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Guide to Reflection and Giving Thanks To Others

It’s relatively easy to understand how the Plymouth colonists at the first Thanksgiving feast felt deep gratitude not only for food, but for their lives. When Governor Bradford declared the first Thanksgiving meal in 1621, the colonists had come through a harsh and desperate winter.

But how do we, in our modern era, step back and reflect on the solemn nature of Thanksgiving and show appreciation for our blessings? Some aspects of that first Thanksgiving are worth considering, and provide inspiration.

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Guide to Reflection and Giving Thanks To Others

Cultural Cooperation

While celebrating the harvest was nothing new (Europeans and Native Americans had been doing so in various ways for centuries), the cooperative aspect of the first Thanksgiving was unique. The colonists invited American Indians to the meal, including Samoset and Squanto, who had been instrumental in teaching the Pilgrims about medicinal plants, farming, and other secrets of survival in their native land.

The Pilgrims gratefully shared the bounty of their harvest. This is an aspect of Thanksgiving that we can certainly engage in today. Perhaps your family would like to spend Thanksgiving with someone from another country or culture, and ask them to bring traditional foods from their heritage.

The Pilgrims, after all, were eating food foreign to them, such as Indian corn and lobster (yes, lobster was probably served at the first Thanksgiving!). By sharing Thanksgiving with people of another culture, you are sharing your heritage and learning from theirs, much like the first Americans. Celebrating and learning from other cultures is uniquely American, and an appropriate way to appreciate the spirit of Thanksgiving.

Other guests you might consider inviting are those less fortunate than you, people who have experienced (or are experiencing) lean times, or even someone who is simply lonely. Do you know someone in your church or neighborhood who is struggling?

Reaching out to others by opening your home and sharing food and fellowship celebrates the spirit of Thanksgiving. In fact, three years after that first Thanksgiving meal, the Pilgrims experienced a year of drought and the harvest looked as though it might be lost. Governor Bradford declared a day of fasting and prayer, and it finally rained.

The Pilgrims were grateful to God for answering their prayers, and November 29 of 1624 was declared a day of thanksgiving. Invite someone into your home to share your bounty – it might be an answer to someone’s prayer.

On a bigger scale, you could organize a pot-luck style neighborhood or community dinner. Local churches and other charities may be willing to provide the space, and even volunteers to help. Those willing to help can be asked to bring certain dishes. Be sure to invite people of all backgrounds to share, and provide cards with poems or other favors to encourage thoughts of the meaning of Thanksgiving.

Take Time to Reflect

Thanksgiving ushers in a busy holiday season. For many Americans, the Friday after Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the Christmas buying season. Finding time to reflect can certainly prove challenging; but if it is prioritized into the family’s schedule (rather than simply waiting for some free time to present itself), it is possible.

Taking time to stop and think is vital. In the weeks preceding the Thanksgiving holiday, spend some time with your family in activities that induce conversation and reflection, such as taking a hike or going camping. If possible, take a family trip to a historical landmark. Not everyone can go to Plymouth Rock or Valley Forge, of course, but local historical sights abound. Contact your local historical society, library, or travel agency to find landmarks near you. The car drive to and from the area can be a time of discussion about what you’ve seen and what it means.

Reading and Crafts for Creative Memories

Reflecting on the history of America and the first Thanksgiving can be done by reading together as a family. Local libraries have all kinds of creative and exciting stories that can be read aloud or acted out. Children especially love hands-on learning and a good story.

A dramatic reading of the Pilgrims’ adventures while children listen or act out roles is enjoyable for the whole family, and can have a significant impact on children’s perception of the holiday and what it represents. Through stories and creative learning, adults can talk about what it’s like to experience lack without being preachy or giving lectures.

Involving children is crucial. Yes, they will learn the basic history of America and the first colonists in school, but making history come alive by eliciting their participation has a deeper impact and more enduring meaning. Understanding their American heritage gives them a sense of purpose and identity.

Children can make lists of things they are thankful for – it does not have to be a written. They can draw their list, or cut out shapes, or build with blocks to illustrate what they are thankful for. Adults can help by making suggestions about everyday things children may not have considered, such as plentiful food, a house or apartment to live in, and clothes to wear. Involve their toys – it’s not hard to make simple, period clothes and dress up stuffed animals, dolls, action figures, etc. and act out scenes.

Why not have your children create a scenic centerpiece for the Thanksgiving table? Using a simple turntable (such as for spices) as a base, children can construct a centerpiece in the round. Lay a piece of cardboard on the turntable and let children’s imaginations run in a Thanksgiving theme. They can use moss, pinecones, berries, nuts, and other interesting and natural autumn treasures to create a seasonal diorama. They can add dolls or other figures to represent the colonists and the Indians, or make them out of clay or clothes pins.