How to Celebrate Thanksgiving Day

One of the most important holidays in the United States is Thanksgiving Day. As the name connotes, Thanksgiving is a day dedicated to expressing gratitude for the blessings received. It’s a season to spend quality time with your family, friends, and loved ones while enjoying a feast that symbolizes the season. It’s also a time to give back to the community.

Origin of Thanksgiving

The origin of Thanksgiving began in 1621 when the Native Americans and pilgrims gathered together to celebrate with a feast after a successful harvest. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday and set aside the last Thursday in November as a day of celebration. Over the years, Thanksgiving evolved into a holiday celebrated by people from various backgrounds.

How to Celebrate Thanksgiving Day

1. Reflect on Gratitude

Thanksgiving is all about gratitude and appreciation, and there are so many ways to practice it:

• Family round table: Family members gather and say what they are thankful for.
• Thanksgiving jar: Each member can write down what they are grateful for, put it in a jar, and share the notes with family and friends.
• Gratitude journal: In this journal,  you reflect on the blessings received and write them out.

2. Volunteer or Give Back

Thanksgiving is a time to give back to society or the community. If you look around, you will observe that there are people who do not have families to celebrate Thanksgiving with; some of them are in homeless shelters. Others are on the streets. Here is what you can do. You could volunteer at the homeless shelter or donate food and other perishables. There are charity events set to raise funds for people experiencing poverty that you could participate in.

3. Capture Memories

What better way to remember Thanksgiving than to have the memories captured via photos or videos? Families could create a Thanksgiving collage or photo album dedicated to Thanksgiving yearly.

4. Host a Feast

The Thanksgiving meal is usually the highlight of the Thanksgiving ceremony. There is no Thanksgiving without a Thanksgiving feast, especially the turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, etc. With modernization, there are other ways to prepare your Thanksgiving meal. Some families include dishes inspired by their cultural heritage.

5. Wind Down with a Movie or Music

During the Thanksgiving season, there are so many Thanksgiving movies that families can sit together and bond over. Families can also enjoy some sweet-sounding sounding, comforting holiday music.

6. Decorate Your Space

Decorate your house to make it lively. If you have kids, ask them to make some homemade decorations, adding more colour to the celebration and setting the tone for festivity. Another option is to get customized decorations from the store.

7. Celebrate with Stories and Traditions

The Spirit of Thanksgiving has been preserved today because the tradition was kept alive. This is the time to teach your children and those around you the importance of Thanksgiving. Another way to celebrate is to incorporate your unique practices or ideas into Thanksgiving so that it becomes your family’s personalized way of celebrating. READ ALSO: The Digital Advantage: Female Entrepreneurs Thriving In The Online Space

Thanksgiving Beyond Food

Remember that Thanksgiving goes beyond eating, drinking, and feasting. It’s a time to be thankful, reflect on your life, and give generously back to society. Embrace activities that help you deepen your bonds with your family, friends, and loved ones. This makes Thanksgiving a memorable and meaningful day for yourself and those around you. Like I said earlier, Thanksgiving is more than just a holiday; it’s a time when families should come together and celebrate the gift of life. As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, let’s remember those who cannot celebrate Thanksgiving for one reason or another and extend our love to them. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!!