November 15: Fill your thankfulness bank with pennies – one penny for each year you have lived.

November 16: Give ten cents of thanks for each of your children.

November 17: Do you have a doctor’s appointment this month? If not, say Thanks with a 35 cent gift.

November 18: Did you visit the ill or lonely this month? We say thank you! If not, pay 50 cents, please.

November 19: If you have grandchildren reward the bank with five cents for each one.

November 20: Have you addressed your Christmas cards yet? If not, get started then fine yourself 25 cents.

November 21: How many hours of TV did you watch yesterday? Ten cents for each hour!

November 22: Do you own a pet? Deposit 10 cents for each one.

November 23: Do you have guests coming to dinner tomorrow? If so, relax. All others pay 25 cents.

November 24: Say thank you for at least 10 blessings. 5 cents each blessing.

November 25: Were you a guest in someone’s home yesterday? Say Thank You with a 50 cent gift.

November 26: How many dinner plates do you own? A penny for each plate please.

November 27: If you missed any church service in November, fine yourself 10 cents for each time.

November 28: Do you have plants or floral arrangements in your house? Four cents for each one please.

November 29: Did you read your Bible every day this month? If not, ten cents for each day missed.

November 30: Do you have an official church responsibility? If so, you owe nothing, otherwise, 50 cents please!

Please bring your offering of thanks to church on the first Sunday of December and focus on thanks as you give it as a gift. It’s not close to the gift you’ve received from God. But it is a proper response.