Tag Archives: gratitude

Father’s Day is Sunday, June 18

Father’s Day is coming up on Sunday, June 18. If you are looking for gifts you can help your host children make, check out the Au Pair in America pinboard.   Father’s Day Ideas

Father’s Day was first celebrated in the United States on June 19, 1910. But it wasn’t until 1972, that it became a nationwide holiday. Father’s Day is celebrated in countries all over the world on different days with a variety of different traditions.

father and child

This would be a great opportunity for au pairs to share if the holiday is celebrated in their country and how. If you want to try incorporating something new in your celebrations this year, here are some ways father’s day is celebrated in other countries.

  • Brazil – Families enjoy a traditional Brazilian barbecue together.
  • France – Children often spend the day outdoors with their father, enjoying activities like fishing and hiking.
  • Japan – Children write letters to their father’s expressing their love and gratitude.
  • Mexico – Families often attend mass together and enjoy a traditional meal.

Photo: Pai Shih (Flickr)

Garland of Gratitude Craft

Below are the directions from Spoonful for this fun and easy project.

Garland of Gratitude

garland-of-gratitude-thanksgiving-craft-step3-photo-150-FF1104CRAFTA03

Simple enough for kids to create on their own, these beautiful, textured leaves make a wonderful holiday tradition. Invite each guest to write something he or she is grateful for on a leaf, and watch the garland grow each year.

Materials
  • Colored construction paper
  • Pencil
  • Spray bottle (filled with water)
  • Scissors
  • Colored pencils
  • Twine or natural-colored string
  • Double-sided tape
Instructions
  1. Draw leaf shapes on colored construction paper, or download leaf templates and then trace on to colored construction paper.Make at least 1 leaf per guest plus others for decoration.
  2. Lay the paper on a covered work surface, then spray water over both sides so the whole surface is damp. Crumple the paper into a loose ball, flatten it out, and let it dry completely (which takes a few hours).
  3. Next, cut out the leaves and hand them to your guests to write on.
  4. Finally, make a garland by folding the stems over a length of string and taping them in place. Drape them from a sideboard, along a mantel, or from the top of a doorway.