How to start a tradition

I'd like to say it's our Thanksgiving tradition to make our 31-days-of-thankful-Christmas-count-down-chain, but Thursday was only our first time to do it. 

But it's officially a tradition now.

And I'm open to new names for the tradition.  Because 31-days-of-thankful-Christmas-count-down-chain is a mouthful for one tradition.

The boys wanted to make a calendar to countdown the days to Christmas.  And I wanted to do something to make them have to think about what they were thankful for.  Other than their toys.  Which was the first answer from both of them.  And also a typical kid answer.

We cut 31 strips of festive red, white and green construction paper, one for every day between Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

And then spent the next little while writing one thing we were thankful for on each slip of paper.  With a little help from Mommy when needed with spelling and such.

Then we used our handy dandy stapler and made a paper chain.

The plan is to take off one chain a day, either at dinner time or bedtime, and talk about why we are thankful for said item and then take time to thank God for how He has blessed us.  Leaving the appropriate number of links for the number of days left.  Clever?  I thought so.

And adds a little bit of decoration.  Kid-style.

So, how do you start a tradition? 

Just do it.  And be thankful about it.