Nurturing Gratitude as Part of Our Culture 

At Sugarwish, gratitude isn’t just part of a gift experience - it is part of our DNA.  Every Sugarwish sent is a small but powerful way to say Thank You, You Matter, or I See You - and we love being the conduit for those moments. 

But the truth is, gratitude isn’t just something we facilitate for others - it fuels everything we do here at Sugarwish. A spirit of genuine appreciation shapes how we work, how we support each other, and how we celebrate life’s journey together. 

To keep that heartfelt sentiment alive and thriving, we’ve adopted practices, tools, and infrastructure that actively nurture gratitude as part of our culture. 

#GratitudeFriday: Ending the Week on a Sweet Note

One of our favorite rituals at Sugarwish is our #GratitudeFriday Slack channel—a simple yet powerful space that brings our team together in appreciation on a weekly basis. 

The idea was inspired by a former colleague of mine who had a beautiful practice: every Friday, she would send a few short notes of gratitude to people across the organization. We took that spirit and gave it a Sugarwish spin, inviting our team to share public messages of thanks, personal reflections, and inspiring content about the science and soul of gratitude. 

The posts range from heartfelt shoutouts to teammates, to thoughtful quotes, articles, and even moments of appreciation for the people, pets, or places outside of work that make life brighter and sweeter. It’s become a space of authentic connection, a moment to pause and reflect, and a way to close each week on a sweet note.

A Daily Dose of Thanks

Every June, we take that #GratitudeFriday channel to the next level, transforming it into  #30DaysofGratitude, a month-long celebration of intentional appreciation. The channel becomes a hub of daily challenges, prompts, and actions that encourage all of us to make gratitude a habit. 

Some days are lighthearted, like sharing a song or playlist that sparks joy, while others invite real action or deeper reflection, like reaching out to a former mentor to thank them for their lasting impact, or posting a photo of someone, somewhere, or something that fills your heart. 

This annual tradition is a meaningful reset, a collective practice, and a reminder that there’s always something to be grateful for. 

World Gratitude Day: Gifting Thanks & Joy

Each September, we celebrate World Gratitude Day in true Sugarwish style by giving every team member a Sugarwish to send as a thank-you to someone in their life. It’s quick, easy, and a truly lovely way to pay it forward. 

Whether the gift goes to a friend, mentor, neighbor, former colleague, or family member, the ripple effect of this small act is felt widely. This tradition doesn’t just strengthen connections outside our organization—it brings us closer as a team, too. 

Sharing the stories of who we’re sending our Sugarwishes to and why opens up beautiful conversations and reinforces our shared belief in the power of kindness and thoughtful giving.

The Sugarwish Gratitude Board: Instant Thanks, Real Impact

One of the client facing features we’re especially proud of here is our Sugarwish Gratitude Board.  All gift recipients can instantly send a thank-you note to the person who sent them a Sugarwish. This real-time exchange of appreciation creates a visible, ongoing loop of gratitude that’s meaningful for everyone involved. 

I often tell people that this is my favorite part of the client dashboard. HR roles can sometimes feel thankless, but the Gratitude Board offers a tangible boost—allowing gift givers to see, all in one place, the many heartfelt thank-you notes flowing back from employees. 

For our People & Culture department, it is a powerful reminder that the impact of a gift often reaches far beyond the initial send, strengthening connections and morale in ways that aren’t always visible day to day.

Spreading Gratitude Beyond Our (Virtual) Walls

Our gratitude mindset doesn’t stop at Sugarwish gifts or even our internal practices—it extends to our broader community. Through regular webinars and virtual events, we explore themes of kindness, joy, and happiness at work, and invite friends, Sugarwishers, and clients to join us in the conversation. 

Last month, I was honored to moderate a conversation between one of our co-founders, Elisabeth Vezzani, and Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, a leading happiness scientist and renown author behind The How of Happiness and The Myths of Happiness from University of California Riverside, who discussed science-backed insights into what really makes us happy. One key takeaway? Both expressing and receiving gratitude play a central role in long-term well-being.

Gratitude is Behind Everything We Do

At Sugarwish, gratitude is more than a value or a practice—it’s the fuel that sustains us. Whether we’re learning, gifting, or simply taking a moment to say thank you, gratitude is our compass. It guides our mission, shapes our culture, and reminds us that joy shared is joy multiplied. 

In our fast-paced and ever changing work environment, it’s gratitude that recharges our spirits, deepens our connections, and powers our passion for what we do. It’s the energy behind every thoughtful gift we send and every “thank you” we receive. Fueled by gratitude, the Sugarwish team works to grow, inspire, and make a difference, one moment of appreciation at a time.

Inspired to send someone sweet gratitude? Our Appreciation Sugarwish makes the best Thank You Gift and includes your choice of Thank You card!