Is Thanksgiving even still a holiday? There’s so much controversy around it. There’s a genuine concern, lately, that Thanksgiving perpetuates racism, colonization, and oppression. And then there’s the superficial aspect that no one celebrates because they love Christmas. And why wouldn’t they? Every store known to man has Christmas stuff up before Halloween! So again…is Thanksgiving still a holiday? I will be honest: I was one of those people who had to wait until Thanksgiving was over before we decorated for Christmas. But I have a daughter who would celebrate Christmas all year round if she could. Her joy for the holiday is infectious, so over the last couple of years, I have given in. We now officially decorate for Christmas in November BEFORE Thanksgiving. Do we still celebrate Thanksgiving? I’m unsure how to answer that, and here’s why…yes, we still gather together as a family and eat good food. But that’s every day in my house. Sure, the food is different, and you eat so much dessert that you feel terrible afterward, but gathering and giving thanks is a daily thing in our house.
With all that being said, I decided to think back on all the Thanksgivings I’ve had growing up and what the holiday truly meant to me. I was an ignorant child/teen/young adult and truly loved Thanksgiving because it meant good food and time spent with family you hadn’t seen in a long time. Thanksgiving is still about good food, but I’ve switched my focus to what the holiday means to others—every holiday, honestly. So many struggle with the holidays from whatever situation they have in their life, and I pray for them. I want to raise my children to be sensitive to everyone and what others are going through. This means not just enjoying the festivities, but also understanding and empathizing with those who may find the holidays challenging. If that means looking at a holiday a different way, then that’s fine with me. So, if we are to celebrate this holiday still, I choose to look at it through God’s word.
The Bible mentions “Thanksgiving” 173 times and the word “gratitude” 157 times. I think of this now during the Thanksgiving holiday…to look at this time with family and have a grateful heart.
It’s hard because we all go through so much in life, but the Bible says, “For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with Thanksgiving because the word of God and prayer consecrates it. “ (1 Timothy 4:4-6 NIV)
So, in the best attempt not to offend anyone, I still celebrate Thanksgiving because God tells us to be thankful, not for any other reason. So yes, we will still gather around the table, eat large amounts of food, and watch football…(just like any other day in our house), and we will be grateful and give thanks to God.
“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; hisfaithfulness continues throughall gnerations. Psalms 100:4-5
