What I like about Thanksgiving

[Pamela Galli]

Lincoln invented it during the Civil War, during a time when the country was divided even more than it is now.

But TG is for everyone who feels thankful — for anything. Every race. Any country of origin. Any gender identity. Any socio economic status. Any religion. Any education level. Any political affiliation. 

And it’s an occasion for inviting those without families handy. 

And it’s for celebrating the enjoyment of the foods that we identify with, and those we add  (eg tamales with your turkey). 

 

[Phorumities]

9 minutes ago, Pamela Galli said:

Lincoln invented it during the Civil War, during a time when the country was divided even more than it is now.

 

Oh he did did he? What about George Washington's proclamation of 1789?

[Ansariel Hiller]

What I like about it? That we don't have it! 😁

[Arduenn Schwartzman]

In Leiden, South Holland, Thanksgiving is celebrated on October 3, to commemorate the relief of the siege of Leiden by the Spanish army in 1574. It is celebrated by parades, music festivals, carnivals, fireworks and by eating carrot and potato stew, white bread and herring.

Fun little fact: Plymouth, Massachusetts, the Pilgrims' chief town, has named its earliest street, where once the Pilgrims had their houses, Leyden Street. I wonder why ;-)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leyden_Street

Edited November 23, 2018 by Arduenn Schwartzman

[Rhonda Huntress]

5 hours ago, Pamela Galli said:

And it’s an occasion for inviting those without families handy.

Many years ago when I married my Jackson, we both had single friends.  We made a point to invite them for Thanksgiving.  The "after Thanksgiving" parties were another tradition that soon developed.

Over time our single friends got married but Thanksgiving was always open and held at our house.  Those who could not come on Thursday came for the Friday after party. 

28 years later and many of our old friends are scattered around the world.  New friends were here today along with grand kids ... and Clover ♥.   It was a good day.

[Theresa Tennyson]

16 hours ago, Phorumities said:

Oh he did did he? What about George Washington's proclamation of 1789?

It was a one-time thing.

https://www.mountvernon.org/library/digitalhistory/digital-encyclopedia/article/thanksgiving/

[Ceka Cianci]

I thought he made it a federal holiday,while other places were already celebrating it..

It's been awhile since I even paid attention to how it was started..hehehehe

Edited November 23, 2018 by Ceka Cianci

[KanryDrago]

what I like about thanksgiving is we don't have it over here in the UK

[Donna Underall]

I like that it's a time for friends and family, and sharing with people that might someday be friends.  Why would anyone NOT like that?

Edited November 24, 2018 by Donna Underall

[KanryDrago]

1 minute ago, Donna Underall said:

I like that it's a time for friends and family.  Why would anyone NOT like that?

Have you met my family?

[Scylla Rhiadra]

[redacted]

It can be pretty easy to fail to recognize that sometimes one's laughably Hollywoodish stereotypes can mask and distort someone else's essential beliefs and identity.

I am redacting this, not because of self-censorship or "political correctness," but merely because I don't like insulting people, even accidentally, and I want to acknowledge when that happens.

Edited November 24, 2018 by Scylla Rhiadra

[Donna Underall]

2 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

No, instead you have strange and mysterious Celtic rites that involve sacrificing babies to the Harvest Moon, and burning virgins alive inside giant wicker men. Right?

Well, it's certainly more colourful.

Me and my cousins at our transplanted Thanksgiving festival dance.

 

[KanryDrago]

4 minutes ago, Donna Underall said:

I like that it's a time for friends and family, and sharing with people that might someday be friends.  Why would anyone NOT like that?

A serious reply however as this seems a perennial topic

There are those that have a good family life, they love family. They regard festivities as a wonder of joy and togetherness.

There are others of us however who have severely diysfunctional families who regard festivities as a source of pressure to join in even when we want to avoid the ***** show that the festivity will turn into. The arguments, rows, and fights that we know will occur. To us family orientated festivalls are a curse, an anathema, a source of stress and hate

If you come from the former type you find it difficult to understand however there are reasons why things like thanksgiving and christmas are the high spots for suicide rates and those arent all because people are lonely on those days a lot of them are because we are forced by social convention into close proximity with torturers, tormentors and abusers

[Scylla Rhiadra]

1 minute ago, Donna Underall said:

Me and my cousins at our transplanted Thanksgiving festival dance.

 

I NEVER get invited to the really GOOD parties!!!

[KanryDrago]

5 minutes ago, Scylla Rhiadra said:

No, instead you have strange and mysterious Celtic rites that involve sacrificing babies to the Harvest Moon, and burning virgins alive inside giant wicker men. Right?

Well, it's certainly more colourful.

This is a general forum thread, it is not about faith. If you wish to discuss faith with me contact me in game

[Rhonda Huntress]

31 minutes ago, KanryDrago said:

what I like about thanksgiving is we don't have it over here in the UK

And I am very thankful you are over there as well. 

 

[KanryDrago]

Just now, Rhonda Huntress said:

And I am very thankful you are over there as well. 

 

Is that because you fear my musky pheremones knowing you would succumb my sweet lady?

[LittleMe Jewell]

43 minutes ago, Donna Underall said:

I like that it's a time for friends and family, and sharing with people that might someday be friends.  Why would anyone NOT like that?

There are quite a few reasons actually, but I'll not get in to it here.  Kanry's response was close enough.

[Pamela Galli]

40 minutes ago, KanryDrago said:

A serious reply however as this seems a perennial topic

There are those that have a good family life, they love family. They regard festivities as a wonder of joy and togetherness.

There are others of us however who have severely diysfunctional families who regard festivities as a source of pressure to join in even when we want to avoid the ***** show that the festivity will turn into. The arguments, rows, and fights that we know will occur. To us family orientated festivalls are a curse, an anathema, a source of stress and hate

If you come from the former type you find it difficult to understand however there are reasons why things like thanksgiving and christmas are the high spots for suicide rates and those arent all because people are lonely on those days a lot of them are because we are forced by social convention into close proximity with torturers, tormentors and abusers

Family for many (many, many) does not mean shared DNA.  Thanksgiving to us means having an inclusive definition of family, and together being thankful for the connections we do have. 

Edited November 24, 2018 by Pamela Galli

[KanryDrago]

Just now, Pamela Galli said:

Family for many does not mean shared DNA.  Thanksgiving to us means having an inclusive definition of family.

shared dna is not the issue, for example step brothers and sisters or parents dont share dna. The definition of family can be wide. My point was merely socia conventions conspire to make you feel odd if you dont mix with them on these holidays and for many the social convention overrides what they would prefer in order not to seem odd to those that see family as a good thing.

Family can be a good thing. It can also be a bad thing

[Luna Bliss]

32 minutes ago, KanryDrago said:

Family can be a good thing. It can also be a bad thing

So true.

I remember years ago when a bunch of my friends who didn't have the kind of blood-related family they preferred decided to get together and have their own Thanksgiving!

I hope you can find the same for your own celebrations. Recreate your life in the way you'd like it to be.