20 Questions for Thanksgiving
It can be challenging to create rich and meaningful family conversations about gratitude. I know I’ve felt disappointed when my “What do you feel thankful for?” questions are met with quick, predictable responses that bring the conversation to a close soon after it’s begun. This Thanksgiving season, I’m taking a different approach by coming up with 20 gratitude questions to help enliven our sharing.
Feel free to borrow these or come up with your own. You can even copy the questions onto small pieces of paper and invite family members to each choose one for everyone to answer.
May these questions help to spark the spirit of Thanksgiving!
1) What teacher are you most thankful for and why? What did you learn from him or her?
2) What’s the season you’re most thankful for, and what’s your favorite part of each season?
3) What electronic device are you most grateful for, and what does it add to your life?
4) What musician or type of music are you most thankful for?
5) What are you most grateful for that brings beauty to your daily life?
6) What form of exercise or physical activity are you most thankful for?
7) What foods are you most thankful for?
8) What local store or restaurant are you most grateful for? How does it contribute to your quality of life?
9) What book are you most grateful for, and why?
10) What act of kindness has made the greatest difference in your life?
11) What challenging experience has ended up changing your life for the better?
12) What form of art are you most thankful for: music, acting, writing, painting, drawing . . . something else?
13) What place do you feel most grateful for and why?
14) Name three days in your life that you feel especially grateful for.
15) What color do you feel most thankful for—is there a color that you can’t imagine living without?
16) Is there a personal limitation or flaw that you’ve come to appreciate?
17) What vacation are you most grateful for?
18) What philanthropic cause or organization do you feel thankful for?
19) What product do you use on a daily basis that you most appreciate?
20) What, from this year, do you feel most grateful for?
This article has been published with permission. Karen Horneffer Ginter is co-founder of the Center for Psychotherapy and Wellness and the author of 'Full Cup, Thirsty Spirit: Nourishing the Soul When Life’s Just Too Much'.
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11 Past Reflections
On Feb 5, 2013 a wrote:
On Nov 25, 2012 Ganoba wrote:
We need to remember that all of us are mult-faceted people. Each facet needs a different facet of our environment to engage with so it may blossom.
This questionaire is a reminder of this truth.i
On Nov 24, 2012 GOPAKUMAR wrote:
THESE ARE EYE OPENERS WHO THINK EVERY THING IN THEIR LIFE HAPPENED ONLY BECAUSE OF THEM. I STRONGLY BELIEVE FOR THE SUCCESS OF EACH ONES LIFE THERE ARE CONTRIBUTION OF SO MANY ... I REALLY REMEMBER THEM WHEN I READ THE ABOVE ... THANKS
On Nov 23, 2012 saggaf wrote:
One of the highest reasons of a nation,a person was being graced before The universal authority[god],is not the intelligence nor good conducts. But simply being highly gratitude for every single good thing one could ever rejoiced.Realizing it, annouce it, and teaching it to others. Unfortunately, very few could realize how importance this is. more over, we easily identify individuals of such sense, such quality; but they don't know the correct way of expressing it.
On Nov 23, 2012 Tamilyn wrote:
I love this idea we do the tradition "what are you thankful for" .. but you cabn bet i will be upping the gratitude meter next year (i am in canada ,so ours is past for this year) thank you so much for this idea :)
On Nov 22, 2012 Lynn wrote:
Thank you so much for the post! I am always trying to challenge my family members to think outside the box and I'm usually met with groans and rolling of eyes. This will get them thinking creatively without as much effort :) I'm also going to come up with child-similar questions so that my small nieces and nephews can play along too! I am grateful for having subscribed to this site! :)
On Nov 22, 2012 annabina wrote:
Thanks , so wonderful just reading these questions fills me with gratitude
On Nov 22, 2012 Naomi wrote:
Oh thank you! I was struggling to come up with my own for today! This will help our 34 people have something to do at lunch!
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On Sep 12, 2016 Meenakshi Sinha wrote:
Thanks for such a beautiful and also helpful article
thanksgiving
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