Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of year. The familiar aromas from the kitchen, favorite recipes, and people gathered around the table bring back wonderful memories. I’m Italian, so food and family have always gone hand in hand!
But this year, I invite you to think beyond what’s on the table. What are you bringing to the table? What’s in your heart? Who are you grateful for, and how might you let them know?
Thanksgiving holds two ideas worth our attention: thanks and giving.
A Gratitude Jar for Thanksgiving
Last month, in our Faith & Wellness Focus, we explored My Annual 1095—the 1,095 opportunities we have each year to nourish ourselves through meals. We used a jar of stones to picture how daily choices shape the lifestyle we’re creating.
This month, I have another jar. Instead of stones, it holds memories and a family Thanksgiving tradition.
At each person’s place setting, I put a little card. Before anyone writes something new, we take out the cards we placed in the jar the previous Thanksgiving. Each person can read theirs aloud if they’re comfortable sharing. Then everyone writes a new card for the jar, where it will stay until next year.
Those old cards open up meaningful conversations. Did something we hoped for happen? Did life surprise us? Have our priorities changed? Sometimes we laugh. Sometimes we remember something we’d nearly forgotten. Sometimes we see how we’ve grown through a challenging year.
We look backward with gratitude and forward with hope. The card we write today becomes part of next year’s story.
And traditions don’t need a big gathering to matter. Two people can begin a gratitude jar. One person can keep one. Traditions begin because somebody decides to begin them.
A Little Discovery Became a Little Gift
Recently, while sorting through belongings from a move two years ago—yes, I’m still going through things!—I found some beautiful note cards. In another file, I found seasonal postage stamps.
I had everything I needed to send someone a handwritten note. So I made a little space on my desk with stationery, envelopes, stamps, and a pen. Nothing elaborate. Now, when someone comes to mind, I can write a few words.
Think about what usually arrives in our mailboxes: bills and advertisements. Then imagine finding a handwritten envelope addressed just to you. Inside, a friend has written, “I was thinking about you today and wanted you to know how grateful I am for your friendship.”
It doesn’t have to be a long letter. A few sincere words can turn an ordinary trip to the mailbox into a moment of connection. Something that sat in my file for years became an opportunity to encourage someone today.
Thanks—and Then Giving
We can appreciate someone for years without ever telling them. It might be a longtime friend, a teacher, a family member, or someone who encouraged us during a difficult season. We assume they know what they mean to us. But how good it can be to hear it!
A card is one way to say it. A phone call, email, or simple message works, too. You might write, “We don’t see each other often anymore, but I still think of you and remember the wonderful times we’ve shared.”
You don’t need a long list of names. If one person comes to mind, begin there. Gratitude is something we experience. Giving thanks is something we share.
Make Room for Connection
Thanksgiving looks different for everyone. Some gather with family or friends. Some travel, eat at a restaurant, or spend the day quietly. For others, the holiday brings memories of someone who is no longer at the table.
There is room to honor all of those experiences. The heart of Thanksgiving isn’t the size of the gathering. The table is wherever we make room for connection.
I often talk about nourishing body, mind, and spirit. We nourish our bodies with food, our minds through reflection and conversation, and our spirits through love, connection, gratitude, and faith. Thanksgiving offers a chance to care for all three.
And yes, Thanksgiving dinner is part of our real life wellness journey, not a departure from it. Enjoy the meal. Enjoy the traditions. Enjoy the people. Perhaps bring something to the table that didn’t come from the kitchen.
Give Thanks, One Day at a Time
One of my favorite Thanksgiving scriptures is 1 Thessalonians 5:18: “Give thanks in all circumstances.” It doesn’t say every circumstance will be wonderful. Life includes disappointment, challenges, and loss. Gratitude doesn’t ask us to pretend otherwise. It helps us notice what remains meaningful, even in a hard season.
I especially love the action in that verse: Give thanks. Express it. Share it. Let somebody know.
So, what are you grateful for? And who might be blessed by hearing it from you?
Maybe you’ll begin a gratitude jar, send a handwritten card, or call someone you’ve been thinking about. You don’t have to wait for Thanksgiving Day. Start small and grow: one thoughtful word, one little note, one conversation at a time.
Practice Wellness Daily™—nourishing body, mind, and spirit.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Elisa Travisono McClure
Traditional Naturopath | Wellness Educator
Practice Wellness Daily™
elisamcclure.com
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