On Thanksgiving Day, there are many ways people like to celebrate, this often includes having a big feast with turkey and many other thanksgiving related foods like mashed potatoes, beans, rolls and pumpkin pie. People also celebrate through activities like watching football, participating in turkey trots or attending religious services. But overall, this holiday is primarily celebrated by spending time with friends and family and reflecting on the many things to be thankful for.
While people celebrate Thanksgiving with joy and the mindset to be grateful for everything in their life, many aren’t aware of how this holiday came to be or have been told different stories of why it is celebrated. Some people know of its dark history, while others only know of the peaceful and harmonious version of Thanksgiving that they’ve always been told.
The story of Thanksgiving is often romanticized, described as a peaceful meal between Native Americans and pilgrims in the 1620s, however the story is extensively more brutal. This idealized version of Thanksgiving suppresses the true story, glossing over the brutal colonization, genocide, enslavement and suppression Native Americans experienced. Many Native Americans perceive this holiday as a day of mourning rather than a day of a harmonious feast.
However, as bad as this holiday may seem for some, many who are aware of its dark history choose to separate it from the idea of being thankful. Incorporating both the importance of being thankful for everything in our lives as well as confronting the truth and recognizing lives that were lost during this devastating event.
When asking a student at North Forsyth High School why they celebrate Thanksgiving and what it means to them, they stated, “When I think of Thanksgiving, I think of love, joy, connections with family, and most of all the delicious food being served during that holiday,” they also noted that, “I celebrate Thanksgiving as a chance to be grateful for everything.” The way people have perceive Thanksgiving varies greatly because some don’t even connect Thanksgiving to the story of the pilgrims and Native Americans.
Ultimately, this suggests that though Thanksgiving is a brutal reminder of horrid events for some, that should be shown more acknowledgement and representation, there is always a positive perspective to perceive Thanksgiving in, that gives hope and gratitude.
