Thankful Thursday: How To Share the Love this Thanksgiving
*This is contributed content.
I think it is fair to assume that this Thanksgiving will look much different from any others in our lifetime. Nobody really knows what the world will look a month from now, but I am sure many of us are looking forward to Thanksgiving on November 26 with eagerness and excitement. The entire holiday season is reason for cheer and celebration, but that does not mean we you should forget or ignore what a trying year it has been for everyone worldwide. Because this year has been so crazy, one focus for Thanksgiving 2020 should be sharing the love with others who may need it.
You may be wondering where to begin with this Thanksgiving initiative. The simplest approach may be to take account of all the things you are grateful for this year. After that, you may consider people you know (or maybe even people you don’t know) who may be in less fortunate situations than yourself. Start by asking yourself what you can do within your own means to help someone else have a blessed and memorable holiday season. Below are three ideas to get started.
Be thankful for your health.
Because 2020 has been throwing all sorts of negative things our way, now is a great time to be thankful for your own good health and the health of your loved ones. So many people have suffered from this viral pandemic that it is important to be grateful if your health has remained in tact.
With gratitude in mind, it would be such a meaningful gesture to reach out to those who have not been as fortunate. If you visit https://uncommongiving.com/cause/health, you will find a variety of non-profit organizations that are accepting donations to assist those in need. All of these organizations are health-related and offer support for those who have been struggling during these difficult times. Offering a donation to a cause like Uncommon Giving is a simple way to give back and share the love with people who really need it this holiday season.
Be thankful for your family.
Whether your family consists of genetic relatives or friends you have chosen as family, it is important to be thankful for having a loving, caring, and supportive network of people around you. But not everyone is surrounded by this type of family unit. Many families have been torn apart by the events of this year, leaving them with very little reason to give thanks.
If you want to help a family in need, you can donate to charities that focus on assistance for families. Food drives and food banks, homeless shelters, orphanages, and churches are great places to start if you are considering making food or grocery donations. Unfortunately, many families have lost their jobs and/or their homes due to the effects of this pandemic and can use any bit of assistance that is available or offered.
Be thankful for your friends.
Finally, it is so important this time of year to be thankful for not just your family and health, but also the friends who support and love you. The holidays are a great time to check in on friends, especially if you know they are struggling for any reason. If you have friends who have lost their jobs this year or are battling health issues of their own, they will certainly appreciate any kindness you may want to offer them.
You can actively support your friends by reaching out and asking how you can help. It could be something as simple as giving a job recommendation, looking after their children, or even donating some money.
Many people have a tendency to refuse your kindness as they may feel embarrassed or in your debt. If you are going to help a friend in this way, just be sure to let them know that you want to help out because you are thankful for all they have done for you during your years of friendship. Be sure to practice this type of kindness and giving without any expectation of anything in return.
In 2020, let’s really get back to the heart and soul of Thanksgiving and use it as an excuse to be kind and give back to others. Hopefully, these three simple ideas will steer your path to sharing all the love with those who need it most this holiday season.
Feeling thankful on the edge,
Shelbee
Linking up with these Fabulous Link Parties.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I am a midlife woman, wife, and stay-at-home mother of 2 boys and 2 cats. I have a passion for helping other women feel fabulous in the midst of this crazy, beautiful life.
16 Comments
Jennifer
It’s Canadian Thanksgiving this weekend! I’m planning on making some things. But the holidays this year are going to be so strange.
Jennifer
Curated by Jennifer
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I wondered when Canadian Thanksgiving was! I knew it was in the fall but wasn’t sure when. I hope you get to make some fun Thanksgiving things this weekend. We will be hosting our last little barbecue for the season on Saturday. It is supposed to be nearly 70 degrees here. And then it will be winter on like Monday! Haha.
xoxo
Shelbee
Tamar A Strauss-Benjamin
There is always what to be thankful for!
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thanks so much, Tamar! I am super grateful for this whole blogging community!
xoxo
Shelbee
Patrick Weseman
Such a lovely post and it is so true. We need to be thankful for everyday and everything we do in life. Thanks for sharing it.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you, Patrick! And I am very grateful to have you as a friend! I hope you are having an amazing day!
xoxo
Shelbee
Ashley
Being thankful for your health and the health of the people you love is so key!
-Ashley
Le Stylo Rouge
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I completely agree, Ashely! Thanks for stopping by! I hope you have an amazing weekend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Amy Christensen
Great ideas, Shelbee. I try to make it a practice to be thankful each and every day, even if it is for nothing more than a hot shower and warm bed. We are so incredibly blessed and it is good to be reminded that there are many who are in need. Thank you for the reminder to be thankful! I hope you have a great weekend! – Amy
https://stylingrannymama.com/
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Amy, thanks so much for this wonderful comment. I also try to focus on thankfulness and gratitude every day not just at specific times of the year. It is so important to maintain a proper perspective. I think as a generation and as a culture, so many of us have become a bit spoiled, we forget that so many others are not as fortunate. We can all use that reminder sometimes, myself included! I hope you have a wonderful weekend!
xoxo
Shelbee
Shauna
I’m trying not to get too sad about what it will be like this year. Except for..I’m still sad. I know there is so much to still be thankful for, but it’s getting old not being able to hug the ones I love or share a meal in my parents home! My sister is an ER nurse, and my parents are high risk, so we as a family take this virus seriously. This Thanksgiving we will be celebrating in the backyard. But what’s important is that we are all still healthy and still ALL TOGETHER!
Shauna
http://www.lipglossandlace.net
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Shauna, I think it is going to be really hard for a lot of people this year. I think most people are still following the social distancing guidelines and keeping gatherings to a minimum if at all so you are not alone there. I guess I don’t feel too sad about the holidays because our holidays are always chaotic with lots of travel (being the military family in the whole extended family, we are the ones who always have to travel). So when we have an excuse to not travel, that makes me a bit happy! Haha. I am sure you will have a lovely Thanksgiving in the backyard because you will all be together! Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.
xoxo
Shelbee
Dee | Grammy's Grid
So much to be thankful for. Thanks so much for linking up with me at my #UnlimitedMonthlyLinkParty 17. Shared.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
Thank you, Dee! Have a great day!
xoxo
Shelbee
Joanne
I plan to keep a daily list of thankful things (like I do most every year) for the entire month of Nov. and publish it on my blog. I find that focusing on the positive and writing it down helps me remember that mindset has a lot to do with how I feel. Thanks for the reminders.
shelbeeontheedge@gmail.com
I love that idea, Joanne! I look forward to reading your thankfulness posts! I agree that focusing on these things really can change your perspective and your mood. And writing them down is such a wonderful way to cement them into your mind.
xoxo
Shelbee