I can’t wait to tell you guys about our Just So Thankful Jar! It’s a super-simple Thanksgiving tradition that our family has fallen for!

Just So Thankful Jar: A Super Simple Thanksgiving Tradition

This month, and in preparation for Thanksgiving, the {Virtual} Family Book Club at My Little Poppies is reading a month of gratitude books. Last week, we read the book Just So Thankful by Mercer Mayer and we thought of a super-easy and fun activity to go along with the book.

We are huge fans of gratitude journals around here, but we like to do a little more during November. For the past few years, we have taken sticks from the yard and put them in a mason jar to create a “gratitude tree” on which we hang pieces of paper with what that we are thankful for written on them. This year, we decided to make a Just So Thankful Jar. It’s the same concept as the tree, but it was a good use of an empty honey jar!

How to Make a Just So Thankful Jar:

Materials:

• Pens 
• Markers
• Paper
• Jar
• Construction paper
• Glue

Instructions:

1. Using the construction paper, glue, and markers, make a Just So Thankful label for the top of your jar.
2. Cut strips of paper for kids to write upon.
3. At mealtime, take a moment to reflect on your blessings and write down a few.
4. Add blessings to jar.
5. On Thanksgiving, open the jar and read all of your blessings. Save jar and blessings for next year!

Books to build those empathy muscles and instill gratitude:

Here are some kindness-inspired posts:

 

Now, it’s your turn. Tell me: What are you thankful for this year? Share here!

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Don’t take for granted the love this life gives you
When you get where you’re goin’
Don’t forget turn back around
And help the next one in line
Always stay humble and kind.

~ Lori McKenna

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