Why We Should All Celebrate Thanksgiving

Do you celebrate Thanksgiving ?

In the USA, Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November well that’s this thursday!  and I thought it might be nice to celebrate it. We will have a special family meal, share some thank you’s  and light some candles for loved ones no longer with us.

I think it is always worth celebrating Thanksgiving wherever you may be.

 

The first Thanksgiving in the USA was a feast in 1621 shared by the Pilgrims who had recently settled in the US and the Wampanoag Indians, who shared their corn,squash, and wild turkeys. They gave thanks for their harvest and the freindship withthe Amreican Indians that had bought them through that first, harsh winter.

It’s a lovely festival to tell children about as it fosters an ‘attitude of gratitude’ which  encourages children to be positive and optimistic and this strengthens resilience and emotional well being  (you could call it inexpensive therapy!)  I have talked about an attitude of gratitude  before and encourage my children each day to think of three good things before they sleep they want to say thank you for. We pray to give thanks but no matter what you believe encouraging your child to go to sleep thinking about good things is hugely beneficial (and it helps them sleep too!) It works for us grown up too. In the summer my kids wrote gratitude journals  which we made writing down or drawing to share what was good about every day. these are such lovely memory books.

We often miss the good in life (just like the news channels do) but it shine brightly if we look for it and I do believe you get more of what you focus on,

So in the true spirit of Thanksgiving I want to give thanks this week for lots of things and I will do. I will say it where I can, make some calls and maybe write a letter and an email or two. But here I want to thank my friend Helen Cooper.

I want to thank Helen for her loyalty and love throughout the years, for the fun we have shared, the secrets, the laughter and the scary stuff we have been through together too. . I may not say it often but I do remember all the times you have staunchly stood by my side when I have been afraid and sad and alone. You have never failed me Helen and you are like a sister to me. I am so thankful for you and I love you.  I’ll be thinking of you this week.

Thank you’s are free to give but worth a fortune  – Becky Goddard-Hill (Me!)

So why not celebrate thanksgiving too, even if all you do is tell your family why you are thankful for them then that’s a very good thing.

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2 Comments

  1. antoinette . (@divasupermum)
    November 18, 2012 / 08:11

    i love the idea of thanksgiving, i think we do have a lot to be thankful for, my only problem is that is too close to christmas

  2. Becky
    November 19, 2012 / 08:06

    It is so important to be thankful you are so right and yes I agree it is a specifically American day linked to their history. I know maybe we ought to have out r very own and call it something very English like ‘Cheers my dear day’ or something like that! Thanks for stopping by x

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