I love Thanksgiving! It is the one holiday that isn’t commercialized and that doesn’t involve some imaginary character like Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny to distract from the holiday’s true meaning.
Thanksgiving is the day our country stops and remembers all of God’s blessings during the year.
For most of us this day brings a little time off and our loved ones near. Don’t let the day pass without expressing gratitude in meaningful ways. You’ve been given one of those rare times of solace to celebrate and focus on what matters most in life…your relationship with others and God. Maximize it.
Here are 6 things I think will help you make the most of Thanksgiving.
1. Call Someone You Wish Was With You
Living in such a transient society we can live far away from those who are closest to us. Even though we are more mobile so are our phones. So pick it up and call someone who is distant and let them know that they are still as close as ever to your heart. Distance doesn’t have to mean you are distant.
2. Express Your Gratitude at Dinner
The whole day can seem to revolve around the meal so put in a little extra effort to make enjoying that meal time count by verbalizing your gratitude. Typically, one person says a prayer and that’s the extent of the verbalized “thanksgiving” for all who are present. Why not this year have everyone go around the table and express something they are thankful for? Or share some way that they have grown over the year? You might find it was your favorite part of the day and you grew a little closer to those who shared the meal with you.
3. Write a Thank You Note
Buy a pack of thank you cards and spend a little time writing notes to those who have made a huge impact on your life. We often mean to do something like this but we never get around to it. What if you had a thank you note to give each person as they left describing how they have touched your life this past year? People can’t feel your thoughts, but they can feel your words.
4. Put the Giving Back in Thanksgiving
Giving and thanks go together. If you are a grateful person you tend to be more generous because you realize you have been blessed far more than you deserve. Who could you show some generosity to that would be unsuspecting?
Lots of people have to work on Thanksgiving…so why not bring them some bagels and coffee? (I’m not talking about while you are shopping for Black Friday Deals…think EMT, Police, Firefighters.) Could you go and rake your neighbor’s leaves after dinner? Visit at a nursing home?
5. Place an Extra Seat at the Table
Who do you know that doesn’t have a place to go for Thanksgiving? Many who serve in our military are displaced from their family and friends. You can show your thanks by making sure they aren’t alone. Is there someone else you know who recently went through a divorce, a college student, a young professional at your church or work that you could reach out to?
For years when my in-laws were in better health they rented out a castle and invited everyone who didn’t have a place to join them for Thanksgiving. Scores of families from church who otherwise would be alone came and shared in their hospitality. My favorite memories to date from Thanksgiving were those 10 years at the castle when they placed lots of extra seats at their table. We would eat, sing songs, and say what we were thankful for. I’ll never forget those Thanksgivings.
6. Make It Memorable
I have some other family members and the only way you are allowed to come to Thanksgiving is as a pilgrim or an Indian. If you aren’t in costume you can’t even get in the door. They even set up a giant teepee in the backyard! What can you do to make this one memorable? You can always tell it’s memorable when people start saying…Remember that one Thanksgiving we all…
I’ll never forget that one Thanksgiving we all went to the Macy’s Day Parade to help my mother-in-law check off an item on her bucket list. My kids this week even said, “Remember that one Thanksgiving we all went to the Thanksgiving Day Parade in the city?”
You have an amazing opportunity to make Thanksgiving count. Don’t waste it by rushing through the meal as fast as you can or by spending the whole day in front of the tv watching football. Be intentional.
You’ll never regret being more intentional with your gratitude! As you begin expressing your gratitude something amazing happens…problems seem to become smaller and your joy begins to grow. Spend some time this Thanksgiving thanking God for His goodness and faithfulness.
May your gratitude be a continual attitude that you exhibit every day and not just on this day.
Happy Thanksgiving!
