Finding ways to celebrate everyday life gets harder for me, personally, as the days grow shorter, and also as they grow ever colder.  However, I do find that the more ways I try to find joy every day, the happier I find my everyday life.  So, creating a little extra joy on cold grey days is a top priority.

I personally feel a little sorry for the month of November.  These days it seems as if everyone is in such a hurry to get to Christmas that they rush right through November, and forget to even stop and think about the importance of this very important month.

For me, the month of November is all about Thanksgiving.  But why should the giving of thanks be limited to one day out of the whole year.  Instead, why not give thanks for the entire month?  And here is a simple way to do it:

Go to your local stationary department and purchase one package of "Thank You" cards and some postage stamps.  I suggest that you start off with a small package, say eight or ten note cards, but be prepared to have so much fun at this that you might go back to buy another package or two.  Take these home, find a quiet moment, get yourself a nice cup of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate and your address book.  Now, sit down and write thank yous to family and friends or co-workers.  Try to think of people that if they were gone tomorrow, you would wish to have thanked them for doing you some kindness in your life.  Then send them a note and thank that person for that kindness.  Write a note to your parents or your spouse.  Kids, really love to receive these notes.  How about your boss or your pastor? 

These do not have to be very long notes.  Just a simple, "Thank you for everything you have done to make my life special," is plenty.  Of course, you may elaborate more if you like, and your note receiver will appreciate it, but just the sheer experience of writing the thank you will remind you to think of how blessed your life really is.

Be sure that you mail these notes, (even the ones to people that live in your same house.)  In this day and age of email and instant messaging, a handwritten note is like a gift in an of itself. 

You could even write one to God, and instead of mailing it, you could just tuck it away in your Bible and then pull it out and read it on days that you feel a little blue, and need to remember exactly what you have to be thankful for. 

If you want, you could invite a few friends over and have a "Thank You" note party.   Serve hot tea and cookies and clear the table for a thank you note campaign.  Writing thank yous can be more fun if you have a group gathered together.

Here's something else worth celebrating November 13 - 19 of this year is Children's Book Week.  Grab your kids and head out to your local library.  Spend the afternoon pouring over the stacks of books.  This is a delightful way to spend time with your children and they will think so too!  Select a few books to take home and read aloud together.  Exchange a book reading night for your regular movie night.  See who can read aloud with the best character voices, or take turns reading character lines, as if you were "acting out" the book.  My family loves to gather around in the evening.  We read one chapter each evening, and it's something they really look forward to.

So happy November to you - it may be cold and gray outside, but remember you can chase those fall blues away by grabbing your family and a good book, and do remember to give thanks.  We all have an awful lot to be thankful for!