Monday, November 7, 2011

A "Gift" of "Thanks"

Thanksgiving Day happens to be one of my favorite holidays. It's a time when the whole country reflects on what we are most thankful for. I practice my “gratitude's” each morning and this simple act of “giving thanks” has made me a happier person. I wish everyone did this....the world would be much happier too!

A few years ago I read about a gift idea called, “24 Days of Giving Thanks.” So, I made one for my mom and then did one for my husband. This year I made one for my son, Jack.

It's so simple to make, plus you'll feel happy for being thoughtful and the recipient of your gift will feel loved and appreciated.

There are probably a hundred different ways to be creative with this gift, but I have kept it simple. All you need is an envelope, paper, pen and to open your heart.

Cut out 24 pieces of paper strips (think Chinese fortune cookie). Then write one thing you are thankful for (in regards to the gift recipient) on each piece of paper.

For example, I wrote, “Thank you for greeting me each morning with a kiss and a snuggle” and, “Thank you for always doing your homework without complaining.”

You can give this gift on the 1st of November and have the person open one piece of paper each day until Thanksgiving Day. Or you can give the gift on Thanksgiving Day and have them open one each day until Christmas Eve, in which case you would need to do “31 thankfuls.”

I was a little nervous giving this gift to my son because, let's face it, he's 8 and Lego's and video games are the kind of gifts he likes receiving, but as any parent knows, sometimes our kids surprise us when we least expect it. Jack loves his gift! Every night, while tucking him in, he gets to reach in his envelope and pull out a “thank you” to read. His face lights up with anticipation! He actually looks forward to bedtime! I can't tell you how much joy we both get from this simple act of thoughtfulness.

Give it a try.

What are some creative ways that you give thanks?

No comments:

Post a Comment