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So many of our holidays are centered around getting stuff. People seldom say, “Did you give much thought to the reason for the season?” It’s far more common to hear, “What did you get for Christmas?”

 

We have the appropriate clichés for other days, and we’ll obligingly blurt them, but our hearts may truly belong to the chocolate rabbits and shiny things.  

 

And that’s fine, but keep in mind that chocolate rabbits and shiny things are external motivators and those wear off quickly. They can make us happy at first, but they don’t last; they can help us live happily for the moment but not ever after.

 

For long term happiness, we need intrinsic motivation. The good stuff comes from within and the good news is that nothing correlates higher with happiness than genuine appreciation. If we can deep-down appreciate anything, it will make us feel good every time we experience it, every time we think about it. A favorite example is electricity.

 

I seldom go without electricity, but it was going without it that made me appreciate it. Going without it for thirteen winter days and nights with temperatures below zero. Anymore, any time I so much as flip a light switch, it triggers an inner grin of appreciation for electricity.

  

All that to say we may be wise not to jump straight from Halloween to Black Friday and forget that Thanksgiving, if taken to heart, can really be the most valuable holiday we have. New toys and foofaraw are ephemeral. Gratitude goes the distance.