Thanksgiving: A Time for Rest and Reflection

The time has finally come. Thanksgiving, the day (and the week-long break) many of us students have long awaited, has arrived allowing us time to take a break from the usual chaos in life and enjoy time eating and participating in various Thanksgiving traditions with friends and family. This is when we can sit back and enjoy the comforts the day brings without life’s usual worries. But this is also an opportunity for us to sit back and reflect on the holiday, its meaning and history, and our lives in general.

Thanksgiving has a fascinating history. Long associated with the legendary feast between the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag people, it has undergone many changes to reach the level of national recognition it has today. Some argue that this feast was not the first example of the Thanksgiving meal, with a Spanish example coming before it. Still, this is the picture that has remained with us. The picture painted by the traditional Thanksgiving history can downplay some of the real history that occurred between colonists and Native Americans. Yet, this portrait can also stand as a testament to the rare positive interactions that were possible between two very different cultures. Amidst Native American Heritage Month, it is important to acknowledge the realities Native Americans have faced. And with Native American Heritage Day falling on the same day as the consumerist-ridden tradition of Black Friday, it can be easy to forget. 

Thanksgiving’s place in American culture took a while to form the way we know it today. Following the dawning of the USA as a nation, early Presidents George Washington and John Adams set aside days of thanksgiving. In the early 1800s, many Northern states adopted a day of thanksgiving on different days. Abraham Lincoln was responsible for finally instituting the day as a national holiday. There was one day, that the day changed to a week earlier by FDR but this was met with much criticism, being mockingly referred to as Franksgiving. It took many years for the holiday to transform into how we recognize it, but the ideas have remained prevalent through time. 

Some important things can be taken away from Thanksgiving’s history. Thanksgiving is a reflection of ancient practices of thanksgiving, practices rooted in the Pilgrims’ Christian faith and Native Americans’ customs. The idea of coming together and giving thanks can be seen during times of abundance for Europeans and during the fall harvest season for Native Americans. As Thanksgiving transformed it was not a solid institution for years, and even when it was it was subject to change. Even now, traditional Thanksgiving meals and traditions are continually turned upon their head as people from varying backgrounds bring their spin to how they celebrate the holiday. Yet through all of the forms Thanksgiving has taken, one crucial element has remained the same. That is the idea of stopping and expressing gratitude alongside those around you. Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends to come together, yet this isn’t always clean. We don’t always get along with those sitting around the table with us. But through all of our differences, our humanity is always discernible and that should never be ignored. Thanksgiving is a great opportunity for us to learn and practice being alongside each other to set aside our differences and appreciate each other and what we have. 

 So whatever Thanksgiving looks like for you, I hope it’s a great time to take some time away from the usual hustle and bustle typical of Davidson. Hopefully, you can slow down and enjoy this time, and maybe even think about some things to be thankful for. I, for one, am grateful for this break. Have a safe and great Thanksgiving!

– Caleb Machorro ’28

Artworks from top to bottom:
Wendy Red Star (Apsáalooke, b. 1981), The Last Thanks, 2006, Pigment print, 24 x 36 inches. Purchased with funds from Student Select: Art Acquisition Trip + Fund.
America Meredith (Swedish-Cherokee, b. 1972), ᏓᏤᏝ ᎠᏑᏗ (Datsetla Asudi), 2011, Acrylic on hardboard, 37.75 x 37.75 inches. Purchased with funds from the Native Foodways Jusice, Equality, and Community Grant.
Unknown artist, Charming Again, 1840, Hand-colored etching, 10 x 16.5 in. Gift of John A. Welsh III.
Laura Grosch (American, b. 1945), Artichokes, 1973, Lithograph, Gift of Christopher A. Graf.