Show Your Appreciation With National Gratitude Month

What does gratitude mean to you? Does it mean saying thank you? Does it mean giving a gift? Or maybe, it means cooking a special meal for someone you love. Well, the great thing about gratitude is that it can mean all of the above!

November is National Gratitude Month, and this comes just in time for Thanksgiving and the beginning of the holiday season. The holidays can often be a busy time, as we find ourselves wrapped up in finding the perfect gift, or for some of us, we find ourselves with one less seat at the table for the holiday season, as we try to celebrate our first Thanksgivings and Christmases without loved ones. I know this last sentiment applies to me this holiday season. Even as the holidays can be reminders of missing people in our lives, gratitude can help us put into perspective the rich lives we can and do still lead! Read on below to see five ways you can show yourself, loved ones, and the community around you that you are thankful for them!

       1.) Volunteering at a Food Pantry or Shelter

This time of year, food pantries play a key role in helping many families experiencing difficulties put food on the table, especially during holiday meals. Food pantries and shelters can always use more volunteers when it comes to donating, unloading, sorting, and packing food. Find a food pantry near you here: feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank

       2.) Letters of Gratitude

Sometimes, it can be difficult to express out loud how much someone means to us. Writing a letter to a loved one or someone you appreciate is a great way to put into action your thoughts. Plus, the tangibility of a letter is great as the recipient can keep it and look back on it. 

       3.) Gratitude Jar

My family and I started a gratitude jar around three years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic, and I have found it to be an amazing resource for remembering the little moments when you appreciate something that someone did for you. All you need is a jar, some paper, and a pen. Try to see how full you can make the jar over the course of the week, and at the end of the week, read aloud all of the ways you and your family or friends positively impacted each other. Sometimes, we make a difference and we don’t even know it- a gratitude jar is a great way to make sure these actions don’t go unnoticed. 

       4.) Cooking

When you make a meal or a treat for someone else, it is a great way to give back to someone. The idea of putting time into crafting something (whether or not it tastes good) shows that you are trying to express that you are giving back to someone that you are grateful for. Whether it is homemade pasta or just baking some store-bought cookie dough, the recipient will surely appreciate the thoughtfulness of the gesture. 

       5.) “Burr” Baskets

“Burr” baskets are a new trend that are essentially gift baskets filled with goodies that relate to the holiday season and the chilly weather that comes with it. If your love language is gift giving, putting together one of these baskets will not only bring the person you are gifting it to joy but also yourself! The budget doesn’t have to be anything crazy, and you can even do a gift exchange with these baskets with a group of friends as well!

Gratitude is at the forefront of many of our minds this holiday season, and there are so many great ways to express the way we feel. Whether it’s through words, gifts, or giving back, be sure to find a way to show that you are thankful to those who make a difference in your life during National Gratitude Month!