November truly embodies Autumn. The air is cool but not yet freezing. The trees and their bronzed leaves bring a feeling of serenity. The season is most notable for the traditions. For example, traveling to farms to go apple and pumpkin picking. Perhaps even sitting around a bonfire and roasting marshmallows. All of these traditions can be shared with loved ones, creating a connection between people of all walks of life. However, the most notable tradition that solidifies bonds is a feast that is held to celebrate a holiday filled with gratitude: Thanksgiving.

The Thanksgiving tradition of holding a massive feast dates back to the year 1621. Squanto, a Native American who was a member of the Pawtuxet tribe, aided the Pilgrims in growing their own crops and optimizing what nature presented to them. Cultivating corn, catching fish, and teaching about poisonous plants were what helped the Pilgrims thrive in their times of illness and malnutrition. The Pilgrims also formed connections with the Wampanoag tribe, making the feast symbolic of their harmony and friendship. Aside from being a celebration of friendship, Thanksgiving has a religious connotation to it as it was celebrated to thank God for any triumphs and plentiful harvests. It was ultimately about having gratitude about the little things in life like having food on the table. 

Thanksgiving is all about being thankful for all of the good aspects of life. But how do you celebrate aside from having a huge feast? Although eating foods like turkey, mash potatoes, and pumpkin pie are the main attraction of Thanksgiving, there are plenty of other activities that embody the idea of gratitude in a fun manner. In most craft stores, fake stones are sold for decorative purposes. A fun idea would be buying 2-3 blank stones and writing down what you’re grateful for on each stone. It serves as a fun and engaging activity that simultaneously serves as a reminder of gratitude. Another similar activity and perhaps even nostalgic is making a hand turkey. The activity would involve painting your hand with the color of your choice and stamping it onto white printer paper. After the paint dries, each finger on the turkey can represent one person you’re happy to have in your life. Both of these activities are great for showing creativity and gratitude!

Thanksgiving is a holiday that spreads positivity all around. The notions of gratitude and appreciation should be applied to everyday life, not just the holiday. Being able to see the good in life and feeling thankful for the positives is a mindset that should be adopted by everyone. It’s important to acknowledge all of the blessings and privileges in life, regardless of how big or small they are. Though, who’d resist a nice feast and time of bonding with the ones you love? No one!