Grow in Gratitude this Fall
30 Days to Grow in Gratitude:
Materials for Individuals, Families, and Congregations
The month of November brings gratitude to the top of our minds, and UTO has developed a 30-day gratitude journey for everyone to travel this year as we lead up to our Thanksgiving celebrations. This adventure in developing gratitude is written for families, individuals, and groups of all sizes who want to step back from the prevailing culture of rushing from holiday to holiday (as I write this in August, Halloween candy has already been in my grocery store for two weeks!) and experience the joy and well-being that is part of a life of gratitude. Take some time this month to try living into gratitude, and see how it changes you and your loved ones. And because gratitude is a year-round attitude, you can use this 30-day journey any month of the year. Thank you for going on this journey with UTO, and we hope you will share your experience with us on our Facebook page. We do have some of the materials below in Spanish, which you can find on our Spanish Language Resource Page.
Gratitude Resources for Thanksgiving Day
Printable Gratitude Conversation Dice – Tired of asking the same question each year at your Thanksgiving gathering? These free printable dice offer two options: one set (which you can download here) that gives a question prompt with a second die rolled to see who should answer, and an alternative set that just have question prompts to be answered by the person rolling the die or the entire table. Just print on card stock, cut, and fold. (You can download the second set here.)
Thanksgiving Day Place Cards – Looking for free printable place cards for your Thanksgiving table? These include a gratitude prayer on the back and the inside is blank so you can write what you’re thankful for about each person. These print three to a page, so just print on card stock, cut, fold and use. Get your free place cards here.
Thanksgiving Day Prayers – Pretty format that you can print and have as a part of your decorations. Includes a land acknowledgement prayer. Download your free prayer card here.
Gratitude Resources for Children and Families
Easy Thanksgiving Tree Craft – Print out leaves with gratitude prompts to help decorate and countdown to Thanksgiving. Get your free printable here.
Deep Dive Gratitude Journal for Families– Want to help your children think more deeply about what they are grateful for? This weekly journal can help teach gratitude through four easy steps. Get your free printable here.
Learn more about the history of Thanksgiving– This guide comes with book recommendations and overviews, a three sisters craft and lesson, and additional books, links and resources to help your family understand the history of Thanksgiving. Get your free printable here.
Free printable fill in the blank thank you cards – Want an easy activity for kids to prepare for Thanksgiving? These printable thank you cards encourage kids to say thank you to someone for being a gift in their life. It’s a great way to teach gratitude beyond gift giving. Get your free printable here.
Gratitude Resources for Adults
30 Days of Texts – Those looking for a simple reminder to practice gratitude each day in November can sign up for one text message each day. You can also find the prompts in the November calendar for congregations. Sign up below!
Gratitude + Wellness: Deep Dive Gratitude Journal for 2023 – Each year we invite anyone interested in strengthening their gratitude practice to commit to 30 days of journalling. This year our focus is on how gratitude is a tool for wellness. Weekly themes include: curiosity, enough-ness, self care, presence, and resilience. “Wellness is not a state of mind or a state of being. Wellness is a state of action.” E. Nagasaki & A. Nagasaki Download your free gratitude journal here.
Gratitude Resources for Congregations
Free Faith Formation Resources/Children’s Sermon Prompts – The attached materials, when paired with the Easy Thanksgiving Craft listed above, make an awesome faith formation resource for your congregation. You can use the lessons at church, send home the kit or use the kit as a part of your weekly worship services. Get your free lessons here.
30 Days of Gratitude Free Printable Calendar– For those who would rather not receive a text message each day but still want to have a gratitude prompt, you can simply print out this free gratitude calendar for November. Download your 30 Days of Gratitude Free Calendar here.
Thanksgiving Day Liturgy for Congregations– From the UTO Liturgy Booklet, an updated take on theThanksgiving Day service congregations can adapt to their local context. Saved in Word for easy updating. Download here.
Bulletin Insert for November– Want to share all of the resources UTO has to offer this November with your congregation as well as why gratitude matters? This half-page bulletin insert is here to help. Download the bulletin insert here.