Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated by Canadians and American’s. Though the
origins are different, the sentiment is essentially the same. Thanksgiving is a day set
apart to celebrate the bounty and blessings of the year. Reminding us to be thankful for
the abundance and wonderful things that have happened.

In America there are a lot of traditions that go hand-in-hand with Thanksgiving. Football,
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, and large dinners with turkey, mashed potatoes,
and pumpkin pie. These are certainly things to be thankful for, but there’s plenty of other
reasons to be grateful this time of year too.

Planning for the Thanksgiving holiday can be stressful. The costs associated with a big
meal and hosting family can be overwhelming. There can be added stress if the holiday
comes when life’s chaotic. The holidays shouldn’t be burdensome. When you’re
struggling to find joy, it’s important to center yourself and get back to the reason for the
season.

Thanksgiving is about gratitude
Being grateful is a wonderful state of mind. Finding things to be grateful for can be hard
when there’s too much pulling at you. You needn’t feel obligated to make the holiday a
big show. Thanksgiving can be as simple as a small meal shared by immediate friends
and family or as extravagant as a full traditional spread shared by everyone on your
contacts list. It isn’t about the food it’s about setting aside time to be grateful for the
bounty you’ve experienced this year.

You can show your gratitude in many ways
Being grateful can be an inward or outward experience. Some people use Thanksgiving
as a time to publicly share the people and things they are grateful for. It’s common to
take time and give thanks for the abundance each person has before enjoying a meal. It
is a wonderful time to encourage younger family members to express their gratitude and
help them understand the importance of being thankful.

There are powerful inward expressions of gratitude as well. Keeping a gratitude journal
can be a wonderful way to express your personal thanksgiving without having to speak
out publicly. Art, poetry, and other creative outlets are a great way to show your thanks
during Thanksgiving and all year round.

You can also show your gratitude through sharing your resources. From donating to a
local food pantry to spending quality time with loved ones, there are plenty of ways to
show how thankful you are and how much you care.
Thanksgiving is a season dedicated to being grateful and celebrating the bounty that life
has offered. Be sure to focus on what’s right in your world and being grateful for all the
blessings you have.