How does your family navigate Thanksgiving?
On our blogs, we’ve often discussed the way Thanksgiving romanticizes the early history of this country and glosses over the less savory parts (genocide, anyone?).
But then again, there’s also a lot to love about Thanksgiving. It’s a time when families reunite and nourish their bodies with good food. And for many, it’s a time to reflect on the things we are grateful for.
Is there a way to keep the positive aspects of this holiday while steering clear of the feel-good propaganda about Pilgrims and Indians that often comes with it?
One of my friends has managed to do this by skipping Thanksgiving and instead, celebrating a new holiday she calls Maize Day on the Friday after:
Maize Day commemorates the First Nations of the Americas and the central role of corn in these cultures and cuisines. It is observed on the fourth Friday of November, a day on which many citizens in the United States are released from work and thus can be close to friends and family with whom they can celebrate.
How does your family navigate Thanksgiving? Let me know by leaving a comment.
Carmen Van Kerckhove is co-founder and president of 
Alejandro Villasenor Said,
November 25, 2008 @ 1:31 pm
My parents came to this country illegally from Mexico so Thanksgiving was never in their life, until 1972. Since then my sisters and I have become acculturated and have an understanding of Thanksgiving. We grew up in San Francisco so we often attended the sunrise ceremony on Alcatraz Island (Native Land) every Thanksgiving. After that we found a place to have breakfast went home and just chilled out. We never celebrated Indians and Pilgrims rather it was a day to have a nice dinner and be openly thankful for what blessings we had, which is what we do now.
E Said,
November 25, 2008 @ 2:15 pm
We are a second generation Latino Family. Ecuadorian. Very Ecuadorian. Lebanese and Turkish too. But we never connected to our Lebanese and Turkish side (we are working on that.) Because our fabulous and dynamic Mom was always centuries ahead of the world in health and nutrition, there were a few carob chocolate bars (fake cakes, we called them) and plenty of Tofurkey loafs in addition to fantastic Puerto Rican-neighbor’s Thanksgiving turkeys marinaded in mojo and cooked with pork and tons of caramel-sunken flan…all things we devoured. As a child, Thanksgiving was one of those lay-over holidays until Christmas, Hanukah (which we celebrated with Jewish friends and still do) and my birthday. As an adult, Thanksgiving has become my most favorite of all the American Holiday celebrations. I still reflect on all of the things I’m especially thankful for (thanks Mrs. Hegstead -pre-school teacher that started my life-long tradition) and asking those breaking bread with me to also share what they’re most thankful for. The only complaint my father ever had about it was that by New Year’s Eve, we had consumed so many Holiday turkey, that he “was about to grow wings and fly away.”
Rita Said,
November 25, 2008 @ 3:51 pm
Generally, I prefer to add rather than subtract. Many cultures across the globe and across time have had some kind of harvest/thanksgiving ritual. Our focus on pilgrims and Indians is much more recent. I actually love Thanksgiving because it is the least commercialized of all holidays, focusing on food, friends, and family. That’s the way I look at it: a time to come together with those we love, to sit down to a home-cooked meal, and give thanks for our many blessings.
As for the pilgrims and Indians, my church is descended from those pilgrims, so the story is part of our living heritage. Thanksgiving is a time to unpack some of that baggage and tell the story on up to the present day. But I don’t think that should be the focus of Thanksgiving. Is there a “First Nations History Month”? That’s what we need, and it should NOT be in November.
daddy in a strange land Said,
November 28, 2008 @ 9:41 am
Have you seen this?
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-thanksgiving25-2008nov25,0,1458033.story
Raymond Eduful Said,
November 28, 2008 @ 10:14 am
My family is a first generation Ghanaian, African family, and we have only a few (very few) relatives in the States. So for the past 13 years, we’ve always gone to the same aunts house to “celebrate.” She’s nice like that. It is customary for almost every Ghanaian get-together to have music, dancing, and of course food; even funerals, sometimes. So our thanksgivings festivities aren’t really distinguished in anyway. Only that this time, amidst the rice, spicy stews, soups and cornmeal fixings, there’s a golden turkey gobbling no longer.
It seems as though we’ve bought directly in to the consumerist aspect of Thanksgiving. And even then, the only selling point is a bird’s carcass. The plight of Native Americans is almost of no incidence. I think over the years we even stopped Giving Thanks, I’m not really sure what that means. Anyway, the subject of Native American genocides always booms in my mind, even when it’s not Thanksgiving or a commemorative month, so I’ve always had a hard time being festive at during our get-together. I never dance, I just eat, grin and bear it and remember to be thankful for a family who cares for me. However, it scares me a little bit that I’ve become more and more comfortable with not making a fuss about the history of the holiday.