Did you know that September 21st is World Gratitude Day? In today’s fast paced world, sometimes people forget to stop and say thank you to one another. World Gratitude Day is a single date on the calendar that serves to remind everyone how important it is to express for who and what they’re thankful. Celebrating World Gratitude Day is simple. Here are 7 ways to celebrate World Gratitude Day.
7 Ways to Celebrate World Gratitude Day
It’s time to count your blessings! What are you thankful for on World Gratitude Day? If you think about all the things you have life to be grateful for, you’ll find that those blessings will begin to stack up. On any given day, it’s easy to take for granted things that you’re grateful for including the love of family and friends, good health, pets who offer companionship, and even clean water, food, and a place to rest your head at the end of the day. Not everyone has access to these bare essentials, so if you’ve got them, be grateful!
When celebrating World Gratitude Day, it helps to make a list of people and things for which you’re grateful. From family and neighbors to the community at large and strangers, there are countless way to show each of them how grateful you are for the role that they play in your life.
1. Family
In the hustle and bustle of a week do you sometimes forget to tell your family how much they mean to you? If so, mark World Gratitude Day on the family calendar and make a point of telling all of your family members how grateful you are for them and why. Give them a hug, lots of hugs, to show family members how much you appreciate them. You can also dust off your manners, if they were tucked away, and say “please” and “thank you” on a regular basis.
2. Neighbors
Did you know that early European settlers in America filled small baskets with flowers and treats and would leave them on a neighbor’s doorstep? What a great way to bring joy to someone’s day! There’s no reason that tradition can’t live on today, especially on World Gratitude Day. Leave them a Friendship Basket filled with baked goodies, a hand towel and scented soap, and some flowers. Or, replace things that you might have borrowed when you were in a pinch like a sack of sugar or a nice loaf of artisanal bread.
Read More: Are You a Good Neighbor? Do’s and Dont’s for Being A Good Neighbor
3. Friends
While you don’t have to give your friend one half of a “best friends” locket to show them how much they mean, you can ask them if there’s anything that you can do to help them out. The out of the blue offer could be for today, tomorrow or just anytime. But you need to put your money where your mouth is if and when they ask!
If distance separates you and a friend, consider writing a handwritten note to them. Before there were computers and cellphones with email, there was a fax machine, and before there was a fax machine there was stationery! People would send friends and family cards, all types of cards – cards to say hello, happy birthday, I’m sorry, or thanks. On World Gratitude Day, surprise a friend with a card for any reason, even if it is just to let them know you’re thinking of them.
Read More: A Beginner’s Guide to Manners: Thank You Notes
4. Teachers
You don’t have to reserve thank you for family, friends, and neighbors. Teachers are an excellent subject for thanks on World Gratitude Day! There are a number of ways that students can show gratitude to a teacher. Simply telling them how much you appreciate what they’re teaching you is a start. And, it goes without saying that being a good student and one that is excited to learn will mean more to a teacher than any red apple.
Parents can also show thanks to teachers by volunteering in the classroom. Whether you volunteer as a room parent and field trip chaperone or help to organize the classroom and pull-out worksheets from books, a teacher will reciprocate gratitude for whatever help you can provide.
5. Grandparents
If you’re lucky enough to still have your grandparents, count your lucky stars. The twilight years can be lonesome, so make it a point to visit your grandparents. Offer to help them with simple household chores or bring them flowers to show them how much you love and appreciate them. Just spending time and being there for them is a wonderful way to honor their sacrifices and the road they paved for the rest of the family.
6. Community
On World Gratitude Day, one of the greatest gifts you can give is your time. Volunteerism is a great way of demonstrating gratitude in the community. There are a number of ways in which you can volunteer. In your city or town, you can volunteer for a community clean-up, make cards for foster families, assemble care packages for U.S. troops, you name it. If you’re not sure how to start volunteering, Volunteer Match can set you up with a volunteer group that matches your civic interest. By showing gratitude through volunteerism, kids learn to be good citizens. It also helps to demonstrate their role in making their city, country and world a better place.
Read More: Why Every Neighborhood Needs a Little Free Library
7. Strangers
Doing good deeds for people you know is obvious. But, imagine how powerful a good deed is when you do it for a stranger. Good deeds and acts of kindness can come in all shapes and sizes. Holding a door for someone else and thanking a worker for a job well done are examples of common courtesies. Other ways to show gratitude to strangers include donating a book to a little library or simply smiling at someone to brighten their day in celebration of World Gratitude Day.
World Gratitude Day is just one day to show your thanks, but why stop there? Gratitude is something you can practice on the daily. Teaching kids the importance of gratitude early will help to instill it as a lifelong character trait, and for that, parents everywhere would be grateful.
WANT TO READ MORE?
Check out this article on MENTOR: MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIFE OF A CHILD
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