This time of year naturally inspires many of us to practice the art of gratitude, which can carry over into the rest of the year. Below are some ways to fill your family’s gratitude cup.
Create a thankfulness garland. Supplies you will need include ribbon, fabric scraps pre-cut into rectangles, and permanent marker. To make your thankfulness garland, you and your family members simply write the things you are thankful for on each pre-cut fabric scrap, then tie the fabric scraps onto the ribbon. Hang up the garland as a reminder of all you have to be thankful for. Bedtime is a good time to talk about what you are grateful for, and you can add to the garland each night.
Make a gratitude jar. Grab a mason jar, cute scrapbook paper, and pens. Each day take time with your family to write down one thing you each are grateful for, then store the papers in the jar. Your family can read through them together from time to time to recall all that you are blessed with.
Write thank you notes. Did you receive a gift? Send a handwritten thank you note to the gift giver. Younger children can simply draw a picture expressing their thanks.
Make a thank you video. Use technology to your advantage, and invite your family to make a thank you video and send it to someone you love.
Read aloud together. Melissa McKim, Maui mother of four, shared, “We like reading out loud together as a family. We are currently going through the ‘Little House’ book series. I feel like it builds up our sense of family and somehow makes us thankful for each other. We all really enjoy it.”
Keep a gratitude journal as a family. Over time it will be fun to see how full your hearts are because you took the time to be thankful.
