We humans are so engrossed in our busy lives that it becomes all the more important to pause, reflect, and feel gratitude for all the blessings we have in our lives. Well, what better day for this than Thanksgiving?

And, as Thanksgiving draws to a close, it’s time to prepare ourselves to celebrate the harvest and show gratitude for last year’s blessings.

However, if you’re not sure how to express yourself, don’t worry! All the meaningful ‘Thanksgiving quotes’ compiled here will do the trick.

What Is Thanksgiving? 

Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is celebrated annually in the United States on the fourth Thursday of November as one of the main federal holidays.

Traditionally, Thanksgiving is a day of giving thanks for all the sacrifice and hard work done to collect food at the end of the harvest season. In modern times, people take a break from work and spend (4-day weekend from Thursday) time with family and friends over a large feast held on Thanksgiving Day.

What is the History of Thanksgiving?

With so many versions out there, if you wonder What is the true history of Thanksgiving in America then, let us tell you that the pilgrims are the ones who first started Thanksgiving.

As the story goes—

In September 1620, a small ship called the Mayflower sailed from Plymouth, England, carrying 102 passengers and embarked on a voyage to discover the New World.

After a treacherous journey of 66 days, they reached the tip of Cape Cod, which was far away from their intended destination at the mouth of the Hudson River. However, a month later, the Mayflower crossed Massachusetts Bay, where the Pilgrims (as they are now commonly known), began work of establishing a village in Plymouth. 

During their first brutal winter, most of the colonists remained on the ship, where they were at risk of scurvy and infectious disease outbreaks. Out of all, only half of the Mayflower’s original travellers survived to see their first New England spring.

Then, in March, the remaining settlers moved ashore and began harvesting with aid and alliances with the region’s Native Americans. [This alliance sadly remains the only example of harmony between European colonists and Native Americans.]

Finally, the Pilgrims were extremely grateful that they got a corn harvest, after having worked hard a year earlier in such a long and hard winter.

So, in November 1621, when the Pilgrims’ first corn harvest proved successful, Governor William Bradford organized a three-day celebration—which is now well-known and remembered as the American ‘First Thanksgiving’.

However, it is argued that the pilgrims themselves may not have used the word ‘Thanksgiving’ at that time. In fact, historians even argue that the Pilgrims had their first true thanksgiving in 1623, when they showed gratitude for the rain that ended a drought.

In the late 1600s, post-harvest Thanksgiving became more common and began to be celebrated as an annual event. That’s why, the first President of the United States, George Washington, proclaimed the first National Thanksgiving Day in 1789, and thereafter, it officially became an annual holiday in 1863.

That’s how, eventually, the pilgrims’ humble feast became a nationally-celebrated day.  

Why Do We Celebrate Thanksgiving?

In 1917, New York was the first state to adopt Thanksgiving as an official holiday, and it continued after that. The day certainly has a religious background, and many people continue to view Thanksgiving as a religious tradition.

While Thanksgiving is largely observed as a day to gather with family and friends to eat foods that are based on the pilgrims’ first Thanksgiving meal. But, in addition to feasting, Thanksgiving is also celebrated as an opportunity to appreciate what you have and cherish all your precious moments with the people you love the most.

How Is Thanksgiving Celebrated? Traditions of Thanksgiving!

Although Thanksgiving has historical roots in religious and cultural traditions, it is also celebrated in a secular manner. On Thanksgiving Day, people gather for a special meal that often includes turkey, potatoes, cranberry sauce, vegetables, gravy, pumpkin pie, and stuffing.

Not to mention more, volunteering is a common Thanksgiving Day activity, and there are also communities that often organize food drives and host free dinners for those less fortunate.

Even parades have become an important part of the holiday in cities and towns across the United States.

When Is Thanksgiving Celebrated?

In the early days of the United States, Thanksgiving was celebrated on different dates. But, eventually in 1863 Abraham Lincoln, with the help of Sarah Josepha Hale, decided that Thanksgiving should be on the last Thursday in November.

Later on, Franklin D. Roosevelt incorporated this day into law— making it officially celebrated on the fourth Thursday of every November.

What Day Is Thanksgiving in 2023?

Since Thanksgiving can fall earlier or later in the month of November, it’s way more important to know how much time you have before the day of the big feast. 

So, because the date changes every year, it’s perfectly valid to ask when Thanksgiving is this year? And, the answer is— Thanksgiving this year, will be celebrated on Thursday, November 24, 2023. 

DATES OF THANKSGIVING
DATE	YEAR	DAY	WEEK NUMBER	DAYS TO GO
November 24, 2023	Thanksgiving 2023	Thursday	47	12
November 23, 2023	Thanksgiving 2023	Thursday	47	378
November 28, 2024	Thanksgiving 2024	Thursday	48	749
November 27, 2025	Thanksgiving 2025	Thursday	48	1113
November 26, 2026	Thanksgiving 2026	Thursday	48	1477
November 25, 2027	Thanksgiving 2027	Thursday	47	1841
November 23, 2028	Thanksgiving 2028	Thursday	47	2205
November 22, 2029	Thanksgiving 2029	Thursday	47	2569
November 28, 2030	Thanksgiving 2030	Thursday	48	2940
November 27, 2031	Thanksgiving 2031	Thursday	48	3304
November 25, 2032	Thanksgiving 2032	Thursday	48	3668

Now that you know when to mark your calendar for Thanksgiving, keep reading for the amazing collection of quotes, phrases, messages and captions to share with friends and family on this year’s Thanksgiving.

Compilation of Thanksgiving Messages, Quotes, Phrases, Captions & Poems!

To express your gratitude for all your blessings— these 350+ happy, inspirational, funny and best Thanksgiving messages, quotes, phrases, captions & poems are all you need!

Thanksgiving Messages to Write in a Thanksgiving Card

First thing first, these Thanksgiving messages and well wishes for your personalized Thanksgiving cards will help you count your blessings this season—

1. May you enjoy a bountiful Thanksgiving, a joyous holiday season and healthful, Happy New Year.

2. One of the joys of Thanksgiving is wishing you a happy and healthy holiday season.

3. May the good things of life be yours in abundance not only at Thanksgiving but throughout the coming year.

4. At this time of Thanksgiving, we pause to count our blessings. The freedom of this great country in which we live. It’s an opportunity for achievement. The friendship and confidence you have shown in us. For all of these things we are deeply thankful. Our best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving.

5. Thanksgiving for people is…The morning sun and the setting moon, The cheerful bird and the dancing mood, The silent waters and the playful dunes, But more than that I cherish you. Wishing you a happy and healthy Thanksgiving Day.

6. A special greeting of Thanksgiving time to express to you our sincere appreciation for your confidence and loyalty. We are deeply thankful and extend to you our best wishes for a happy and healthy Thanksgiving Day.

7. Gratitude is the heart’s memory. Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving.

8. May your stuffing be tasty. May your turkey be plump, may your potatoes and gravy have nary a lump. May your yams be delicious, and your pies take the prize, and may your Thanksgiving dinner stay off your thighs.

9. November is the time to be thankful, a time to remember and to embrace those who enrich our lives. I’m thankful for a lot of things, but I’m most thankful for you.

10. Because today is a special day, I want to let you know that I appreciate you every single day. Happy Thanksgiving wishes!

11. A heartfelt thanks to you on this day, for being my guide, my teacher and my father. Happy Thanksgiving Dad!

12. Thank you, Mom, for always making spectacular meals throughout the years! Thanksgiving won’t be the same without your special dishes.

13. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for giving me food, shelter and unconditional love.

14. Wish you a very happy and blessed Thanksgiving!

15. Wishing you the gift of faith and the blessing of hope this Thanksgiving Day!

16. We gather on this day to be thankful for what we have, for the family we love, the friends we cherish, and for the blessings that will come. Happy Thanksgiving!

17. May your blessings be multiplied this year and throughout all your life. Happy Thanksgiving wishes to you!

18. Wishing you a harvest of blessings, good health and good times. Happy Thanksgiving Day!

19. I’m really glad that we’re family. Thanking God for having you in my life on this special day.

20. Thanksgiving is a time to reflect upon the lessons learnt throughout the year and to look forward to an amazing year ahead.

21. Thank you for always being there for me. Wishing you a joyous Thanksgiving.

22. Warm thoughts of appreciation for you on this Thanksgiving Day.

23. We gather today to give thanks for our family, friends and good health.

24. Thanksgiving wishes from across the miles from our house to yours. May your home be filled with laughter and happiness!

25. Sending you my warm wishes from home to home and from heart to heart to wish you a very Happy Thanksgiving! May this day be a beautiful reminder of the wonderful things in life.

26. May you enjoy this celebration with your family full of laughter and peace. Happy Thanksgiving greetings!

27. Here’s to sharing the company of close friends and family on this Thanksgiving Day.

28. I want to thank you for your friendship and kindness. Happy Thanksgiving.

29. We wish you a harvest of blessings and a lifetime of happiness and health.

30. Wishing you a bountiful Thanksgiving and a healthy, happy year ahead.

31. November is the time to be thankful, a time to remember and to embrace those who enrich our lives. I’m thankful for a lot of things, but I’m most thankful for You!

32. Let’s give thanks to our belts, which will work extra hard to keep our pants up today!

33. Here’s a heartwarming thanks to you for the hope, peace and joy that you bring to my life.

34. Hope that you’re surrounded with the love of your dear ones during this festive season. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

35. May this harvest remind us of the abundance of nature and how blessed we are to experience it. Happy Thanksgiving Day.

36. May the warm glow of Autumn surround you on Thanksgiving Day. 

37. May your home be filled with joy and happiness on this special Thanksgiving Day.

38. May you enjoy the feast and the company of your family on Thanksgiving Day.

39. Here’s to enjoying the company of good friends and family. I wish you a happy Thanksgiving!

Best Thanksgiving Quotes to Show Gratitude

These best Thanksgiving quotes are enough to express your love and appreciation for the good things in your life including family, friends, health and also wealth—

1. Oprah Winfrey— “True forgiveness is when you can say, ‘Thank you for that experience.”

2. Will Arnett – “I am happy because I’m grateful. I choose to be grateful. That gratitude allows me to be happy.”

3. Roy T. Bennett— “Be thankful for everything that happens in your life; it’s all an experience.”

4. Lindsey Bareham— “Good mashed potato is one of the great luxuries of life.”

5. Elie Wiesel— “For me, every hour is grace. And I feel gratitude in my heart each time I can meet someone and look at his or her smile.”

6. Johannes A. Gaertner— “To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven.”

7. Randy Pausch— “Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.”

8. Henry Van Dyke— “Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following impulse.”

9. Hausa Proverb— “Give thanks for a little, and you will find a lot.”

10. Nora Ephron— “The turkey. The sweet potatoes. The stuffing. The pumpkin pie. Is there anything else we all can agree so vehemently about? I don’t think so.”

11. Rick Riordan— “If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the eons, it’s that you can’t give up on your family, no matter how tempting they make it.”

12. Jonathan Safran Foer— “Thanksgiving is the meal we aspire for other meals to resemble.”

13. Lionel Hampton— “Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind.”

14. Rumi— “Wear gratitude like a cloak, and it will feed every corner of your life.”

15. Maya Angelou— “Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer.”

16. Robert Caspar Lintner— “Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a single day.”

17. Gerald Good— “If you want to turn your life around, try thankfulness. It will change your life mightily.”

18. J.A. Shedd— “He who thanks but with the lips thanks but in part; the full, the true Thanksgiving comes from the heart.”

19. John F. Kennedy— “We must find the time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.”

20. Charles Dickens— “Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.”

21. Maya Angelou— “Be present in all things and thankful for all.”

22. Amy Leigh Mercree— “Thanksgiving is a joyous invitation to shower the world with love and gratitude.”

23. Wilbur D. Nesbit— “Forever on Thanksgiving the heart will find the pathway home.”

24. James E. Faust— “The thankful heart opens our eyes to a multitude of blessings that continually surround us.”

25. Maya Angelou— “When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.”

26. William Blake— “The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest.”

27. David O. McKay— “Thankfulness is measured by the number of words. Gratitude is measured by the nature of our actions.”

28. G.K. Chesterton— “Thanks are the highest form of thought, and gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.”

29. Charlie Brown— “What if today, we were just grateful for everything?”

30. W. Clement Stone— “If you are really thankful, what do you do? You share.”

31. Bruce Wilkinson— “A moment of gratitude makes a difference in your attitude.”

32. David Steindl-Rast— “It is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.”

33. Marcus Samuelsson— “I love Thanksgiving because it’s a holiday that is centered around food and family.”

34. Wale Ayeni— “Be thankful for what you have. Your life is someone else’s fairy tale.”

35. Unknown— “There is always, always something to be thankful for.”

36. Anne Frank— “No one has ever become poor by giving.”

37. Joyce Giraud— “Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year because it reminds us to give thanks and to count our blessings. Suddenly, so many things become so little when we realize how blessed and lucky we are.”

38. Joyce Giraud— “Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year because it reminds us to give thanks and to count our blessings. Suddenly, so many things become so little when we realize how blessed and lucky we are.”

39. Yogi Bhajan— “An attitude of gratitude brings great things.”

40. Sterling K. Brown— “Always have an attitude of gratitude.”

41. Oprah Winfrey— “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more.”

42. Nigel Hamilton— “Thanksgiving is a time of togetherness and gratitude.”

43. Neal A. Maxwell— “We should certainly count our blessings, but we should also make our blessings count.”

44. Elbert Hubbard— “I would rather be able to appreciate things I cannot have than to have things I am not able to appreciate.”

45. Meister Eckhart— “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.”

46. John F. Kennedy— “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”

47. Albert Einstein— “There are only two ways to live your live. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other as is though everything is a miracle.”

48. Robert Holden— “The real gift of gratitude is that the more grateful you are, the more present you become.”

49. Melody Beattie— “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.”

50. Eckhart Tolle— “Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.”

51. Neale Donald Walsh— “The struggle ends when gratitude begins.”

52. William Shakespeare— “Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast.”

53. Marcus Tullius Cicero— “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.”

54. Frank A. Clark— “If a fellow isn’t thankful for what he’s got, he isn’t likely to be thankful for what he’s going to get.”

55. E.P. Powell— “Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude.”

56. Daniel Humm— “What I love about Thanksgiving is that it’s purely about getting together with friends or family and enjoying food. It’s really for everybody, and it doesn’t matter where you’re from.”

57. Norman Vincent Peale— “The more you practice the art of thankfulness, the more you have to be thankful for.”

58. Willie Nelson— “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.”

59. Jonathan Safran Foer— “Thanksgiving is the holiday that encompasses all others. All of them, from Martin Luther King Day to Arbor Day to Christmas to Valentine’s Day, are in one way or another about being thankful.”

60. Seneca— “Nothing is more honorable than a grateful heart.”

61. John Wooden— “Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out.”

62. William Faulkner— “Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: It must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all.”

63. Catherine Pulsifer— “Give thanks not just on Thanksgiving Day, but every day of your life. Appreciate and never take for granted all that you have.”

64. Margaret Cousins— “Appreciation can change a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary.”

65. Franz Grillparzer— “Drink and be thankful to the host! What seems insignificant when you have it, is important when you need it.”

66. Ernest Hemingway— “Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with what there is.”

67. Thorton Wilder— “We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.”

68. Marcel Proust— “Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.”

69. William Arthur Ward— “Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”

70. Unknown— “It is not happy people who are thankful. It is thankful people who are happy.”

71. Henry David Thoreau— “I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual.”

72. Wilbur D. Nesbit— “Forever on Thanksgiving Day the heart will find the pathway home.”

73. Katrina Mayer— “Thanksgiving isn’t just a day. It’s a way we can live our lives every day.”

74. H.A. Ironside— “We would worry less if we praised more. Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent and dissatisfaction.”

75. William Arthur Ward— “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”

76. Oscar Wilde— “After a good dinner, one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relations.”

77. Betty Smith— “Look at everything as though you were seeing it for the first or the last time, then your time on earth will be filled with glory.”

78. Theodore Roosevelt— “Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds.”

79. W.T. Purkiser— “Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.”

80. Frederick Keonig— “We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have.”

Famous Thanksgiving Quotes to Share 

These are some of the most famous thanksgiving quotes that you can choose to share with guests on the dining table—

1. Steve Maraboli— “Be consistent in your dedication to showing your gratitude to others. Gratitude is a fuel, a medicine and spiritual and emotional nourishment.”

2. Oscar Wilde— “After a good dinner, one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relations.”

3. Jonathan Safran Foer— “Thanksgiving is the meal we aspire for other meals to resemble.”

4. Randy Pausch— “Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.”

5. Lindsey Bareham— “Good mashed potato is one of the great luxuries of life.”

6. Rick Riordan— “If there’s one thing I’ve learned over the eons, it’s that you can’t give up on your family, no matter how tempting they make it.”

7. Charles Dickens— “Reflect upon your present blessings — of which every man has many — not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.”

8. Lorelai Gilmore— “It’s not too much food. This is what we’ve been training for our whole lives. This is our destiny; this is our finest hour.”

9. Joyce Girauds— “Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year because it reminds us to give thanks and to count our blessings. Suddenly, so many things become so little when we realize how blessed and lucky, we are.”

10. Mary Oliver— “Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this, too, was a gift.”

11. Julia Roberts— “The older you get, the more fragile you understand life to be. I think that’s good motivation for getting out of bed joyfully each day.”

12. Wilbur D. Nesbit— “Forever on Thanksgiving Day, the heart will find the pathway home.”

13. Erma Bombeck— “What we’re really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving?”

14. Frank A. Clark— “If a fellow isn’t thankful for what he’s got, he isn’t likely to be thankful for what he’s going to get.”

15. Unknown— “When you love what you have, you have everything you need.”

16. Sam Lefkowitz— “When asked if my cup is half-full or half-empty my only response is that I am thankful I have a cup.”

17. Ernest Hemingway— “Now is no time to think of what you do not have. Think of what you can do with that there is.”

18. William Shakespeare— “Small cheer and great welcome make a merry feast.”

19. Nora Ephron— “The turkey. The sweet potatoes. The stuffing. The pumpkin pie. Is there anything else we all can agree so vehemently about? I don’t think so.”

20. Amy Grant— “Thanksgiving Day is a good day to recommit our energies to giving thanks and just giving.”

21. Andy Borowitz— “For those of you who cannot be with family this Thanksgiving, please resist the urge to brag.”

22. Carl Sagan— “If you wish to make an apple pie truly from scratch you must first invent the universe.”

23. Ina Garten— “If you think about a Thanksgiving dinner, it’s really like making a large chicken.”

24. Marcus Samuelsson— “I love Thanksgiving because it is a holiday centered around food and family, two things that are of utmost importance to me.”

25. Melanie White— “Thanksgiving is a time to count your blessings, one by one, as each relative goes home”.

26. P.J. O’Rourke— “Thanksgiving is so called because we are all so thankful that it only comes once a year.”

27. Robert Brault— “I suppose I will die never knowing what pumpkin pie tastes like when you have room for it.”

28. Daniel Humm— “What I love about Thanksgiving is that it’s purely about getting together with friends or family and enjoying food. It’s really for everybody, and it doesn’t matter where you’re from.”

29. Deepak Chopra— “Gratitude opens the door, the power, the wisdom, the creativity of the universe. You open the door through gratitude.”

30. Neal A. Maxwell— “We should certainly count our blessings, but we should also make our blessings count.”

31. Elizabeth Gilbert— “In the end, though, maybe we must all give up trying to pay back the people in this world who sustain our lives. In the end, maybe it’s wiser to surrender before the miraculous scope of human generosity and to just keep saying thank you, forever and sincerely, for as long as we have voices.”

32. Henry Van Dyke— “Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.”

33. Toni Morrison— “At some point in life the world’s beauty becomes enough. You don’t need to photograph, paint, or even remember it. It is enough.”

34. Albert Einstein— “There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”

35. Brené Brown— “Recognizing and leaning into the discomfort of vulnerability teaches us how to live with joy.”

36. Cheryl Strayed— “When you recognize that you will thrive not in spite of your losses and sorrows but because of them…the word for that is healing.”

37. Alphonse Karr— “Some people are always grumbling because roses have thorns; I am thankful that thorns have roses.”

38. Dalai Lama— “When you practice gratefulness, there is a sense of respect towards others.”

39. Catherine Pulsifer— “Give thanks not just on Thanksgiving Day, but every day of your life. Appreciate and never take for granted all that you have.”

40. Jill Bolte Taylor— “An attitude of gratitude goes a long way when it comes to physical and emotional healing.”

41. Mindy Kalin— “Gratitude is the closest thing to beauty manifested in an emotion.”

42. John Ortberg— “Gratitude is the ability to experience life as a gift. It liberates us from the prison of self-preoccupation.”

43. Joanna Gaines— “Even in the trials of life, if we have eyes to see them, we can find good things everywhere we look.”

44. Rumi— “Wear gratitude like a cloak, and it will feed every corner of your life.”

45. Winston Churchill— “We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.”

46. Amy Carmichael— “You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.”

47. Brian Tracy— “Give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.”

48. Ralph Marston— “Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return.”

49. Benjamin Carson— “Happiness doesn’t result from what we get, but from what we give.”

50. Johannes A. Gaertner— “To speak gratitude is courteous and pleasant, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live gratitude is to touch Heaven.”

51. E.P. Powell— “Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude.”

52. Melody Beattie— “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life.”

53. Oprah Winfrey— “I am grateful for the blessings of wealth, but it hasn’t changed who I am. My feet are still on the ground. I’m just wearing better shoes.”

54. John F. Kennedy— “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”

55. Theodore Roosevelt— “Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds.”

56. Charlie Brown— “What if, today, we were grateful for everything?”

57. Maya Angelou— “Be present in all things and thankful for all things.”

58. Erma Bombeck— “I come from a family where gravy is considered a beverage.”

59. Anne Frank— “No one has ever become poor by giving.”

60. Oprah Winfrey— “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more.”

61. William Arthur Ward— “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”

62. Jim Davis— “Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread and pumpkin pie.”

63. John F. Kennedy— “We must find the time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.”

64. Hausa Proverb— “Give thanks for a little, and you will find a lot.”

65. Beyoncé— “If everything was perfect, you would never learn and you would never grow.”

66. Robert Caspar Lintner— “Thanksgiving was never mean to be shut up in a single day.”

67. Margaret Cousins— “Appreciation can change a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary.”

68. J. Robert Moskin— “At whatever straws we must grasp, there is always a time for gratitude and new beginnings.”

69. Friends— “It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without a little emotional scarring.”

70. Home for the Holidays— “Well, that was absurd, let’s eat dead bird!”

71. Margaret Junkin Preston— “But see, in our open clearings, how golden the melons lie; Enrich them with sweets and spices, and give us the pumpkin-pie!”

72. Maya Angelou— “Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.”

73. Meister Eckhart— “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.”

74. Nigel Hamilton— “Thanksgiving is a time of togetherness and gratitude.”

75. W.T. Purkiser— “Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our Thanksgiving.”

76. Albert Barnes— “We can always find something to be thankful for, no matter what may be the burden of our wants, or the special subject of our petitions.”

77. Willie Nelson— “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.”

78. Yogi Bhajan— “An attitude of gratitude brings great things.”

79. W. Clement Stone— “If you are really thankful, what do you do? You share.”

80. Rashida Jones— “My parents are the coolest of the cool on every single level, and it’s because they have a deep appreciation for every moment of their lives.”

81. America Ferrera— “As a child, I didn’t know what I didn’t have. I’m thankful for the challenges early on in my life because now I have a perspective on the world and kind of know what’s important.”

82. Albert Barnes— “We can always find something to be thankful for, no matter what may be the burden of our wants, or the special subject of our petitions.”

83. Alistair Cooke— “It has been an unchallengeable American doctrine that cranberry sauce, a pink goo with overtones of sugared tomatoes, is a delectable necessity of the Thanksgiving board and that turkey is uneatable without it.”

84. Henry David Thoreau— “I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual.”

Uplifting And Inspirational Thanksgiving Quotes

Let these uplifting and inspirational Thanksgiving quotes remind you to count your many blessings all year long, each and every day—

1. Maya Angelou— “Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good.”

2. Ralph Waldo Emerson— “I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends, the old and the new.”

3. Tecumseh— “When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself.”

4. Epictetus— “He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.”

5. Douglas Wood— “The heart that gives thanks is a happy one, for we cannot feel thankful and unhappy at the same time.”

6. Toni Morrison— “At some point in life the world’s beauty becomes enough. You don’t need to photograph, paint, or even remember it. It is enough.”

7. Deepak Chopra— “Gratitude opens the door, the power, the wisdom, the creativity of the universe. You open the door through gratitude.”

8. Willie Nelson— “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.”

9. Henry Van Dyke— “Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.”

10. Alice Walker— “Thank you’ is the best prayer that anyone could say. I say that one a lot. Thank you expresses extreme gratitude, humility, understanding.”

11. William Jennings Bryan— “On Thanksgiving Day we acknowledge our dependence.”

12. Joyce Giraud— “Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year because it reminds us to give thanks and to count our blessings. Suddenly, so many things become so little when we realize how blessed and lucky, we are.”

13. Sam Lefkowitz— “When asked if my cup is half-full or half-empty my only response is that I am thankful I have a cup.”

14. Catherine Pulsifer— “Give thanks not just on Thanksgiving Day, but every day of your life. Appreciate and never take for granted all that you have.”

15. Bil Keane— “Yesterday’s the past, tomorrow’s the future, but today is a gift. That’s why it’s called the present.”

16. John Fitzgerald Kennedy— “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.”

17. Craig D. Lounsbrough— “Thanksgiving reminds us that no matter what befalls us in life, we can take the charred remnants and we can reconstruct a life unimaginably richer than that from which the shards and pieces fell.”

18. Victoria Osteen— “Let me encourage you to get up every day and focus on what you do have in life. Be thankful for the blessings of the little things, even when you don’t get what you expect.”

19. Margaret Cousins— “Appreciation can change a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary.”

20. J.A. Shedd— “He who thanks but with the lips thanks but in part; The full, the true Thanksgiving comes from the heart.”

Thanksgiving Quotes to Share with Family

Share these Thanksgiving quotes with family to perfectly sum up your feelings and emotions—

1. Alexandra Katehakis— “Superficial social niceties are far different from the deep emotion of thanksgiving.” 

2. Jon Zabat-Zinn— “The little things? The little moments? They aren’t little.” 

3. Theodore Roosevelt— “Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds.” 

4. Eileen Caddy— “Gratitude helps you to grow and expand; gratitude brings joy and laughter into your life and into the lives of all those around you.” 

5. Victor Hugo— “Be grateful in your own hearts. That suffices. Thanksgiving has wings, and flies to its right destination.” 

6. Marcus Samuelsson— “I love Thanksgiving because it’s a holiday that is centered around food and family, two things that are of utmost importance to me.” 

7. Wilbur D. Nesbit— “Forever on Thanksgiving day the heart will find the pathway home.” 

8. Henry David Thoreau— “I am grateful for what I am and have. My Thanksgiving is perpetual.” 

9. William Arthur Ward— “Gratitude can transform common days into Thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”

10. Elizabeth Gilbert— “We must take care of our families wherever we find them.” 

11. Henry Ward Beecher— “The unthankful heart… discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings!”

12. Michael J. Fox― “Family is not an important thing, it’s everything.” 

13. Irina Shayk― “Nothing is better than going home to family and eating good food and relaxing.” 

14. Princess Diana― “Family is the most important thing in the world.” 

15. Barbara Bush― “I think togetherness is a very important ingredient to family life.” 

16. Richard Bach― “The bond that links your true family is not one of blood, but of respect and joy in each other’s life.” 

17. Michael Imperioli— “My family is my life and everything else comes second as far as what’s important to me.” 

18. Nigel Hamilton— “Thanksgiving is a time of togetherness and gratitude.” 

19. Catherine Pulsifer— “Let me always count my blessings. To be thankful for my family and friends. To be thankful for the simple things that life has to offer.” 

20. Al Jarreau— “Before I get out of bed, I am saying thank you. I know how important it is to be thankful.” 

21. Bethany Hamilton— “Strive to find things to be thankful for, and just look for the good in who you are.” 

22. William Arthur Ward— “Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” 

23. Lisa Weed― “Being a family means you are a part of something very wonderful. It means you will love and be loved for the rest of your life.” 

24. Margaret Cousins— “Appreciation can change a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary.” 

25. W. J. Cameron— “Thanksgiving, after all, is a word of action.” 

26. John F. Kennedy— “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.” 

27. Cynthia Ozick— “We often take for granted the very things that most deserve our gratitude.” 

28. Konrad Von Gesner— “Best of all is it to preserve everything in a pure, still heart, and let there be for every pulse a thanksgiving, and for every breath a song.” 

29. E.P. Powell— “Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude.” 

30. Catherine Pulsifer — Give thanks not just on Thanksgiving Day, but every day of your life. Appreciate and never take for granted all that you have.” 

31. Julie Hebert— Thanksgiving is a special day, a day we share the joy. We come before a lavish meal, one we quite enjoy.” 

32. William Shakespeare— “Small cheer and great welcome make a merry feast.” 

33. Lysa TerKeurst— “The more my heart is parked in a place of thanksgiving and rejoicing, the less room I have for grumpiness.” 

Funny Thanksgiving Quotes 

Read aloud some of these favorite Thanksgiving jokes around your Thanksgiving table to inspire your guest and earn some laughs—

1. Edward Sandford Martin— “Thanksgiving Day comes, by statute, once a year; to the honest man it comes as frequently as the heart of gratitude will allow.”

2. William Faulkner— “Gratitude is a quality similar to electricity: it must be produced and discharged and used up in order to exist at all.” 

3. Neal A. Maxwell— “We should certainly count our blessings, but we should also make our blessings count.” 

4. Israelmore Ayivor— “To become a better you, remember to be grateful to people who have contributed to making you who you are today.” 

5. Gertrude Stein— “Silent gratitude isn’t very much to anyone.” 

6. Germany Kent— “Gratitude is one of the most powerful human emotions. Once expressed, it changes attitude, brightens outlook, and broadens our perspective.” 

7. Deepak Chopra— “No matter what the situation is…close your eyes and think of all the things in your life you could be grateful for right now.” 

8. Ann Voskamp— “Gratitude for the seemingly insignificant—a seed—this plants the giant miracle.” 

9. W. Clement Stone— “If you are really thankful, what do you do? You share.” 

10. William Wordsworth— “Nothing is more honorable than a grateful heart.”

11. Todd Stocker— “Thankfulness creates gratitude which generates contentment that causes peace.” 

12. Betty Smith— “Look at everything as though you were seeing it for the first or the last time, then your time on earth will be filled with glory.” 

Funny Thanksgiving Phrases

You can also use any of these funny Thanksgiving phrases to make a great toast—

1. Andy Borowitz— “For those of you who cannot be with family this Thanksgiving, please resist the urge to brag.”

2. Erma Bombeck— “What we’re really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving?”

3. Sam Lefkowitz— “When asked if my cup is half-full or half-empty my only response is that I am thankful I have a cup.”

4. Jim Davis— “Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.”

5. Stephen Colbert— “Thanksgiving is a magical time of year when families across the country join together to raise America’s obesity statistics.”

6. Johnny Carson— “Thanksgiving is an emotional holiday. People travel thousands of miles to be with people they only see once a year. And then discover once a year is way too often.”

7. P. J. O’Rourke— “Thanksgiving is so called because we are all so thankful that it only comes once a year.”

8. Jay Leno— “You can tell you ate too much for Thanksgiving when you have to let your bathrobe out.”

9. Mike Connolly— “Coexistence: what the farmer does with the turkey — until Thanksgiving.” 

10. Howie Mandel— “I’m from Canada, so Thanksgiving to me is just Thursday with more food. And I’m thankful for that.” 

11. Carl Sagan— “If you wish to make an apple pie truly from scratch you must first invent the universe.” 

12. Rita Rudner— “Most turkeys taste better the day after; my mother’s tasted better the day before.” 

13. David Ignatius— “Thanksgiving is America’s favorite holiday because it’s a time when we put aside our cares, much as the struggling Pilgrims did nearly four centuries ago, and eat a gut-busting meal without worrying about the ‘out years.’”

14. Irv Kupcinet— “An optimist is a person who starts a new diet on Thanksgiving Day.”

15. Craig Ferguson— “I like football. I find its an exciting strategic game. It’s a great way to avoid conversation with your family at Thanksgiving.”

16. Tom Swyers— “Real ballplayers pass the stuffing by rolling it up in a ball and batting it across the table with a turkey leg.” 

17. Nicole Hollander— “Cooking Tip: Wrap turkey leftovers in aluminum foil and throw them out.”

18. Melanie White— “Thanksgiving is a time to count your blessings, one by one, as each relative goes home.”

19. Phyllis Diller— “It took me three weeks to stuff the turkey. I stuffed it through the beak.”

20. Robert Brault— “I suppose I will die never knowing what pumpkin pie tastes like when you have room for it.”

Short Thanksgiving Quotes

Keep these short sayings in your back pocket at all times to share when you’re in a hurry but can’t afford to forget wishing someone this Thanksgiving Day—

1. Maya Angelou— “When we give cheerfully and accept gratefully, everyone is blessed.” 

2. W. Clement Stone— “If you are really thankful, what do you do? You share.” 

3. David Jeremiah— “No matter what our circumstances, we can find a reason to be thankful.” 

4. William Blake— “The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest.” 

5. Roy T. Bennett— “Be mindful. Be grateful. Be positive. Be true. Be kind.” 

6. Ann Voskamp— “Thanksgiving creates abundance.” 

7. Marcus Tullius Cicero— “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” 

8. Lailah Gifty Akita— “Embrace every new day with gratitude, hope and love.” 

9. Dalai Lama— “When you practice gratefulness, there is a sense of respect toward others.” 

10. Aesop— “Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.” 

11. Roy T. Bennett— “Start each day with a positive thought and a grateful heart.” 

12. Todd Stocker— “Thankfulness creates gratitude which generates contentment that causes peace.” 

13. Mokokoma Mokhonoana— “Gratitude tends to attract the things for which we are grateful in advance.” 

14. Olivia Wilde— “I try to start every day and end every day by taking a moment to be grateful.” 

15. John F. Kennedy— “We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.” 

16. Brené Brown— “What separates privilege from entitlement is gratitude.” 

17. William Arthur Ward— “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” 

18. Willie Nelson— “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” 

19. Jyoti Patel— “Count your blessings. Focus on what you’ve got. Spread the positive vibes.” 

Happy Thanksgiving Messages & Phrases

These happy Thanksgiving messages and phrases for 2023 are sure to provide pleasant inspiration for a great holiday filled with family, friends and thankfulness—

1. Sending you warmest wishes from our family to yours for a loving and happy Thanksgiving.

2. Happy Thanksgiving! Sending autumnal greetings to you and your family, and wishing you a holiday season full of peace, gratitude, and plenty.

3. Thanksgiving offers us a special time to think of and remember all those amazing people who enrich our lives. Thank you for being such an amazing part of my life. Happy Thanksgiving!

4. Family is my greatest blessing! Happy Thanksgiving!

5. Among all the wonderful things in this world, I’m grateful to be a part of such a wonderful, supportive, and loving family! Happy Thanksgiving!

6. This Thanksgiving, we’re wishing you a home full of food, good company, and plenty of cheer to go around.

7. This Friendsgiving, let’s enjoy the laughter of friends, mouth-watering aromas and cheer that we’ll remember for years to come.

8. I want to thank you for all the times that you have been there for me. You are so special and important to my life. I hope you have a memorable Thanksgiving!

9. Hoping you have a Thanksgiving holiday full of laughter, cheer, and satisfied tummies!

10. I want you to know that I appreciate you very much and I’m grateful to have you in my life. Happy Thanksgiving!

11. Let us be thankful to the people who bring us happiness; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.

Thanksgiving Quotes to Put as Captions

If you are looking for such Thanksgiving quotes that you can also use as Instagram or Facebook captions, then you will probably appreciate these quotes—

1. Happy Thanksgiving, from our family to yours.

2. Let’s get basted! Where there is family, there is love.

3. Family: Life’s greatest blessing!

4. Bless the food before us, the family beside us, the love between us.

5. Family is where life begins and love never ends.

6. It’s not what we have in our life, but who we have in our life that matters.

7. Always better together.

8. Family is the best team you could ever have.

9. When we have each other, we have everything.

10. I’m thankful to have a family who takes eating as seriously as I do!

11. This is our happy place.

12. Gobble ’til you wobble

13. I get pie with a little help from my friends

14. More rolls? You butter believe it

15. Keep calm and gobble on

16. Let’s get basted

17. It’s leg day

18. Let’s talk turkey

19. Winner, winner, turkey dinner

20. We may not have it all together, but together we have it all.

21. You call it chaos. We call it family.

22. Turkey and wine and I’m feeling fine

23. Thanksgiving: A time to count blessings, not carbs

24. I cran and I will go back for seconds

25. Fitness? More like fitness whole turkey in my mouth

26. Leftovers are for quitters

27. Nobody puts gravy in the corner

28. All you knead is love — and pumpkin pie

29. Feast your eyes on this

30. Don’t be a jerky, eat some turkey

31. Family is the gift that lasts forever.

32. Thankful for the family I love and for the blessings that will come.

33. Small moments. Big memories.

34. Let’s give ’em pumpkin to talk about

35. Gourd times

36. Hey there, cutie pie

37. Eat, drink, and cranberry

38. Touchdowns, tailgates, and turkey

39. Keep your eyes on the pies

40. Family, turkey, and football — oh my!

41. And they lived apple-y ever after

42. You’ll always be my gravy

43. Let the gourd times roll

44. Time with family is time well spent.

45. The love of a family is one of life’s greatest blessings.

Thanksgiving Poems

If you love Thanksgiving poems over quotes or sayings, then these are some of the most uplifting ones—

Count your blessings instead of your crosses;

Count your gains instead of your losses.

Over the river and through the wood,

And straight through the barnyard gate!

We seem to go

Extremely slow,

It is so hard to wait!

Over the river and through the wood;

Now Grandmother’s cap I spy!

Hurrah for the fun!

Is the pudding done?

Hurrah for the pumpkin pie!

Count your joys instead of your woes;

Count your friends instead of your foes.

Count your smiles instead of your tears;

Count your courage instead of your fears.

Count your full years instead of your lean;

Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.

Count your health instead of your wealth;

Count on God instead of yourself.

Over the river and through the wood,

To Grandfather’s house we go;

The horse knows the way

To carry the sleigh

Through the white and drifted snow.

Take a turkey, stuff it fat,

Some of this and some of that.

Get some turnips, peel them well.

Cook a big squash in its shell.

Now potatoes, big and white,

Mash till they are soft and light.

Cranberries, so tart and sweet,

With the turkey we must eat.

Pickles-yes-and then, oh my!

For a dessert a pumpkin pie,

Golden brown and spicy sweet.

What a fine Thanksgiving treat!

Over the river and through the wood,

Oh, how the wind does blow!

It stings the toes,

And bites the nose,

As over the ground we go.

When all the leaves are off the boughs,

And nuts and apples gathered in,

And cornstalks waiting for the cows,

And pumpkins safe in barn and bin,

Then Mother says, “My children dear,

The fields are brown, and autumn flies;

Thanksgiving Day is very near,

And we must make thanksgiving pies!

Over the river and through the wood,

Trot fast, my dapple gray!

Spring over the ground,

Like a hunting hound,

For this is Thanksgiving-Day.

That’s all! Now it’s entirely up to you whether you want to print these powerful, inspiring, lovely Thanksgiving quotes, messages, phrases, captions and poems to place one at each table setting or whether you want to include them in gratitude cards for your guests.

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