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National Gratitude Month – Ways to Show Gratitude This November

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Did you know that the month of November is National Gratitude Month? This probably comes as no shock, since Thanksgiving, a day of practicing gratitude, is one of the major holidays this month.

As November arrives, make sure you’re celebrating gratitude all month long, not just on the Thanksgiving holiday. There’s so many ways to be thankful this month – from gratitude journaling, to sending your loved ones gratitude quotes, and more!

National Gratitude Month gives us the perfect opportunity to give thanks for the people and things around us.

Keep reading for a list of ways to practice gratitude this month, to discover the history of how National Gratitude Month came into existence.

Eight people holding up letters to spell the words "thank you" under dark brown text that reads "National Gratitude Month".

History of National Gratitude Month

Though the first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621, the entire month of November has only been celebrated as National Gratitude Month since 2015. Gratitude is not a new concept, but its November monthly observance is.

Stacey Grewal, an author and spiritual coach, submitted a request in August of 2015 to make November National Gratitude Month. Her request was approved in September, and the following November was the first ever National Gratitude Month.

In addition to National Gratitude Month, there’s also an internationally recognized day of gratitude as well! World Gratitude Day falls on September 21 and is dedicated to everyone, all over the world, practicing gratitude together. 

Ways to show gratitude to celebrate National Gratitude Month

Would you like to celebrate National Gratitude Month in a special way? Try one of these ideas. Each idea below is a way you can express gratitude for the people and things in your life.

A person's hands holding up a beige sign with a gratitude journal prompt that reads "today I'm thankful for..." with a red bokeh in the background.

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  • Get a gratitude journal and start practicing gratitude journaling.
  • Give someone a surprise thank you gift. Not because it’s a holiday or birthday, but just to say thank-you for being great. You can even practice gratitude by thoughtfully gift wrapping their present.
  • Get some new thank-you notes so you can finishing writing any outstanding thank-you cards. 
  • Reward good customer service experiences. The next time you go out for drinks, tip the bartender a little extra, or put an extra few dollars in your favorite barista’s tip jar.
  • Pay it forward. If you’re headed out to get food from a fast food drive through, pay for the order behind you! 
  • Get gratitude decor, so you can have a visual reminder to practice gratitude this month, and always!

A black and white photo of hands holding a red heart and a piece of paper that reads "thank you" over a black text overlay for National Gratitude Month in November.

More ways to express gratitude for this November Gratitude Month

Looking for more ways to celebrate this November gratitude month? Try the ideas below. They’re great ways to show gratitude.

  • Support a cause you feel passionate about! National Gratitude Month is a great opportunity to make a monetary donation.
  • Show your appreciation through making holiday themed food for loved ones (like this harvest blessing snack mix). 
  • Donate your time. Maybe you don’t have the extra income to buy a gift, but want to say thank you by performing an act of service, like making a home-cooked meal for a busy new mom in your life, or washing your spouse’s car because they’re short on time. Any little action to show gratitude for having that person in your life.
  • Give belongings you no longer need to someone else who would also enjoy them. Maybe you have some gently used clothing you can pass along to a women’s shelter, or books you can donate to a library.
  • Connect to your spirituality and offer thanks, in whatever way feels authentic to you – whether that’s sitting down to practice a gratitude mediation, going to church to offer a prayer of thanks, or in any other way you connect to spirituality!

Free ways to practice gratitude to Celebrate National Gratitude Month

They ideas below are great ways to practice gratitude if you’re on a budget! You don’t need to have money to practice gratitude, just a grateful heart.

A graphic of a woman doing yoga, lying on an orange yoga mat in shavasana surrounded by plants with a text overlay that reads "inhale love, exhale gratitude".

  • Look for ways in your day to day life to say “thank-you” more intentionally. Maybe it’s after someone holds the door for you, or after a cashier gives you your change. Give those words as a gift to someone instead of saying them as merely a reaction.
  • Handwrite a letter of thanks to a special person in your life. Maybe it’s to a childhood mentor, a relative who helped you through a hard time, or a friend who offered you support. Make sure to mail it to them; they’ll be delighted to see a thoughtful letter arrive in their mailbox!
  • Locate a person in your life that you’re extremely grateful for and give them a hug and thank them for the special role they play in your life.
  • Slow down so you can fully take in your surroundings. Take a deep breath and notice all the things you’re grateful for in that moment. 
  • Deepen your knowledge our most notable gratitude holiday, by learning about symbols of Thanksgiving.

November monthly observances

Did you enjoy learning about National Gratitude Month? You’re in luck, November has more than just one monthly observance! 

Seven vector images of trees in various fall foliage colors with a text overlay that reads "Learn the November monthly observances and national days".

Here is a list of some of the other November monthly observances:

  • National Gratitude Month
  • National Native American Heritage Month
  • National Peanut Butter Lovers Month
  • National Adopt a Senior Pet Month
  • Sweet Potato Awareness Month
  • Aviation History Month
  • Diabetic Eye Disease Month
  • Epilepsy Awareness Month
  • Lung Cancer Awareness Month
  • Military Family Month
  • National Adoption Month
  • National Alzheimer’s Disease Month
  • National COPD Month
  • National Diabetes Month
  • National Family Caregivers Month
  • National Home Care & Hospice Month

For more ways to celebrate this month, be sure to check out this list of national days in November and November food holidays here.

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If you enjoyed learning about National Gratitude Month don’t forget to share these ways to express gratitude with your friends. Here’s a post to get you started:

Did you know the entire month of November is dedicated to celebrating gratitude? Head to Always the Holidays to learn more about National Gratitude Month! 🙏🍂💖 #GratitudeMonth #NovemberHolidays Share on X

Pin this post on National Gratitude Month for later

Would you like a reminder of this post for National Gratitude Month? Just pin this image to one of your national day boards on Pinterest so that you can easily find these ways to express gratitude later.

You can also watch our video about the national days of November on YouTube.

A blank thank you note with a text overlay on top of it that reads "National Gratitude Month, learn how November became National Gratitude Month, get a list of ways to practice gratitude the month, and find out more November monthly observances" all surrounded by brown, tan and cream flowers.

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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small commission from the sale, but the price is the same for you. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."