The holiday season creates wonderful memories with friends and family. Celebrations like Thanksgiving and Christmas show us how lucky we are to have support and love from the  people in our lives. During these times it’s nice to give friends and family recognition for the amazing things they do for us. From driving us to school to cooking dinner, families work hard.

Showing appreciation doesn’t have to be a big gesture; even something small shows that you care. Saying ”Thank you” shows you’re grateful and respectful. Words are powerful and can make someone’s day so saying “Please,” ”Thank you” and other simple but strong words show appreciation.

Another small gesture is doing chores without being asked. Chores aren’t fun but parents work hard and deserve a break. By helping out and doing a simple task, you’re showing that you notice their hard work.

You can also call distant family members whom you don’t see that often. Just calling shows you have thought of them and that you care. These small displays of kindness can make a great difference.

With the holiday season upon us, you can get a thoughtful gift for your family and friends. A thoughtful gift can be anything that has a personal touch on it, like a picture or card. Something that you took the time to do shows the appreciation you have for this person.

Even after the holiday season ends, we should still show appreciation for those we care about. We should acknowledge the sacrifices that friends and families make to help us.