Gratitude: It's good for you
Learning to be thankful isn't just good for your soul -- it's healthy, too. At the University of California (Davis), in 2003, psychologist Robert Emmons' Research Project on Gratitude and Thankfulness revealed that the more grateful a test subject is, the healthier he or she tends to be. Among the people he examined, those who did daily thankfulness exercises slept better, had fewer illnesses and felt more spiritually connected to others. They exercised regularly, had a healthier diet and had regular physicals. They also reported more mental alertness, determination, attentiveness, optimism and physical vitality than did the other group.
For your kids
Teaching kids gratitude in the Season of Overindulgence can be a tough sell. But it's not impossible. Try a few of these activities.
• Gratitude poster: During the Christmas break, grab some bristol board, markers, glue and photos and ask your kids to join you in making a collage of all the people, things and experiences for which they were grateful this year.
• Gratitude tree: For Gregg Krech, an expert on Naikan, a Japanese psychology, and his family, decorating the tree isn't a one-night affair. "It takes about four evenings, because we each take decorations, one by one, and dedicate them to someone who has done something for us or been a good friend. We reflect on the whole year together."
• The $100 Christmas: Instead of making endless treks to the shopping mall, spend the time with your kids looking in the bush for branches to make wreaths, baking gift boxes of cookies or creating "family artworks" for those who mean the most to you.
• Reinvent the thank-you note: Long ago, before e-mail and instant messaging, people wrote thank-you notes for gifts lovingly chosen and given. What a fascinating custom! Let your kids choose a stationery or make their own.
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