It's a slight decline from last year, but AAA estimates that approximately 41 million people will travel 50 miles or more for Thanksgiving this year.

Whether it's because of the turkey or the football, people seek out friends and family on Thanksgiving. Many family traditions are built around this holiday, giving people the chance to express their thanks and appreciate what they have.

My family doesn't really have any unique traditions ... yet. With young children, it might be a good time to implement some ideas I found online and elsewhere while researching for this column.

At our Thanksgiving dinner, we go around the table and describe something that we are thankful for. There are also certain dishes that are traditional -- my mom always made oyster stuffing (even though I'm not sure anyone really ate it). Her grandmother made it when she was young, and so she carried on the tradition.

I sure hope one of my sisters is going to pick up that tradition -- I don't know if I can bring myself to make oyster stuffing!

One interesting idea I came across for expressing thanks is a Thanksgiving Tree.

There are several ways to go about it, but essentially the idea is to create a tree (out of an actual branch or poster board), hang it on the wall, and create leaves out of construction paper on which people can write what they are thankful for. The leaves are filled out in the week leading up to Thanksgiving so that the tree is full on Thanksgiving Day.

One woman said she leaves the tree up through Christmas, with extra leaves nearby so that people can continue to add to the tree.

I like the tradition of giving family members a role in creating the meal -- especially now that my children are getting older and they love to be helpful in the kitchen (a blessing and a curse).

My sister Margie is the mashed potato queen. It's always her job to make the mashed potatoes.

Giving children (and don't forget the teenagers) a job not only gets them involved in the activities of the day, but also gives them some ownership in the meal and a sense of responsibility in providing something for others.

And when the kitchen is too busy and I don't have time to work around the kids, I give them a different job ... such as setting the table, making sure we have enough chairs, or filling the salt and pepper shakers. (Hmmm, strike that last one).

Last year my mom did something new. She bought a plain beige table cloth and had everyone who attended dinner sign their name and the year. Some even outlined their hands.

We'll add to it every year -- over time we should be able to see who was present at different dinners and watch the children's hands grow. Having my mom's hand print on that tablecloth will be like having her at the table with us as we say our prayers and give thanks this year.

I also came across a family that has a Thanksgiving journal in which people write down what they are thankful for. The journal allows family members to read over past entries. This particular family had journals that had been passed down for years!

That sounds to me like a unique way to keep track of events that have happened in a family -- marriages, births, successes.

There are also many cute ideas I came across that use photos -- Thanksgiving scrapbooks, or place cards created out of photos from past holidays.

Thanksgiving is an opportunity for our families to get together and share their appreciation and thanks for what life has brought us.

It's an ideal time for traditions to grow strong, and gives us a bonding tie to rally around each year.

Whether it be looking forward to the Thanksgiving Tree, or reading over past journals or laughing at scrapbook pictures from past holidays, traditions provide an activity, a way to make tangible the feelings that surround a house full of family and a table full of food.

What are your Thanksgiving or holiday traditions?

And do you have a good recipe for oyster stuffing?

Kym Byrnes writes from Finksburg. Please e-mail her at kymbyrnes@gmail.com.

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