Thanksgiving

Gathering in Gratitude

Thanksgiving in the United States is rooted in harvest festivals that humans have held since the dawn of agriculture. The holiday most often traced to 1621 in Plymouth—when English colonists and Wampanoag people shared an autumn feast—was a complex encounter marked by cooperation, gratitude, and profound cultural differences. Over time, it evolved through proclamations and traditions that reflect both unity and reckoning, abundance and remembrance. Today, Thanksgiving remains a day for gratitude, gathering, and reflection on what we share and how we share it.

From Feasts to Federal Holiday

In the decades following Plymouth’s harvest feast, colonies and states observed their own days of thanks to mark military victories, good harvests, or survival through hardship. In 1789, President George Washington proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving to celebrate the ratification of the Constitution. Writer and editor Sarah Josepha Hale—best known for penning “Mary Had a Little Lamb”—spent years lobbying for a unified national holiday. Her efforts succeeded during the Civil War, when President Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday of November a day of “thanksgiving and praise” to help heal a divided nation. In 1941, Congress officially set Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday in November, where it remains today.

The Table and Its Traditions

For most Americans, Thanksgiving centers on a shared meal that celebrates the harvest in all its forms—literal or symbolic. Regional menus reflect centuries of adaptation and migration: New Englanders serve succotash and cranberry sauce; Southerners bake cornbread, collard greens, and pecan pies; Midwesterners bring wild rice, lefse, or Jell-O salads to the table. Yet one dish binds them all—roast turkey, accompanied by stuffing, mashed potatoes, and gravy. Beyond the feast, the day has inspired cherished traditions: the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, presidential turkey pardons, and football games that carry families from morning through evening.

Reexamining the Story

In recent years, Thanksgiving has become a time not only for gratitude but also for reflection on the nation’s history. Many Americans are learning more about the impact of colonization and the experiences of Indigenous peoples, whose generosity and resilience continue to shape the continent’s story. Some families mark the day by including Native foods—such as corn, beans, squash, and wild rice—or by acknowledging the National Day of Mourning, observed by Indigenous communities in remembrance of ancestral loss and survival. This deeper understanding enriches the holiday, transforming it from nostalgia into a living conversation about truth and healing.

The Spirit of Hospitality

At its best, Thanksgiving embodies hospitality—the act of preparing and sharing food as a gesture of love. Setting a table, cooking for others, and telling stories around a meal strengthen the fabric of community. Gratitude, when practiced sincerely, becomes generosity. On this day, we are reminded that abundance is meant to be shared: by reaching out to those who are lonely, donating to food banks, volunteering at shelters, or inviting a neighbor to join the feast. The heart of Thanksgiving beats strongest when it extends beyond the table.

Ways to Celebrate Thanksgiving with Meaning

• Express gratitude: Begin your meal by sharing what you’re thankful for or writing notes of appreciation to friends and family.
• Honor Indigenous contributions: Learn about the Native history of your region and include traditional ingredients in your menu.
• Give back: Volunteer at a community meal, donate groceries, or support local farms and food cooperatives.
• Reconnect through stories: Ask elders to share memories or recipes that have shaped your family’s celebrations.
• Celebrate sustainably: Reduce food waste, compost scraps, and share leftovers with neighbors or those in need.
• Find stillness: Take a quiet walk after dinner or spend time outdoors reflecting on the season and its gifts.

Gratitude as a Way of Living

Ultimately, Thanksgiving is about more than a single day or a single meal—it’s a practice of gratitude that can infuse our lives year-round. Whether your table holds a roasted turkey or a plant-based centerpiece, fill it with appreciation for the hands that grew, cooked, and shared the food before you. When we give thanks, we recognize our interdependence and the abundance that exists when generosity guides us. May your Thanksgiving be filled with warmth, reflection, and the enduring comfort of connection.