Thanksgiving is supposed to be about slowing down and appreciating what matters most.
Yet for many of us, it becomes a blur of grocery lists, meal prep, traffic, family logistics, and holiday shopping. Before we know it, Black Friday emails are arriving faster than leftovers disappear from the refrigerator.
Somewhere between planning the menu and hunting for gifts, reflection gets pushed aside.
That's what makes junk journaling so appealing.
Unlike traditional journaling, it doesn’t demand uninterrupted quiet time, beautifully written reflections, or pages of thoughtful prose. It’s a practice that embraces imperfection. A quick note scribbled on a grocery list can be enough.
A personal history of journaling
My complicated relationship with journaling goes back to childhood. Ever since my mom bought me a fuzzy pink diary with a lock and key, I've loved the idea of documenting my life. However, reality was another story.
I'd fill a few pages, miss a few days, fall behind, and eventually abandon the whole thing. Every few years I'd try again with a fresh notebook and the same promise: This time will be different. But it never was.
Then, earlier this year, I stumbled across something called a junk journal on social media. I was fascinated by people curating their lives with everyday odds and ends that would normally end up in the trash. Most pages included only a few sentences, if any.
Intrigued, I decided to try it on a family trip to Japan. Armed with a simple notebook, a pair of scissors, and a glue stick, I started collecting train tickets, restaurant receipts, maps, and snack packaging. Each night, I’d add the items to my journal, maybe scribble a few thoughts, and call it a day. For the first time in my life, journaling felt manageable. By the end of the trip, I had a completed journal and a sense of accomplishment.
Did I continue the habit once I got home? Of course not.
But with Thanksgiving around the corner, I'm ready to try again. Because if there's ever a season to embrace imperfect gratitude, this is it.
How do I start?
Collect the things you’d usually throw away:
- Completed to-do lists
- Greeting cards
- Magazine or newspaper clippings
- Maps
- Packaging from snacks or other purchases
- Receipts
- Stickers
- Ticket stubs
- Wrapping paper
Rather than staring at a blank page and wondering what to write, you're starting with something tangible.
A receipt from a farmers’ market is a reminder of a fun Saturday morning outing. Or you can finally use the sticker you’ve been saving for something special. Think of it as collecting everyday moments.
Gratitude in everyday ephemera
Research has linked gratitude practices and journaling to increased mindfulness, improved mood, and a greater appreciation for life.
So instead of writing, “I’m thankful for family,” add a receipt from ingredients you bought to make a Thanksgiving dish. Write a sentence about the dish, a compliment you received about it, or nothing at all.
Or save a takeout menu from a lunch with a colleague or a sticky note from a loved one. These items may seem insignificant in the moment, but they tell the story of our lives.
Three ways to start a Thanksgiving-inspired gratitude junk journal
The pocket of plenty
- Glue an envelope or create a folded-paper pocket inside your journal.
- During Thanksgiving dinner, invite guests to write one thing they're thankful for on a small slip of paper.
- Collect the notes and tuck them into the pocket.
- Now you have a collection of reflections you can revisit in the coming years.
Textures of home
Include pieces that make up your life:
- Calendar pages
- Dried flowers
- Event wristbands
- Pressed leaves
Pair them with a short reflection about family traditions, favorite gathering places, or the people who help make Hawaiʻi feel like home. Again, you don’t need to write an autobiography. A sentence or two is enough.
Be messy, be mindful
Include food-stained receipts, crumpled notes, or even an empty packet of sweetener you enjoy in your coffee. Include a running list of small joys. Some recent additions to my list include:
- An employee opening a new lane for me at the store.
- No line at the gas station.
- Ordering the last slice of prime rib at a restaurant.
- Running into a friend I hadn’t seen in forever.
- Seeing a beautiful sunset.
- Someone holding the door open for me.
This isn’t meant to be an exhaustive list of everything that brings you joy. It’s a way to be mindful and capture seemingly mundane moments.
The beauty of imperfect memories
The best part of a junk journal is that you can do what you want. You make (and can break) your own rules. Sometimes the pressure of preserving your history is just too much. So, this Thanksgiving, before tossing that receipt, grocery list, or takeout wrapper into the recycling bin, take a second look. It might not seem important today, but years from now, that ordinary scrap of paper may tell the story of the moments you’ll want to remember.
Looking for more ways to celebrate the season? Find recipes, holiday activities, and ideas to help you gather, reflect, and enjoy Thanksgiving with family and friends.
