Thanksgiving is a special time of the year and by far one of my favorites! I love the smell of delectable foods wafting through our home, the anticipation of family and friends, and the holiday cheer that surrounds it.
After my husband and I were married, we jumped at the chance to host my family's Thanksgiving dinner. We didn’t know what we were doing! (Hello Turkey!) As much as I love to eat all the delicious Thanksgiving meal, I wanted more. I wanted us to creatively embrace gratitude with each other. Simple, right? Awkward, yes. How do we start, what do we do? I racked my brain every year trying to come up with something different, until I landed on one simple thing we could do every year.
But before I share how we started. Let’s back up a bit and understand why it's important. When we first hosted a family thanksgiving dinner I just knew sharing gratitude was good to do. But now I have my concrete reasons why we do it! And let’s just be real for a minute, not every year is easy, life happens (yup, I’m looking at you global pandemic, cancer, deaths, financial hardships, etc.). And even then, finding moments of gratitude can make all the difference.
Over the years, I have grown in my understanding of gratitude and these are my top four reasons why collectively sharing thanks matters:
1. It magnifies God Most High! It brings Him honor and glory; something we are created to do.
Psalm136:1 (ESV)“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
2. It reminds us Who we belong to.
A simple shift in alignment with our identity in Christ can change our perspective and view of hard situations.
I John 3:1 (ESV)“See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.”
3. It encourages others in their faith journeys.
You never know who might just need to hear our stories. Who knows, it could even be the thing that changes their mind or opens their heart to learning more about Jesus.
Hebrews 10:23-25 (ESV)“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.”
4. It declares God’s goodness to the younger generations.
We are instructed to teach the younger generations to recognize God's work and blessings. What better way than modeling it before them and with them.
Psalm 78:14 (ESV) “Give ear, O my people, to my teaching; incline your ears to the words of my mouth! I will open my mouth in a parable; I will utter dark sayings from of old, things that we have heard and known, that our fathers have told us. We will not hide them from their children, but tell to the coming generation the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might, and the wonders that he has done.”
These four reasons keep me pressing in. (Yup, Grandpa has something important to share with his grandkids, and grandkids have much to teach the older adults on the simplicity of faith or watching them successfully walk through really difficult times.) I know that sharing our gratitude can feel potentially awkward, especially if as a family we have never done it before, but truthfully it doesn’t have to be anything grand or elaborate. In fact it can be fun!
So here it is, the one thing we do every year to collectively share gratitude!
(Disclaimer: I truthfully do not know if I saw this idea on the internet, if I made it up myself, or a combination of both … It was a long time ago.)
We started a “family gratitude box.” It’s as simple as it sounds. There is a box that lives at my house. Every year, family members are invited to add to it. It could be handwritten note cards, photos of our favorite memories from the year, or a program from an event we participated in. It can be as simple or elaborate as desired. During dinner we share with each other what we brought and drop it in the box. It's a simple way to intentionally share something positive with one another and give thanks for what God has done. It's also a great way to reflect on past years and appreciate what our younger selves were grateful for.
(A Word of Caution: People need to feel safe. If someone doesn’t want to share, that’s okay, let them pass. Truthfully some years are harder than others, some bring heartache and trials, and it can be just too much to speak about them in a group setting. AND if we did have a difficult year, we don’t have to go into the nitty gritty of details, the point is to find something to be grateful for even in the hard times. You can say, “It’s been a tough year with lots of challenges, but one thing I’m grateful for is….”
Personally speaking some of my biggest growth seasons have come from difficult circumstances. We might not see it right now, but hopefully we will if we keep leaning into Jesus!)
This year, I thought I’d elevate our family gratitude box by giving prompts to help us get started. And I thought why not share them here too.
23 Thanksgiving Prompts for our gratitude box
Instructions: Pick as many prompts as you feel led to share. Be creative! Try writing it in a letter form to your future self, submit pictures or drawings, write a song or a poem, or simply write a note card with bullet points on it. Have fun with it! And add any additional prompts you feel led to.
People and relationships
- Favorite People: List the special individuals in your life and explain why they hold a place in your heart.
- Celebrations: Reflect on any celebrations you attended this year (birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, etc.) and share why you are thankful for that person (s) or the experience you shared while attending.
- New Connections: Think of one new person you met this year and why you are thankful for them. Consider reaching out to let them know!
- Important People: Choose an important person in your life and share what you are most thankful for about them (e.g., character quality, lesson taught, act of kindness). Then, tell them!
- Church Family: List or share what you are most grateful for about your church or church family.
Spiritual Reflections and Personal Growth
- "God Story": Recall a "God story" from this year that left a lasting impression. What lesson did it ultimately teach you?
- Answered Prayers: List five ways God has answered your prayers this year. On your own (or as a group if desired), spend time thanking Him for it.
- Successful Moments: Describe a successful moment God gave you (at work, home, school, in marriage or parenting) and how you witnessed God’s favor.
- Lessons from Hard Times: Reflect on a lesson learned from a challenging moment (at work, home, as a student, in marriage or parenting) and how it has shaped your character.
- Overcoming Difficulties: Describe a personal difficulty or season of suffering you endured or observed in another, and how it fostered your personal growth. Thank God for those tough times and His pruning work.
- Trusting God: How are you trusting God, and how is it growing your faith and gratitude?
- Important Lessons: Write or share about one important lesson you learned this year.
- God's Provisions: List five provisions God has made for you or your family this year.
- Leap of Faith: Describe a leap of faith you've taken this year. If you've seen the results, how is that unfolding in your life? (Remember, we are asked to be faithful; the results are ultimately up to Him.)
- Achieved Goals: What goal, no matter its size, have you achieved this year? How did you celebrate your success? Praise God for how He helped you accomplish it.
- Volunteer Opportunities: Describe a volunteer opportunity you participated in, your experience, and its impact on you.
- Names of God: Make a list of the names of God that you personally have felt this year. Dedicate time to thanking Him for that experience.
Experiences
- Memorable Adventures: Recall an adventure, solo or with loved ones, and express what you are most thankful for about that experience.
- New Experiences: Describe a new experience you tried and enjoyed, and why you are thankful for it.
- Cherished Freedoms: In America, we value our many freedoms. List or share your top three favorites.
Favorite things
- Favorite Pictures: Select a favorite picture from this year and describe what fills you with gratitude about it. (For photo enthusiasts, consider picking a favorite from each month, or using it as your wallpaper on your phone as a reminder to choose gratitude daily)
- Favorite Verse: Write out your favorite verse and explain why. Consider sharing it with someone who needs encouragement.
- Favorite Worship Song: Listen to your favorite worship song and reflect on what makes you thankful for it. Share or write down a few of your favorite lyrics.