We promised we’d share some of the little things we dropped into our Thanksgiving-inspired “thanks jar” over the past month. After a month of quietly writing notes each day — without peeking at what the other person had written — we finally opened the jar and read them aloud. It’s a simple gratitude ritual that felt surprisingly meaningful, and we wanted to share a few highlights from our family’s list of thankful moments.
A few favorite entries from our jar:
- For finally figuring out what the heck to do with this thrift store glass jar. – John
- That Clara’s birth was a miracle and she’s a healthy & happy little girl. – Sherry
- That we sold our house & found a new one that we love (fingers crossed for a smooth closing). – Sherry
- That Clara finds Burger as hilarious as we do. She just cracked up watching him. – John
- That John has an amazing family. I love my in-laws. – Sherry
- That when sick, Sherry’s far more fun to be around than I’d be. – John
- That Clara is in the 90th percentile for height. My tall girl! So proud. – Sherry
- For only having 1,500 sq ft of stuff to move and not 2,500 of it… this time. – John
- That this time six months ago, Clara was born. – Sherry
- That Clara gifted us with another 11 hours of uninterrupted sleep last night. – John
Unsurprisingly, our list is full of Clara — her smile, her sleep stretches, and the everyday moments that make parenthood feel extraordinary. Beyond our baby girl, the jar ended up being a small snapshot of the things that matter most to us right now: family, home, pets, and the little comforts that brighten ordinary days.
We also tossed in a few curveballs — lighthearted and specific things that made us smile. These remind you that gratitude can be about big milestones or tiny pleasures:
- For feta cheese. – Sherry
- For Burger’s preference for my lap. Haha. He loves me more. – Sherry
- That Clara seems to enjoy music videos as much as her Daddy does. – John
- For Dexter. Best show ever. – John
- That Einstein Bagels’ Mushroom Asparagus Thin Sandwich is so good. – Sherry
- For Google. – Sherry
- For thick socks on cold floors. – John
- For spellcheck. – John
- For the funny videos that come up when you search “chihuahua” on YouTube. – Sherry
- For Oprah. – Sherry
- For Tina Fey. – John
The variety of entries shows how personal gratitude can be. It’s not just about milestone moments; it’s also about small comforts that make days easier or happier. From favorite snacks and TV shows to the convenience of search engines and the relief of warm socks, gratitude shows up everywhere.
If you’re thinking about starting your own thanks jar this season, here are a few simple tips: place the jar somewhere visible, keep a stack of small notecards or slips nearby, invite everyone in the household to contribute — even the kids can scribble a drawing — and set a regular time to read the notes together. It’s a low-effort, high-reward tradition that can become a meaningful part of your Thanksgiving and year-round gratitude practice.
What about you — any random people, foods, or small comforts you’re especially thankful for this year? Any fellow feta lovers, Tina Fey fans, or Oprah enthusiasts? We’ll admit Oprah isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but we’re big fans. Also, a nod to spellcheck: our posts would be spelled likee dis without it.
Looking for more Thanksgiving traditions or ideas to build your own gratitude practice? Try printable notecards to mail messages of thanks to friends and family, set up a gratitude chalkboard for guests to add notes, or keep a year-long jar so you can read the highlights at the end of each season. Small rituals like these help turn holiday feeling into lasting habits.
More Thanksgiving tradition ideas:
- A free Thanksgiving printable to mail messages of gratitude to friends & family
- Creating a Thanksgiving gratitude chalkboard display
- Our daughter’s first year writing Thanks Jar messages
Update: You can check out all of our favorite holiday decor finds here — many budget-friendly options under $15.