Returning to the daily grind after the fun and festive holiday season is over can sometimes feel a little sad. If you’re looking for a way to combat the mid-January doldrums, take a tip from The Gratitude Challenge and encourage your family to focus on everything they feel grateful for instead of all the things they will miss about their Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year’s celebrations.

One of the best ways to get your loved ones in a thankful mindset is with fun holiday thank you cards they can share with friends and loved ones. Here are a few of our favorite designs to help you kick off 2010 in a spirit of gratitude!

Fill-in-the-Blank Thank You Cards for the Little Ones

Fresh, Modern Thank You Cards for You

Everyone has heard that it takes a village to raise a child, but I can’t think of anywhere else where this old saying plays itself out quite as well as in the classroom. Teachers can mean so much to the students they spend time with. They instruct, they inspire—they give their kids a growing understanding of the world around them in a supportive environment.

It’s no surprise that people will often cite a former teacher as the most influential or inspirational person they knew growing up.

As you and your little ones gear up for the first day of school, there are several ways to set the expectation for a fun and productive year. Here’s a list of ideas for your back-to-school prep straight from the people who know best—teachers!

• Stock up on supplies. Many teachers send home lists of supplies on the first day of school, but you can beat the shopping rush by stocking up on essentials like notebooks, paper, pencils, a grade-appropriate calculator and other supplies. Help ease your little ones’ stress by having these things on hand, and you’ll give them a leg up on their first homework assignment.
• Set their sleeping schedule. Waking up early isn’t fun for anyone, but you can help ease your kids back into it by setting a new sleeping schedule now. Wake your kids up at the time they will be expected to wake up for school, and then take them somewhere fun—to the park, the beach, the mall or even on a walk around the neighborhood. Just make sure your kids are awake and ready by the time they will need to leave for school.
• Have a heart-to-heart. Ask your kids how they feel about the start of the new year. Find out if they are feeling anxious about anything, and then brainstorm ideas together for how they can ease that tension, from finding a buddy to eat lunch with to explaining to the teacher that they need extra help with math problems. Then be sure to follow through with a discussion of how things went after the first day of school.
• Introduce yourself to teachers. Teacher cards and stationery make great back-to-school gifts, but you can also volunteer in the classroom, stop by with muffins for everyone or introduce yourself at a back to school event. It’s important to stay active in your child’s education to help do your part in encouraging them to succeed.

As I was browsing some of my favorite blogs this morning, I fell in love with these adorable monogrammed home goods featured on Little Green Notebook. Check out the post for detailed instructions for how to make the chic monogrammed umbrella stand!

I love that a fresh, modern twist like this can transform a classic stationery staple into a hot new trend. These funky monograms are also popping up on Tiny Prints personal stationery, too!

There’s nothing more posh or personal for home decor or personal stationery than your own stylish monogram. Where will yours pop up?