Aarya Patil Week 7 : I am thankful for...




Thanksgiving is approaching, the aroma of roasted turkey fills the house, and the promise of warm gatherings comes by. For most people, this holiday is a time of celebrating what they are thankful for, and reflecting back on gratitude and appreciation for family and friends that bring us together. As someone of Indian heritage, my outlooks and perspectives might contrast the typical American dream for Thanksgiving, yet I find this holiday very crucial to our society as it is a celebration that brings all types of people together and has the potential to create long-lasting connections. 


Thanksgiving is essentially a celebration of all the things you are grateful for. It is a time when you can stop, take a break, and appreciate all the people in your life such as family and friends. Although my cultural background may not have a tradition exactly the same as Thanksgiving, the whole spirit of Thanksgiving deeply resonates with me. A holiday dedicated to appreciating the little things in life is just extraordinary. Additionally, in India festivals like Diwali, which happened just recently, also emphasize the importance of coming together as one and celebrating bonds with your siblings and family. This showcases what a universal theme Thanksgiving portrays as it does not only stick to one culture. 


Thanksgiving is not only a time to speak about what you appreciate but it is also expressed through a familial dinner. These are extremely crucial as it is a guaranteed time for people to spend more time with their loved ones, as college students come back to celebrate, and long-distance relatives join as well. My aunt is of American descent and grew up celebrating Thanksgiving which ensures that every year our family Thanksgiving dinner is perfect. I appreciate that it is something that strengthens our bond, as I often help with set-up. 


Thanksgiving was also celebrated in school. One of my favorite Thanksgiving would be making projects in elementary school. The holiday season further prompted us to engage in creative activities and collaborations. From creating handprint turkeys to writing thankful notes, these art and craft projects provided an opportunity to express gratitude in our own ways. I vividly remember running to my mom after school, super excited to show her the art I made and give her a note about how thankful I was for everything. 


While writing this blog I was able to reflect back on my own memories of Thanksgiving, and I am reminded of the power of love and culture in curating our understanding of the world. The diversity that comes when expressing gratitude, whether is it sharing out loud or creative projects, each enriches the Thanksgiving experience. Overall, Thanksgiving is a universal language and holiday that brings all people together.


Thanksgiving Traditions 

Insight on history of Thanksgiving 

Comments

  1. Anushka ReddyNovember 29, 2023 at 9:33 AM

    Hi Aarya! This was a very heart-warming blog to read. My family does not celebrate Thanksgiving as we do not like turkey and honestly treat it as just another day. However, like you mentioned in your blog, Thanksgiving is a celebration of what you are grateful for, and that is what my family and I do instead. This Thanksgiving, I was especially able to recognize all the people in my life I am thankful for. I like how you mentioned Diwali as that is another holiday that celebrates coming together like you said. When you mentioned how Thanksgiving is celebrated in school, it instantly brought back many memories. In my elementary as well, we would have creative Thanksgiving themed projects which was very fun and enjoyable. This was a very insightful blog to read and made me reflect on my own thoughts about Thanksgiving. Good job!

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  2. Allison November 29, 2023 at 5:53 PM

    Hi, Aarya! I like how you mentioned your experiences with Thanksgiving in your blog. I can relate with your fond memories of Thanksgiving projects in elementary school. The holiday spirit is one of those things that I miss the most about elementary school. The handprint turkeys were such an important part of Thanksgiving; I remember writing the same things on the feathers every year. I also like how you mentioned that other holidays such as Diwali also take place around this time! Your point that the holiday spirit is universal really stood out to me. This Thanksgiving, one of my friends came over and our two families celebrated it together. I feel like that really reflects the emphasis on love and gratitude that comes from Thanksgiving!

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  3. Patrick ChouNovember 29, 2023 at 9:46 PM

    Hi, Aarya! I have realized as little kids, me and my sister would be excited to cook the "traditional" American thanksgiving foods. But as we aged our family has put less effort and steered back to our culture with traditional Taiwanese dishes. Looking back, I do miss the holiday spirit from elementary school with classroom decorations. Mainly the handprint turkeys. But I do agree the underlying message of giving thanks and being grate full for one another is still there. I do hope as I grow up and venture into the liberties of the adult world, I hope to connect other people to share the sense of gratitude over some traditional thanksgiving food aswell as cultural food.

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