Today is a day we are supposed to recognize the abundance afforded us. Of course, many of us have this thought in the back of our minds- it’s kind of hard to feel gratitude while our paychecks are still pretty small (as I ‘ve discussed over the past week).
But, even though we know the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer, we still retain our optimism. As such, we are still bound and determined to celebrate Thanksgiving. And, some of us will be bound into interminable lines tomorrow just to score that one sale item!
The secular Thanksgiving holiday is analogous to the Jewish holiday of Sukot, which was closer in time to the secular Thanksgiving, before the calendar date was moved. (The holiday of Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October in Canada, which is mighty close to the actual date of Sukot.)
In America, we regard this holiday is a result of the celebration some 400 years ago in Plymouth (1621). It seems that the celebrations were refined by the Pilgrims, who learned about the tradition, as they spent about a decade in Holland (with Sfardi Jews) before their journey to the “New World” .
Of course, in America, there are very few of us actually involved in agriculture- or even know how or what to harvest, but we celebrate nevertheless. We continue (???) that Pilgrim tradition by devouring a turkey, replete with cranberry sauce. And, in many households, pigging out on TV football events. To be followed by the rush and crush to spend one’s hard earned money on Friday- Black Friday- the first official day of Christmas Excess…
I am thrilled my family doesn’t so participate. But, whatever your tradition, I wish you a grand holiday. And, hope that you do reflect on all those great things in your life for which we should be thankful… each and every day of our lives.
And, why I don’t really celebrate Thanksgiving, I do consider the greatness of the gifts that are my three children, my step children, my son-in-law, and my grandson- every single day.
