Ways to show your gratitude this Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. No, it’s not what you’re thinking; while I do love the amazing dinner each year, I see Thanksgiving as a wonderful reminder to be thankful for all the wonderful aspects in my life – especially the people. Here are a few easy ways to thank the people in your life that will make their day…and yours.

Write a letter

You might be thinking to yourself, “Who writes a letter these days with email and text in existence,” but actually writing out a letter is so cool and a fantastic way to show someone your gratitude. Letters are super personal because once you start writing, the words start flowing from your heart right on to the page, making your message very passionate and heartfelt. Also, they are handwritten, which adds your unique touch automatically. It’s always nice to be reading something and recognize the handwriting of someone you care about!

Send a card

Don’t have time to write something on the lengthier side but still want to send something with a personal touch to your loved one? Greeting cards are the perfect solution for you! Blank cards provide the perfect opportunity for you to write a shorter message that is still personal since it is still your own handwriting. And, if looking at a blank card is a little intimidating for you, don’t be afraid to grab a card that already has a message in it. Those pre-printed poems can be super cute and just simply writing, “This made me think of you!” or “I am so grateful for you!” along with your signature will make any recipient smile.

Make a short video

If expressing your emotions through writing is not your style, this is a perfect solution for you! Most of us have phones with what we call the “selfie camera” these days, so just press record and talk as if your loved one is right in the room with you. Short videos are also great to send to people you haven’t seen or talked to in person for a while because there’s nothing like seeing the face and hearing the voice of someone you love and miss! Remember, you’re not Martin Scorsese…it doesn’t have to be this amazing cinematic masterpiece. Keep things simple, emotionally real, and short (especially because text/email will limit how long your videos can be to send them); your video will have all the more impact that way.

Call him/her

There is no better way to tell someone that you are grateful for him or her than by actually telling them! Even though most people may be busy with Thanksgiving Day preparations, a quick phone call can still make their day without taking up too much time. And, if they are busy, a nice voicemail of you expressing your gratitude would be a wonderful surprise for them to find when they do have a moment to check their phone.

Another variation on this, thanks to technology, is FaceTime (or other video chat applications like Skype, etc.). While this option does tend to be more of a time-consumer, you and your loved one on the other end can control how long the call is. The beauty of FaceTime is that it gives both parties that “in person” feel even though there could be thousands of miles separating the two callers. It’s honestly the closest you can get to spending the holiday together without actually being in the same room.

Send a text

If all the other options aren’t really your style, sending a text on Thanksgiving Day is a quick, easy, and fantastic way to tell someone you are thankful for him or her. The cool thing about texts is that you can make it short and sweet, like “Happy Thanksgiving! I’m so grateful for you!” or you can write a paragraph that requires your phone to give you the little arrow because it’s so long; your texts are whatever you want them to be. Also, once you send the text, you can move on to whatever else you need to accomplish that day knowing that your loved one has received your thanks!

Whatever method you choose, know that expressing your gratitude to those you love will make their Thanksgivings that much more special. Take the day to reflect on all the wonderful people in your life and make this Thanksgiving your most thanks-giving one yet.