October is behind us, and thus the spooky season has come to an end. Now with November beginning, the next of the Big Three holidays is on the horizon. I love Thanksgiving in whatever form it takes, but I find myself having to hold the line for it against the encroachment of the Christmas season.
The Halloween folks have done a great job preventing Christmas from starting to assert its influence in October, but that passion never really carried over to Thanksgiving. Lots of people are fine with holiday decor and even hints of the music starting to appear in November, and Thanksgiving has very little “atmosphere” to defend itself with.
Defending Thanksgiving can be difficult, even when you like it. I’ve had a plant-based diet for thirty years so I can’t say I’m passionate about the image of the turkey as the centerpiece of the meal. Nor am I particularly enthusiastic about the pilgrims’ arrival and what that ultimately meant for the indigenous tribes living in the Americas. That myth was dispelled long ago.
So why do I bother trying to keep November’s identity associated with Thanksgiving? Anyone who knows me will tell you how passionate I am about food and the act of sharing it. Thanksgiving is a holiday dedicated to just that. Getting together with loved ones and sharing a meal is one of my favorite things in the world, and Thanksgiving is a big version of it.
“Loved ones” doesn’t have to mean blood relations, though for traditional Thanksgivings it does. Still, with more folks cutting ties with toxic family members and finding comfort in their forged friendships, “found families” are increasingly celebrated at the Thanksgiving table. “Friendsgivings” are also increasingly popular, for those who want to celebrate their platonic relationships either on or around the holiday.
My ideal Thanksgiving day is full of family and friends, stuffing ourselves stupid on food contributed by everyone willing and capable of doing so. It takes some trimming of outdated and/or problematic traditions, but I believe Thanksgiving can be a wonderful day worth defending and celebrating.