We love to share Thanksgiving and this week we are ready to take the show on the road, bringing a Gratitude Jar when we attend Thanksgiving dinner at a family member’s house. We have so much to be thankful for. For starters – I am thankful that we are being hosted this year.
The perfect gift to show your Thanksgiving hosts how grateful you are to be their guest
Gratitude jars are perfect for bringing along to a family holiday celebration. No refrigeration necessary. No allergy issues. They make great hostess gifts, and provide an activity that everyone can participate in. Of course I will also be bringing these Grateful Heart Pinwheel Cookies to go with. Gotta give my family members something to be grateful for!
How to Make a DIY Thanksgiving Gratitude Jar
Gratitude Jars could not be easier to make! You will need:
- A standard Mason jar
- 2 inch round printable labels – find sticker designs to use from Avery Labels
- Blank DIY business cards for your printer
- Stickers/markers/glitter glue for decorating the labels and cards if you do not have a printer or would prefer a more handmade look.
- Decorative string or ribbon
- Hole punch
Here’s how to assemble your Gratitude Jar
- Choose a smooth-sided mason jar.
- Use 2 inch round labels for the side and top of the jar. Print your own labels using templates provided by the label company. Or simply decorate the labels with pens, glitter glue, and/or stickers.
- Preprint or decorate the business cards. Consider a simple message like “I am thankful for….” with space for each guest to write their own message. Alternatively, leave the cards blank and include a few decorative pens and stickers with your gift.
- Use the hole punch to make a hole in one of the business cards, and tie this tag on the mouth of the jar with your decorative string. Make sure to include your family (or your host’s family’s) name and the year on the card.
- Have friends and family write their notes of gratitude and place the cards in the jar. Share them aloud on Thanksgiving or on any other day.
- Bonus: Add a little sparkling confetti to the jar
A Thanksgiving activity/game for everyone
Take some time on Thanksgiving to sit around with friends and family to fill out the gratitude cards. There are no rules to what you write, but you might want to ask everyone to share something about their family, their day, or the past year. Fill out one card per person or fill out multiple cards. You can sign the cards or leave them blank. You can even turn it into a game. Try and guess who wrote each card.
Reading the cards out loud is a perfect dessert time activity.
After the holiday, the jar can be stored away till next year. Use your hole punch to punch all the collected cards and bind together with the decorative string. Store in the jar till next year. It can be fun to look back at what you were grateful for in the past, and compare it to what you are grateful for now!
Gratitude doesn’t have to only happen on Thanksgiving
Studies have shown that gratitude works all year round! People who practice gratitude have lower levels of stress and higher levels of overall happiness. Teaching your kids to be grateful is a gift to them, that will last a lifetime.
Why not make one of these jars and a gift, and keep one at home on your mantel? We could all use the reminder to be more grateful in our lives. Sharing our gratitudes with one another only multiplies the effect.
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