Updated 2019
With Thanksgiving approaching, we adapted Sherry’s daily gratitude-journal habit into a simple, family-friendly holiday craft: a “Thanks Jar.” Instead of keeping thankful thoughts hidden in a notebook, this project puts them on display through November — a visible reminder of gratitude that can inspire everyone in the household.
Craft Supplies To Create Your Own “Thanks Jar”
We found an apothecary jar at a thrift store for under a dollar, but any glass vessel will do — a mason jar, a drinking glass, or a vase works just fine. Here’s what we used:
- Small glass jar
- Glass etching cream
- Small paintbrush
- Craft knife (Exacto)
- Printer and printer paper
- Painter’s tape
- Colorful cardstock cut small enough to fit in the jar
Etching is optional — you can skip it and still create a beautiful Thanks Jar. We’d been wanting to try glass etching after seeing a punched-pattern etching tutorial online, so we gave it a go using painter’s tape as a homemade stencil.
Step 1: Design & Print Your Stencil
Pick a simple, blocky font that will cut cleanly as a stencil. We used Helvetica and printed the word “thanks” sized to fit the jar. You can make the layout in any word processor or even in an email draft; just keep the design stencil-friendly and straightforward.
Step 2: Tape Your Stencil Over Painter’s Tape
To transfer the design to tape, stick a wide strip of painter’s tape to a cutting board. Then tape your printed design over the painter’s tape so it’s secure and won’t shift while you cut.
Step 3: Cut Out Your Stencil
Using an Exacto knife, cut out the letters through both the paper and the painter’s tape. Take your time and press firmly enough to cut the tape. We didn’t bother preserving every interior hole (like the “a” counter), but you can if you prefer.
Step 4: Apply Your Tape Stencil To Your Glass
Carefully peel the taped stencil off the cutting board and apply it to the cleaned glass surface. Smooth it down so the edges are flush; add extra pieces of tape around the design if needed to seal the stencil and prevent bleed.
Our “h” had a small irregularity, but overall the tape stencil held well. With a few reinforcing strips, we felt ready to etch.
Step 5: Brush On Your Glass Etch Cream
Wearing gloves and following product safety instructions, brush etching cream over the exposed letter shapes using a small paintbrush. Painter’s tape helps keep the cream from seeping under the edges. Work on a protected surface and avoid contact with skin or fabric.
Step 6: Wait
Follow the etching-cream manufacturer’s guidance for timing — times can vary by product and stencil material. Because painter’s tape can degrade under the cream, we watched our stencil through the glass. We noticed slight softening around the edges after about 90 seconds. Leaving the cream on longer will deepen the etch, but keep an eye to avoid undercutting the tape.
Step 6: Rinse Off Cream & Remove Stencil
After about 1.5 minutes we rinsed the cream away, removed the tape, and inspected the result. There was a small bit of bleeding between two letters, but the etch looked great overall — clear, subtle, and permanent.
Step 7: Start Filling Your Jar With Gratitude!
Cut small cards from fall-colored cardstock and write one thing you’re grateful for each day throughout November. Our plan was to write two notes per day so by November 30th we’d have a nice stack to reflect on. We also set a “no peeking” rule so each family member’s notes remain a surprise until the end of the month.
“Thanks Jar” Update
After our first year we saved the notes and shared the results on the blog — it was fun to see what everyone had written and to revisit those moments later.
BONUS: Save Your “Thanks Jar” Notes
At month’s end, punch holes in the cards and keep them on a ribbon or binder ring. That way you can bring the collection out each year and remember what you were grateful for in past seasons. Over time this becomes a compact, meaningful archive of family memories.
It’s a low-maintenance tradition that can grow with your family. One short note a day turns into a tangible, yearly record of thankfulness — perfect to revisit with kids as they grow.
Update: Our Continued Thanksgiving Tradition
We kept this tradition for several years and wrote about it again, along with other Thanksgiving crafts and printable ideas. It became a recurring family activity that helped focus our holiday on gratitude rather than just decorations or plans.
- A printable to mail short messages of thanks to friends and family
- A Thanksgiving gratitude chalkboard display
- Our daughter’s first year writing Thanks Jar messages
Do you have any Thanksgiving traditions, glass-etching wins (or disasters), or a soft spot for patterned scrapbooking paper? We’d love to hear about the small rituals that help your family celebrate gratitude each year.
Update: We also compiled a list of favorite holiday décor finds — many under $15 — to help make seasonal decorating easy and affordable.