Thanksgiving Writing Prompts: 20 Artistic Prompts to Follow Gratitude

It’s Thanksgiving week! During this holiday, are you hoping to find some extra practice time for writing? Or maybe you’re looking for some great Thanksgiving writing prompts that can help you express your gratitude?

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of the year for you to take a breath and slow down. You have a lot to do, I’m sure! However, sometimes taking a few minutes—even just fifteen minutes—in your day to show your gratitude can rejuvenate your holiday spirit.

In this article, you can have some quick and quiet writing time to reflect on what you’re thankful for—by using one fo these twenty creative writing prompts and exercises.

Writing is Something to Be Grateful For

I have long admired writers and the stories they gift to the world. While writing can be hard and tedious work, it also offers endless ways to creatively express ourselves. In many cases, writing has therapeutic value. (It’s not just for elementary students—although a fun writing prompt like the ones in this article do practice essential writing skills for elementary-aged students or homeschool students!)

For instance, taking the time to write can slow a person’s mind down. When this happens, they are more likely to consider what is important to them, especially when they take the time to reflect on what is special in their life.

That’s why, for today, I would like to invite you to try out one of the following writing prompts. Although there are undeniable hardships in the world, it’s important to also remember the good things.

Use a daily writing prompt like the ones in this article to help express your gratitude. Perhaps they’ll even put you into the spirit of giving!

20 Thanksgiving Writing Prompts to Spark Your Gratitude

“

Looking for a way to express your gratitude with writing this year? Try one of these 20 Thanksgiving writing prompts!

Short Story Thanksgiving Writing Prompts

If you’re hoping to write a short story over the holiday break, these five prompt ideas are a wonderful place to start. Short story writer and author Sarah Gribble recommends writing a short story in one sitting. Take one of these ideas and set your clock, then run with your own narrative!

Every year on Thanksgiving morning, Sandy Johnson’s family visits her grandmother’s grave. This year, there’s a myserteous letter from an anonymous sender waiting for them.
Tim has trained for years to dance with his team in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. Minutes before the parade begins, something terrible happens to Tim that could crush his dream forever.
Two best friends separated by life’s unexpected events have made a vow to meet up once every year on Thanksgiving. They’ve done this faithfully for twenty years, which makes it all the more concerning when one of them doesn’t show up as promised.
Kelly Johnson finally did it. He’s invented a time machine that will allow him to go back in time to this exact date on Thanksgiving. The only question is, where will he go and what year will he choose? Each decision is paramount if Kelly wants to win back the love of his life.
Puppy’s best friend is a pet Turkey. They do everything together on the farm, from chasing sheep to trudging through the forest. One day, Puppy overhears the farmer talking about eating Turkey for Thanksgiving supper. With only a week left, Puppy will stop at nothing to change the farmer’s mind.

Poem Thanksgiving Writing Prompts

You don’t need to write a short story or novel to practice writing. Try one of these five Thanksgiving writing prompts to inspire a poem.

Write a haiku about your favorite Thanksgiving tradition.
Write an acrostic poem with one of these words: THANKFUL, GRATEFUL, FAMLY, TRADITION, FEAST.
Write a poem about the ten steps to a happy Thanksgiving day.
Write a sonnet to your favorite Thanksgiving food or favorite fall desserts.
Write a limerick for a small child about the meaning of Thanksgiving.

Journal Thanksgiving Writing Prompts

Journaling is an incredible way to reflect on what we are thankful for—and boost out happiness in the process. Try journaling about one of these five Thanksgiving writing prompts to elevate your mood.

Describe how five people helped you get you through some rough patches this year.
Journal about five things that you appreciate each day, each one triggering a different sense: sight, smell, touch, sound, taste.
Write about the one thing that you are most grateful for today.
Journal about something that you really enjoyed doing during your spare time in the month of November.
Write about something new you learned to do this year—and liked. Describe how this made you feel.

Card Thanksgiving Writing Prompts

There’s no better time of the year to take some time to write cards to those we are thankful for! Grab a blank card, piece of white paper, or thank you card to write a special note. You might be surprised, but sometimes a thoughtful note is an unexpected and perfect gift.

Write a thank you card to a teacher about something that made you feel encouraged this year.
Write a special note to a child about how they make your life special.
Write a card to a parent or grandparent about what they mean to you in your life.
Write a note to a sibling about how you enjoy THIS about them.
Write a card to a friend, thanking them for doing THIS.

Take Time to Write, and Be Thankful

Thanksgiving is a busy time of year, but even taking a few minutes in your day to write can make a difference for your mental health—or in the life of someone you love, and to whom you wrote a special note.

Whether you write stories or poems, or prefer journaling or writing a quick card, touching people with our words is a great way to express ourselves creatively. It also is a wonderful way to build relationships and put joy and love back into the world.

I hope you take a few minutes to try out one of these writing prompts! And Happy Thanksgiving!

What are you most thankful for this year? Let us know in the comments.

PRACTICE

Happy Thanksgiving! For today’s writing practice, pick one of the twenty writing prompts from the article. Start by choosing the type of writing you want to explore, and then pull your favorite prompt from the list.

Spend fifteen minutes to work on this. When you’re done, we’d love to see what you picked and why! Let us know in the comments, or if you’d like, share a piece of what you wrote!

I’d also be grateful for you to continue these conversations by commenting on what another writer shared. I’m thankful for this community of writers!