Gather for dinner and put a pink cuff on your left hand and a green cuff on your right hand.
02
Connect everyone with the elastic magnet bands on the outer side of each cuff.
03
When everyone is connected, start eating, you might have to work together and be patient, don't let the band get loose!
Practice gratitude and start a thoughtful conversation by finishing the sentences on the cuffs. Watch how the connection grows!
In researching a frame for gratitude, we saw parallels between religion and being grateful. We found an especially interesting Christian tradition of a Grace prayer before eating. “Saying grace” follows the examples of Jesus and the apostle Paul, both of whom said grace before meals. (Catholic Encyclopedia, 2020)
Saying grace is a moment of connection, reflection, and gratitude after a day. Eating is a great occasion to gather together, be more present, and thank people around you. Using these working mechanisms we created the intervention Confession Cuffs.
For this intervention, we got inspiration from the great food designer Marije Vogelzang. She believes in the power of food to bring people together and experiments with social interactions and food. She believes that food can bring people together, and creates peace and interaction. (Marije Vogelzang, 2022)
Each cuff is embroidered with one sentence that triggers self-reflection and supports starting a conversation. The aim of this tool is to encourage people to take a moment to reflect and be grateful for the little things.
