Posted on 2015-11-23 00:00:00 +0000

This is the time of year when we gather as families to celebrate Thanksgiving. We enjoy sumptuous meals, eat far too much, and give thanks for what we have. It is a Federal holiday that was created by Abraham Lincoln and, of course, is traced back to a harvest celebration at the Plymouth Plantation in 1621. In recent years, it’s become a highly anticipated shopping event in the States known as Black Friday. Thanksgiving means a lot of different things to a lot of different people but at its core is the notion of giving thanks.

Businesses often make a point of thanking their customers and employees during the holiday season. Some do it as early as Thanksgiving, other wait closer until Christmas or the New Year. Be it printed cards or electronic cards, there is an ebullient feeling that gets generated as we receive the warm wishes of the season from a variety of sources. It’s absolutely undeniable; we feel better for being acknowledged. The impertinent question arises though: Why limit this well-wishing for only one time of the year?

Most relationships wouldn’t work out if romantic expressions were limited to Valentine’s Day and your mother would be rightly upset if you only made her feel special on Mother’s Day. We understand that the relationships that are important to us are best nurtured by regular acts of kindness and consideration. Consistent communication strengthens and deepens our bonds with others.

So as we reunite with loved ones during the upcoming holiday season, let’s take on the calling of expressing our gratitude and thanks on a regular basis. The effort and cost of sending someone a thoughtful greeting card or electronic card is minimal compared to the goodwill it generates and the lasting benefits enjoyed by both the giver and recipient.