Say Thank You This Week – But Not Just to Christmas Gifts

The calendar says December 22 and not November 27.  In other words, I recognize that this isn’t Thanksgiving Day or the week leading up to “Turkey Day,” as many here in America like to call it.  Instead, it’s the week of Christmas, with the big day falling exactly four weeks after most folks will have gathered around the table with family for the gratitude-centered holiday.

Oddly enough, September 15 is National Thank You Day.  They even consider December 26 to be National Thank You Note Day.  (And yes, that’s Boxing Day in Canada.)

What this all points to is a designated day when we’re told we should give thanks.  But I ask, “Why can’t we give thanks all year long?”  In fact, rather than simply saying Thank You to someone who hands you a gift on Thursday, why not stop and quietly recognize all that you already have and take time to sit in appreciation now, despite these not being wrapped in shiny paper?

Did you buy a third guitar this year?  Think of the person who is still saving up to buy their first guitar and recognize how fortunate you are to have that trio of instruments to choose from.  Never mind the people you know that have a wall of guitars or a full rack that displays a large number of them in their home studio.  Think of the excitement as you bought each of your three and recommit to the joy you felt as you purchased each one.

Are you a performer who got a residency this year?  Or maybe in 2025 you hit five years that you’ve been playing regularly at a certain venue.  At a time when artists feel like their bookings are down, stop and give thanks for the places that welcome you in each week or even once a month.

I look at it this way.  When people choose to listen to my weekly “Now Hear This Entertainment” podcast, I’m abundantly aware of the countless other shows out there that they could be listening to instead.  So, there is sincere gratitude for the time they devote to NHTE each week.  Those venues you play at are contacted by countless others who want to perform there, but they stick by you.

Did your song hit a certain milestone number of streams this year?  Did your YouTube channel cross over a new plateau in terms of the number of subscribers?  Give thanks because that’s not easy to do on platforms where there is SO much competition for consumption.  Never mind Spotify Wrapped.  The bow on your account was the number of monthly listeners you saw rise and rise and rise in 2025.  Don’t lose sight of those people who are essentially saying, “I like what you’re doing.”

Are you an author who finished writing your book this year?  Never mind what might or might not be under the tree this year or whether the sweater you received is the right size or not.  You’re done and onto the next steps in your literary pursuits.  Sit in gratitude for what you’ve accomplished.

There is a meme that goes around on social media that I see from time to time reminding you that where you are today is where you once prayed to someday be.  So instead of groveling about the number of downloads your podcast hasn’t gotten up to yet, appreciate the numbers that you have accumulated.  Those people care about what you have to say, and they keep showing up for you.

I’m about to hit one year since I started my TikTok account.  I know – I was very late to the game.  And I could very easily get dejected that my numbers on that platform are nothing to brag about.  But instead, I choose to focus on the videos with the highest number of views and have additional thanks for people who comment on them and/or favorite them or share them.  The glass is half full and I’m doing better than a year ago when I didn’t even have a TikTok account.

I currently have discussions going with multiple potential new clients for Now Hear This (my PR agency).  Meanwhile, someone is ending the year by closing up their business and deciding it’s time to move on to something else.  You might not be at the earnings level you want, but if you too are attracting new business, be in gratitude that you have prospects rather than worrying about what you’re going to do.

Remember that opener slot you had back in February or March?  I talk to artists regularly who celebrate getting to be on the bill with a major performer.  Do the same rather than saying, “Eh, this was ten months ago.”  That gives you a foundation to now add a second such booking to.

If nothing else, there are always the basics that are probably being taken for granted: a roof over your head, food on your table, and clothes on your back.  People on the streets aren’t counting down to ribbons and bows on Christmas.  They don’t know where they’ll sleep tonight or where their next meal will come from.  They would love to have so many of the blessings you’ve enjoyed in 2025 and should take stock of and be thankful for today – not just on Thanksgiving, not just on Christmas, and not as the calendar turns over to a new year.

Now a Member of the Recording Academy, I have been helping indie music artists, authors, actors, entrepreneurs, podcasters, filmmakers, small business owners, and more for over twenty years.  What challenges are you having in your creator career that I can lend some insight to?  Connect with me so you can take advantage of all my experience, and I can help and keep you moving forward.