Say Thank You, It's Good for You

Beats eating your vegetables: moms chime in on why they have their kids write thank you notes.

What are your reasons?

Feel the Thanks

‎"Living gratefully is probably the most selfish thing you can do. In the moments when I am bathed in gratitude, for a caring gesture or a spectacular autumn morning, I feel phenomenal." ~Howie Jacobsen

"Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action." ~W.J. Cameron

"The Pilgrims made 7x more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished, and yet they set aside a day of thanksgiving."

Say Thanks: A Great Way to End the Year

The economy's tough. The year may have been rough. But you can show a lot of appreciation in a way that means more than expensive gifts ever can.

Take a few tips from IndustryWeek which, although targeted to professionals in this case, apply to every age and interest:

• Write thank you letters (sound familiar?). A little attention goes a long way.
• Say thanks personally. Make a phone call or a visit, just to say thanks.
• Give the gift of time. Schedule an hour, or even just 10 minutes, to spend with that person, and that person alone.
• Spread the love. Tell other people how much you appreciate someone or what they've done. Do it in person, in a tweet, on your blog... make others appreciate your source of gratitude, too.
• Be happy. Say thanks, be helpful, be mindful of everyone around you. After all, that's what the spirit of the holidays is all about.