The Night After Thanksgiving: An Attitude of Gratitude
- Ray Reynolds, Ph.D.
- 5 days ago
- 4 min read
The air is still, and the dishes are clean,
Not a slice of pumpkin pie can be seen.
The turkey is carved, football games are done,
The feasting is over, and it sure was fun!
The guests have departed, the house is so quiet,
No hushing or bustling, no culinary riot.
The counter is empty, the lights are turned low,
We savor the memories with hearts all aglow.
Dressed in flannel PJs, and doing our best,
We settled down for a well-deserved rest.
When out in the yard there arose such a clatter,
I leapt from my bed to see what was the matter.
To the bedroom window I flew in a flash,
Threw open the blinds and pulled back the sash.
The moon shone bright off the new-fallen snow,
Illuminating all of the still objects below.
What I saw wasn't Santa, reindeer, or sleigh,
But the pile of the clutter we'd gathered today.
The boxes, the bins, and garbage still stands,
The debris of the day, piled up by the cans.
Raccoons were playing in the garbage below.
Leaving cute little footprints in the new fallen snow.
They had round little faces, so chubby and plump,
I laughed to myself to see such a dump.
Then a small, humble voice, beside me I heard,
A whisper of grace, not a single harsh word.
"Thanksgiving is done, but thankfulness lives
To remind us of all that our Father gives.”
It was my sweet wife, who stood nearby,
Recalling the days events with a tear in her eye.
Memories and blessings, both great and small,
Are more than enough to offer thanks for all.
………………………
The poem above, a playful twist on a classic, captures the unique atmosphere of the Night After Thanksgiving. It's a night of transition—a pause between the harvest feast and the rush toward the Christmas season. The joy of the holiday is still fresh, but the day itself is officially over. And that's where the real challenge begins. How do we carry that intentional, overflowing gratitude we felt on Thanksgiving Day into the other 364 days of the year?
The Leftover Feast: More Than Turkey
Thanksgiving is designed to make us pause. We gather with loved ones, we intentionally list our blessings, and we offer a collective, national prayer of thanks. It is a vital practice. But for the Christian, gratitude is not meant to be a seasonal event; it is meant to be a perpetual state of being. The Apostle Paul gives us a command, not a suggestion, in his first letter to the church at Thessalonians: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (I Thessalonians 5:16–18).
Paul says, "In everything give thanks." Not just for the abundant harvest, the successful career, or the good health, but even in the difficult moments. This doesn't mean we are thankful for the suffering, but that in the midst of it, we can still recognize the sovereignty and faithfulness of God. If we are to live out God’s will by giving thanks in everything, we need to cultivate a lifestyle of gratitude that goes beyond the dining room table.
Practice the Daily Pause
Instead of waiting for a holiday, start each day with a simple acknowledgment of God's grace. Before you check your phone, before you worry about the day's tasks, take a moment to thank God for the small, easily overlooked blessings: the warm bed, the fresh coffee, the sunlight, the breath in your lungs. This resets your focus from lack to blessing.
Remember the Source of Blessings
Our greatest reason for thanks is not temporary or material; it is eternal. “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (I Corinthians 15:57). The true victory is Christ’s triumph over sin and death. If we have nothing else—no job, no home, no feast—we still have the immeasurable gift of salvation. Keeping the cross at the center of our lives guarantees a perpetual wellspring of thankfulness. It makes a bad day bearable and a good day glorious.
Gratitude Instead of Complaining
The Night After Thanksgiving can quickly turn into the season of wants. The shopping lists start, the ads bombard us, and the spirit of acquisition replaces the spirit of appreciation. Gratitude acts as a powerful guardrail against the sin of complaining and the trap of materialism. When we intentionally list what we have, we starve the desire for what we don't have. Complaining magnifies our problems; thanksgiving magnifies our God.
The Permanent Feast
So, as the leftovers of Thanksgiving dinner are packed away, let's commit to moving from a day of thanksgiving to a life of thankfulness. The greatest "leftovers" we can carry from the holiday are not the turkey sandwiches, but the intentional habit of heartfelt gratitude. May your spirit host a permanent feast of appreciation, recognizing the Hand of God in every season, and giving thanks in everything—because that is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
You are loved.
Ray Reynolds, PhD