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Meaningful Ways To Celebrate National Gratitude Month

By: Author Olivia Whalen

Posted on Last updated:

November is National Gratitude Month! So instead of just being thankful on Thanksgiving we spend the entire month incorporating ways of gratitude into our days. It is a great lesson learned for our children and truthfully a really good reminder for us as adults as well. With this list of meaningful ways to celebrate national gratitude month you could spend the month with a grateful heart too!

It helps us slow down and appreciate what is right in front of us and in some occasions even how to be a tad bit more selfless. 

I wanted to share some of the ways we have celebrated National Gratitude Month in and outside of our home and maybe help give your family some ideas to try as well!

national gratitude month

Meaningful Ways To Celebrate National Gratitude Month

Donate Unused Items

November is a purge month for us. I have the girls go through all of their clothes and toys and put aside all of the items that no longer fits them or suits them. They lose interest in certain toys or they have simply just grown out of them.

We discuss value of the item and what it took to have the ability to purchase it. Showing them what hard work can get you.

It’s also a great time to teach the lesson of feeling thankful for all that we have and to act selfless in giving other families the opportunity to enjoy some of our past beloved items. 

We make room for any incoming gifts during the holiday season as well! Win, win!

Practice Compliments

Have you ever been taken aback by a random compliment from a stranger? It just happened to me while I was out with my family. I was helping my daughter wash her hands in the restroom and a woman took the time to stop and compliment my mothering. She had over heard me speaking to my girls and felt strongly to say something kind. It made my entire day!

During National Gratitude Month I encourage all of my family members to give at least one compliment a day. Not only to strangers but at school and also to family and friends. Looking for the good in others makes the good in you shine big!

Volunteer Your Time

Volunteering your time could look several different ways. You could become involved in an event in the community, donating your time to the cause.

This time of the year there is typically a lot of different events going on. Whether you bake pies to give away at the senior living Thanksgiving dinner or offer to rake leaves outside of the library.

The opportunities are endless and your time is a such a gift to any you allow it to.

Random Acts of Kindness

This is one of the easiest and most meaningful ways to bring gratitude into your average day. There are no limits to what a random act of kindness could be.

Here are some really simple ways that could absolutely brighten up someone’s day…

  1. Buy an extra coffee in the morning on the way into work for your coworker.
  2. Pay for the person behind you in line at a drive thru.
  3. Hold the door.
  4. Focus on eye contact, smiling and saying “hello, how are you?” to anyone you might pass by.
  5. Send a little note and a few dollars via Venmo to a friend that could use a pick me up snack or drink.
  6. Pick fresh flowers for someone or buy a simple bouquet out.
  7. Check in with an old friend, make plans to get coffee….your treat.
  8. Write a hand written letter.

Practicing Self Gratitude

Being grateful for others and showing it in different ways is fulfilling and a wonderful way to spend the month celebrating but you should also take some time to show self gratitude. That goes for all of the people in your home. Teaching the children to look inwards and find self gratitude is such a meaningful and life long beneficial lesson.

One wonderful way to do this is to keep a gratitude journal through the month and when it comes to a close you can look back and reflect on all of the ways you felt grateful. Or you can do a gratitude challenge board. This will challenge you to a new thing each day…

Check out some of my favorite finds for self gratitude challenges..

Or some other worksheets that can help guide you to kick off the entire month with loads of gratitude.

Take the time to find and remember all that you are grateful for. We each have so much that we take for granted on a daily basis. A celebration of gratitude is the perfect way to fill your soul with kindness and the best way to kick off the season of holiday togetherness.

Be grateful, gracious and good.

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Love, light and a little grace…

-Olivia