Traditionally, Thanksgiving Day is a day spent with friends and family. Usually, there is a large meal, and some people watch a football game. Families enjoy time together and express gratitude for the good things that have happened during the year.
In recent times, shopping has overshadowed Thanksgiving day. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), 32.5 million people plan to shop on Thanksgiving Day. Throughout the 5-day Thanksgiving shopping weekend, which starts with Thanksgiving Day and ends with Cyber Monday, 182 million people plan to shop.
The NRF survey revealed that 61% of those planning to shop during the Thanksgiving weekend are doing so because the deals are too good to pass up. Here at Tons of Thanks, we encourage people to remember to be grateful, even if their weekend plans include shopping.
4 Ways to Include Gratitude During Thanksgiving
A little gratitude can go a long way. Generally, people like to be seen and for their efforts to be valued.
“We must find the time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.” – John F. Kennedy
Thank the Host
When invited to another’s home for Thanksgiving, people can thank the host for opening their home. The host may have also provided the turkey or the entire meal. A verbal thank you can be said to the host, “Thank you for having us over.” Then, a Thanksgiving thank you message can be mailed in a traditional handwritten thank you card. Or, a thoughtful text message can be sent.
Compliments can be given to the host if they made a delicious dish or decorated their home for Thanksgiving. Perhaps they made the most amazing turkey, a wonderful pecan pie, or a beautiful pumpkin succulent centerpiece.
Thank the Guests
The host family can also thank the guests who attended their Thanksgiving dinner. This can be as simple as saying “Thank you for coming” as guests depart. Also, be sure to thank them for any dishes they may have brought for the meal.
During the Meal
The entire family can say one thing or person they are grateful for during the Thanksgiving meal. Go around the table and have adults and kids take a moment to share with the family.
Common answers may be friends, family, and good health. To make the conversation more interesting, people could be asked to say what they are grateful for at their job or school. Or they can share a specific situation in the last week where they felt grateful.
Be Kind While Shopping
For people to shop on Thanksgiving weekend, that means others are required to work. The workers may miss time with their families to ring up purchases.
Be kind to the cashiers in the hustle and bustle of getting the best deals. Thank them for working and also be friendly to the other shoppers around you.
“For me, every hour is grace. And I feel gratitude in my heart each time I can meet someone and look at his or her smile.” – Elie Wiesel
