November is National Gratitude Month and also the start of the holiday season. During this time of year many of us are looking forward to family traditions, gathering with loved ones and ringing in the new year with friends. There are many ways you can enjoy the holiday season, and sharing gratitude is a great way to celebrate. Below we have shared some ways where gratitude can enhance everyone’s holiday cheer.
Time to get into the holiday spirit!
While it’s great to show your appreciation for others year-round, there is psychological research on the benefits of saying thanks and why it may be particularly important over the holidays. A recent article from Harvard Health Publishing focuses on the benefits of gratitude, concluding that “gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness” and “helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.” The proof is in the figgy pudding; sharing gratitude over the holidays will boost people’s mood.
If you've ever waited until the last minute for your holiday shopping, you may be familiar with the stress of rushing to find anything to give your recipient - even if it's not really something they want. Procrastination during the holidays can unintentionally turn into giving a generic item the person doesn’t even want or need. By planning ahead and making a list of family, friends and colleagues prior to the holiday season, you will be allotted more time to think of specific ways you want to spread holiday gratitude to each individual person, which will help guide a more personalized process.
Taking the time to reflect on who and what you’re grateful for can be extremely beneficial to one's overall mental health. According to UCLA’s Mindfulness Awareness Research Center, focusing on gratitude can literally change the molecular structure of the brain to make us happier and more at ease. Given that showing thanks is woven into the fabric of the holiday season, it is an ideal time to reflect on what you’re grateful for and share that appreciation with others.
Our goal at Thnks is to make this process as simple as possible, which is why we’ve created our Holiday Guide and Thnksgiving Experience. Our customizable options ensure that your contacts will receive your thoughtful gestures of appreciation in time for Thanksgiving, December holidays, and New Year celebrations. From a grocery store shopping spree to a box of holiday cookies and a bottle of champagne, the options from our Holiday Guide are sure to bring a smile to both your and your contact’s faces.
The holidays are the perfect time to go above and beyond the typical holiday or thank you card and really take the time to show someone just how much you appreciate them. Gestures of gratitude will not only brighten the recipient’s spirits, but they will also remind you how much you have to be grateful for.
Interested in learning more? Sign up for a demo, or click here to learn more about expressing gratitude in business!