Give Thanks • A Thanksgiving Playlist

***Update: For the latest Thanksgiving playlist, please visit this link!*** :)

Last year I started a new tradition in our home leading up to Thanksgiving. If you know me well, then you also know that I am a music fanatic. In fact, it would be a rare moment indeed if you stopped by during the day and did not find some sort of music playing the background as I went about my daily work here in the home. So as Thanksgiving approached last November, I decided I was going to create my own soundtrack for the holiday.

As much as I love Christmas music, I wanted something that would help my kids and I focus on our blessings and all that we have to be grateful for during this time of year. I've always found it a little puzzling that we have such an archive of music celebrating Christmas (with good reason), but didn't have the same for some of our other important holidays.

Last November I wrote a post with some links to download music I had put together on a CD. As the months have gone by I have since added much to that playlist. I also don't really use CD's much anymore. Lately I have been using the music app Spotify for nearly all of my daily listening. While they have a free version with commercials that will play on your computer, I finally decided to splurge and pay for the premium version without commercials that will play on all of my mobile devices pretty much anywhere without any commercials whatsoever. For just under ten dollars a month, it was much cheaper than my previous music collecting habit. So if you are like me, you might want to check it out. Our family has really enjoyed having access to such an enormous library of music. (And no, no one is paying me to say that. Just a free public service annoucement, ha.)

Since I have added so many new tracks to the playlist this year, I really don't have time to go through and link each new song to the iTunes or Amazon music store. (I have a four-month-old and two-year-old twins!) But you can scroll through my playlist below and see what suits your fancy if you are interested.

The playlist includes contemporary music that is especially appropriate for this time of year. Some songs speak directly of giving thanks and gratitude, some are traditional folk songs associated with this time of year, some are bluegrass hymns with a rustic nature that just seems to suit the season, and others are simply more general in their praise of God and all the blessings He freely bestows to His children.  Collectively, all of them have helped our family keep the focus in our home on giving thanks at this special time of year.


I have been working on creating a more traditional/classical Thanksgiving playlist as well, but haven't had the time to refine it the way that I would like. If I have the chance I will try and do so and post it later on this month. In the meantime, we have enjoyed listening to the following album put out by Brigham Young University, The Pilgrim's Journey Home.


Best wishes for a spirit of gratitude in your home this year and always!

• • •

If you don't want to create a Spotify account, here is a list of the tracks on my playlist if you are curious:

1. Simple Gifts - Steven Curtis Chapman

2. This is the Day -  Rachel Scott

3. For the Beauty of the Earth - Steve & Danny Thompson

4. My Father's World - Jadon Lavik

5. The Harvester - Brandon Heath

6. Down to the River to Pray - Alison Krauss

7. Come Ye Thankful People Come - Leigh Nash

8. Starry Night (Acoustic Version) - Chris August

9. How Great Thou Art - Lindsey Kane

10. Indescribable - Chris Tomlin

11. I Will Give Thanks - Josh Blakesley

12. A Grateful Heart - Kevin Toney

13. Pilgrim Go! - Cherie Call

14. Praise to the Lord, the Almighty - Jon Meyer

15. How Could I Ever Say Thank You - Kathryn Scott

16. Psalm 118 - Shane & Shane

17. Yours Forever - Dara Maclean

18. Blessed Be Your Name (Acoustic Version) - Matt Redman

19. Hallelujah (Acoustic Version) - Bethany Dillon

20. Gratitude - Nichole Nordeman

21. We Gather Together - Tim Brace

22. How Can I Keep From Singing (Acoustic Version) - Chris Tomlin

23. From This Valley - The Civil Wars

24. Blessings - Laura Story

25. Behind the Beauty - Josh Wilson

26. Simple Gifts - Jewel

27. I'll Fly Away - Gillian Welch & Alison Krauss

28. All Creatures of our God and King - Justin Unger

29. The Earth is Yours - Gungor

30. We Give Thanks - Caedmon's Call

31. Follow You - Leeland ft. Brandon Heath

32. Miracle of the Moment (Acoustic Version) - Steven Curtis Chapman

33. Now Thank We All Our God - Craig Duncan

34. Long Time Traveller - The Wailin' Jennys

35. The Lord's Prayer - Shane & Shane

36. Homeward Bound - Ashlee Cook

37. My Heavenly Father Loves Me - Paul Cardall

38. What a Wonderful World - Stacey Kent

39. Amazing Grace - Jadon Lavik

40. Count Your Blessings - Ali Matthews

41. New World - Steven Sharp Nelson

Feel free to use this as a starting point for creating a soundtrack of your own!

♥