As I was flipping through the
November 2012 issue of better Homes and Gardens, I came across a really sweet
Thanksgiving gift idea: gratitude
journals. The idea is to give each guest
a blank journal with the word “Gratitudes” written on an illustrated card and
affixed to the cover using photo corners.
There is even a template for the cards, which can be downloaded at
BHG.com/FreshFlavor and printed off, although you could easily create your
own. The gift can be dressed up or down
by your choice of journals, which can be high-end, Dollar Tree finds, or even
something you create yourself if you are truly ambitious. If I were to give these as gifts, I would
possibly stamp some of the pages or include some scrapbooking goodies. I found the following link provides a lovely, ambitious idea of how far you can run with one of these journals:
This is
more than some hokey little party favor.
Thankfulness is an idea that should stretch beyond the holiday
season. Also, just taking the time to
record little things that we are grateful for can be a therapeutic
exercise. Personally speaking, I suffer
from bipolar disorder. Sometimes it can
be difficult to see the silver lining and recall things to be happy about. I think that by creating and filling in something
like this gratitude journal, I would have something to look back on during a
rough patch. Keeping the journal can
also be a nice family activity. A little
time can be set aside each evening in which everyone can sit together or off on
their own and record what they are grateful for, making sure to date each
entry. As time goes by, it would be nice
to see what they have written, thus turning a simply blank book into a
keepsake.
I challenge
you to think today about what makes you happy.
What makes life worthwhile? What
makes you fortunate? Record it—or not—and
try to make someone else feel these things in some small way. Happy Thanksgiving.
