thankful thanksgiving essay

• Entertainment
• Environment
• Information Science and Technology
• Social Issues

Home Essay Samples Life Thanksgiving

A Heartwarming Thanksgiving Narrative: Embracing Family and Traditions

Table of contents, anticipation and preparation, the gathering of loved ones, cherished traditions, expressions of gratitude, an atmosphere of love and togetherness, gratitude and reflection.

*minimum deadline

Cite this Essay

To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below

• Electric Vehicle

Related Essays

Need writing help?

You can always rely on us no matter what type of paper you need

*No hidden charges

100% Unique Essays

Absolutely Confidential

Money Back Guarantee

By clicking “Send Essay”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement. We will occasionally send you account related emails

You can also get a UNIQUE essay on this or any other topic

Thank you! We’ll contact you as soon as possible.

Home — Essay Samples — Life — Thanksgiving — Thanksgiving Reflections: A Personal Narrative

Thanksgiving Reflections: a Personal Narrative

• Categories: American Culture Thanksgiving

About this sample

Words: 929 |

Published: Dec 3, 2020

Words: 929 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, my perspective on thanksgiving.

Cite this Essay

To export a reference to this article please select a referencing style below:

Let us write you an essay from scratch

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

Get high-quality help

Dr. Karlyna PhD

Verified writer

• Expert in: Arts & Culture Life

+ 120 experts online

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

Related Essays

1 pages / 445 words

3 pages / 1897 words

3 pages / 1590 words

4 pages / 1649 words

Remember! This is just a sample.

You can get your custom paper by one of our expert writers.

121 writers online

Still can’t find what you need?

Browse our vast selection of original essay samples, each expertly formatted and styled

Related Essays on Thanksgiving

Stonewall, J., & Bowen, J. R. (2019). A Critical Analysis of Thanksgiving’s “Reinforcement of Injurious Stereotypes”: Suggestions for Truer Forms of Tribal-State Relations. American Indian Quarterly, 43(3), 246–278. [...]

Holidays are an essential part of our lives. They provide us with an opportunity to take a break from our daily routines, spend quality time with our loved ones, and create lasting memories. There are many holidays celebrated [...]

The First Thanksgiving is a seminal event in American history, symbolizing the collaborative spirit and shared celebration between Native Americans and Pilgrims. Over the centuries, this event has been commemorated in various [...]

In a world marked by diverse cultures and a myriad of celebrations, Thanksgiving is the best holiday essay stands out as a cherished occasion that transcends differences and brings people together in a spirit of gratitude. [...]

Usually over Thanksgiving break it is just me, my mother, and aunt at the dinner table. And that “dinner table” is actually the coffee table in the living room. It seems quite different from the generic thanksgiving dinner [...]

Thanksgiving, a cherished holiday in the United States, is synonymous with hearty feasts that bring families and friends together. While traditional dishes like turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce often take center stage, [...]

Related Topics

By clicking “Send”, you agree to our Terms of service and Privacy statement . We will occasionally send you account related emails.

Where do you want us to send this sample?

By clicking “Continue”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy.

Be careful. This essay is not unique

This essay was donated by a student and is likely to have been used and submitted before

Download this Sample

Free samples may contain mistakes and not unique parts

Sorry, we could not paraphrase this essay. Our professional writers can rewrite it and get you a unique paper.

Please check your inbox.

We can write you a custom essay that will follow your exact instructions and meet the deadlines. Let's fix your grades together!

Get Your Personalized Essay in 3 Hours or Less!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

• How It Works
• All Projects
• Top-Rated Pages
• Admission essay writing
• Book report writing
• Cheap essay writing
• Coursework writing
• Dissertation writing
• Essay editing
• MBA essay writing
• Scholarship essay writing
• Term paper writing
• Write my essay
• Free sample essays
• Writing blog

Writing A Thanksgiving Essay: Pro Tips And Tricks

It doesn’t matter whether you are a college or high school student, escaping a thanksgiving essay paper is like a camel trying to make its way past a needle’s eye. It is because, in every stage of life, there is a milestone you achieve, which requires you to give thanks. That is why you need pro thanksgiving essay ideas to spice up your paper.

What is an Essay on Thanksgiving?

It is a paper that expresses a sense of gratitude that people feel for all the good things in life.

Thanksgiving happens in a variety of forms such as:

• Gifting people
• Feasting with family

Therefore, an essay about Thanksgiving Day will seek to show what led to those events and how they unfolded. Below are ideas for your Thanksgiving Day essay:

Five Paragraph Essay About Thanksgiving

Such a paper will have an appealing introduction, three body paragraphs, and a summative conclusion. Use these prompts for your body paragraphs:

• Showing gratitude for having a country where you can confidently reside
• Giving thanks for prolonged periods of peace and political tranquility
• Appreciating the gift of a home and having a shelter over your roof
• Saying thank you for the friends and relatives you have
• Show your appreciation for being able to attend school and complete successfully

Thanksgiving History Writing Ideas

Here, it would help if you traced the roots of Thanksgiving Day in America with the following pointers in mind:

• American colonies that initiated the Thanksgiving day
• The role of the Pilgrims settling in the state of Massachusetts
• How agriculture contributed to this day
• The friendship between the Iroquois Indians and the pilgrims
• Why did George Washington suggest November 26th as the day of Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving Essay – What Are You Thankful For?

There are a plethora of reasons to be thankful for every day. For instance, you can appreciate the following:

• The gift of life every morning
• Having parents who care for you
• Being taken to college
• Being spared from the devastating effects of COVID-19
• Having a sense of belonging to a family
• Ability to walk, talk, see, hear, smell or taste
• Being healed from a dreadful disease
• Having a crime-free neighborhood
• Having completed your exams successfully
• Having a laptop where you can study online

Top Writing Prompts for a Thanksgiving Dinner Essay

For a dinner party where you will give a thanksgiving speech, here are possible ideas:

• Honoring your relative (grandpa, aunt, cousin)
• Celebrating a graduation ceremony
• Felicitations for a marriage proposal
• Giving thanks for a family reunion

Mary Moran Thanksgiving Essay

It is an essay touching on how Mary Moran, a Rhode Island schoolgirl, won a state Thanksgiving essay contest. It was in 1973, where she wrote a piece about the absurdity of Thanksgiving. Use these ideas for your inspiration:

• How dissatisfaction is the cause of unhappiness
• How faith can provide one with comfort and strength
• Why people are not thankful because they are not happy

What Thanksgiving Means to Me Essay Prompts

There are different meanings of Thanksgiving, depending on the context. Here are some of the implications:

• A natural impulse to the kindness received
• Reflecting on the deeds done to me and how I responded to them
• A time of feasting and celebrating
• A time of coming together

Now, let’s explore a thanksgiving narrative essay for your inspiration:

Being in a family is one of the most incredible things that ever happened to me. The gift of a mother, father, and two siblings thrills my heart at its thought. Not that it is a perfect family but that even in the imperfections, I give thanks for them. My mother is my most significant pillar. She is one person I can confidently lean on and trust despite any circumstance. I remember a time when I messed up in school, and I went back home. She lovingly spoke to me and took me back to school. There are many instances when she has supported me and held my hand in every step of the way. Having a father is a privilege that many yearn for every day. Whenever I head home from school, I know of someone who will scold me and buy me a present. He is always concerned about my performance in school, wanting to bring the best out of me. He indeed is a rock that firmly holds me from swaying here and there. And then there are these two loves, my little brother and sister. Stubborn and annoying as they may be, these two have been my best friends. In them, I have found real friends, confidants, and support systems. I can freely talk with them and feel renewed. All my sorrows melt away, and I am brave again to fight my battles. Indeed, blood is thicker than water. Belonging to a family is one of the greatest blessings I consider myself to have. I feel secure, healthy, supported, and, most of all, genuinely loved with them. They are like that guardian angel, always by your side.

Thanksgiving Essay – Easier Than It Seems

Writing a Thanksgiving essay is not that big of a deal, after all. The secret is to identify the specific aspect you are thankful for and build on it. If you are short of a specific one, do not worry, you can right on just about anything – even the air.

Nonetheless, if you need a professional paper, seek our world-class custom writing help at cheap rates today. We will avail you with all you need for an A+. Try us.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Have a team of vetted experts take you to the top, with professionally written papers in every area of study.

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Student Opinion

10 Prompts for Talking and Writing About Thanksgiving

What are your Turkey Day traditions? What are you grateful for this year? What is your favorite Thanksgiving memory? And more.

By Natalie Proulx

Every school day, we post a writing prompt based on a New York Times article for teenagers to respond to. And every November, we ask about Thanksgiving.

This year, we’ve decided to round up some of these Thanksgiving-related prompts in one post. Below, you’ll find 10 questions that can be jumping-off points for writing or discussion in the classroom, or conversation starters for the dinner table, such as: What are your Turkey Day traditions? What are your favorite side dishes? Do you participate in Black Friday shopping? And do we need to rethink this holiday?

Each prompt we include has links to a related Times article, essay, photo or graphic, and many of these prompts are still open for comment for students who are 13 or older.

Have a happy Thanksgiving!

1. What are your Turkey Day traditions?

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

70 Best Thanksgiving Quotes To Help Spread Gratitude

Thanksgiving — as it’s celebrated today — is a time of reflection, gratitude, and togetherness. It’s an opportunity to pause and appreciate both the big and small blessings in our lives. 

Of course, the story our country has perpetuated about the origin of Thanksgiving is a lie . But that doesn’t mean we can’t rethink and reclaim what this holiday means . 

Whether it’s cherished moments with family and friends, the beauty of the world around us, or the simple joys of life, Thanksgiving reminds us to acknowledge and celebrate our many privileges and fortunes. 

Throughout history, writers, poets, public figures, and everyday people have captured the essence of Thanksgiving in their words. They speak of gratitude, the importance of community, sharing, and the beauty of acknowledging what we have.

As we gather around the Thanksgiving table, share in festivities, or simply take a moment to count our blessings, these quotes can be a source of warmth and inspiration. They remind us that Thanksgiving isn’t just about the feast on our tables but the gratitude in our hearts.

In this collection, we’ve curated some of the most touching, thoughtful, and uplifting quotes about Thanksgiving. 

Whether you’re looking for words to share at your Thanksgiving gathering or simply seeking a moment of gratitude-inspired reflection, these quotes will surely resonate:

‍ You might also like: The Ultimate List of Things To Be Grateful For

The Best Quotes About Thanksgiving

Famous thanksgiving quotes.

“We should just be thankful for being together. I think that’s what they mean by Thanksgiving.” — Charles M. Schulz 

“I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual.” — Henry David Thoreau

“I try very hard to be grateful and appreciative all year, but it doesn’t hurt to have one dedicated day.” — Sarah Michelle Gellar

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” — John F. Kennedy

“On Thanksgiving Day we acknowledge our dependence.” — William Jennings Bryan

“Remembering that the real meaning of Thanksgiving is gratitude and not food will bring the focus back there.” — Joshua Rosenthal

“What I love about Thanksgiving is that it’s purely about getting together with friends or family and enjoying food. It’s really for everybody, and it doesn’t matter where you’re from.” — Daniel Humm

“Thanksgiving day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day, and leave out the gratitude.” — E.P. Powell

Words of Thanksgiving and Gratitude

“Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer.” — Maya Angelou

“Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind.” — Lionel Hampton

“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” — Willie Nelson

“When you arise in the morning, give thanks for the food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason for giving thanks, the fault lies only in yourself.” — Chief Tecumseh

“For me, every hour is grace. And I feel gratitude in my heart each time I can meet someone and look at his or her smile.” — Elie Wiesel

“Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.” — Henry Van Dyke

“In November, people are good to each other. They carry pies to each other’s homes and talk by crackling woodstoves, sipping mellow cider. They travel very far on a special November day just to share a meal with one another and to give thanks for their many blessings.” — Cynthia Rylant

“Be consistent in your dedication to showing your gratitude to others. Gratitude is a fuel, a medicine and spiritual and emotional nourishment.” — Steve Maraboli

“‘Thank you’ is the best prayer that anyone could say. I say that one a lot. Thank you expresses extreme gratitude, humility, understanding.” — Alice Walker

“Showing gratitude is one of the simplest yet most powerful things humans can do for each other.” — Randy Pausch

“Thanksgiving is a time of togetherness and gratitude.” — Nigel Hamilton

“Wear gratitude like a cloak, and it will feed every corner of your life.” — Rumi

→ Read more quotes about gratitude

→ Read more ‘thank you’ quotes

Thanksgiving Quotes for Family

“What greater blessing to give thanks for at a family gathering than the family and the gathering.” — Robert Breault

“I do think that Thanksgiving is a very nice holiday because it’s all about saying thank you; it’s being thankful.” — Jacob Tremblay

“Thanksgiving is one of my favorite days of the year because it reminds us to give thanks and to count our blessings. Suddenly, so many things become so little when we realize how blessed and lucky we are.” ‍— Joyce Giraud

Thanksgiving Quotes for Friends

“Drink and be thankful to the host! What seems insignificant when you have it, is important when you need it.” — Franz Grillparzer

“Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” — Marcel Proust, Pleasures and Days

“I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends, the old and the new.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

“We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives.” — John F. Kennedy

On Giving Back

“Thanksgiving Day is a good day to recommit our energies to giving thanks and just giving.” — Amy Grant

“You may have heard of Black Friday and Cyber Monday. There’s another day you might want to know about: Giving Tuesday . The idea is pretty straightforward. On the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, shoppers take a break from their gift-buying and donate what they can to charity.” — Bill Gates

“To give back during a holiday where it’s all about giving and being thankful — I’ve always been blessed to have a meal on my plate during Thanksgiving — and to spread that feeling to someone else’s family, it’s special. This is something that is truly important to me.” — Tobias Harris

“My parents came from little, so they made a choice to give a lot: buying turkeys for homeless shelters at Thanksgiving, delivering meals to people in hospices, giving spare change to those asking for it.” — Meghan Markle

“I’ve been giving back since I was a teen, handing out turkeys at Thanksgiving and handing out toys at toys drives for Christmas. It’s very important to give back as a youth. It’s as simple as helping an old lady across the street or giving up your seat on the bus for someone who is pregnant.” — Queen Latifah

→ Read more quotes about giving back

On Thanksgiving Food

“Stuffing is my favorite food in the world! I actually have been known to go buy stuffing and make it in the middle of summer.” — Emma Roberts

“The turkey. The sweet potatoes. The stuffing. The pumpkin pie. Is there anything else we all can agree so vehemently about? I don’t think so.” — Nora Ephron

“The key to a successful Thanksgiving is planning. Know what needs to get done, when it needs to be done, and how much effort and time it’s going to take you.” — J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

“Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-times take twelve minutes. This is not coincidence.” — Erma Bombeck

Funny Quotes

“I like football. I find it’s an exciting strategic game. It’s a great way to avoid conversation with your family at Thanksgiving.” — Craig Ferguson

“I come from a family where gravy is considered a beverage.” — Erma Bombeck

“When people come to my act any time after Thanksgiving, I usually say, ‘You shouldn’t be here. You should be shopping. Our economy depends on you! You should be out there buying stuff.’” — Lewis Black

“I’m from Canada, so Thanksgiving to me is just Thursday with more food. And I’m thankful for that.” — Howie Mandel

“That’s one of the great things about Thanksgiving: Football’s on!” — Michael Strahan

“An optimist is a person who starts a new diet on Thanksgiving Day.” — Irv Kupcinet

“Thanksgiving is a time to count your blessings, one by one, as each relative goes home.” — Melanie White

“After a good dinner, one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relations.” — Oscar Wilde, A Woman of No Importance

Short Quotes

“Although Thanksgiving comes but once a year, every day should be a day of thanks.” — Monique Hammond

“Thanksgiving is the meal we aspire for other meals to resemble.” — Jonathan Safran Foer

“Small cheer and great welcome make a merry feast.” — William Shakespeare

“To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything.” — Thomas Merton

“Forever on Thanksgiving the heart will find the pathway home.” — Wilbur D. Nesbit

“He who thanks but with the lips thanks but in part; the full, the true Thanksgiving comes from the heart.” — J.A. Shedd

“If you are really thankful, what do you do? You share.” — W. Clement Stone

“The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest.” — William Blake

→ Read more short quotes

More Thanksgiving Quotes & Greetings

“There are three things that people pick up on the instant they walk into your home on Thanksgiving. They will be able to feel the human energy. They’ll smell the food. And they will see, instantly, the table.” — Danny Meyer

“Thanksgiving just gets me all warm and tingly and all kinds of wonderful inside.” — Willard Scott

“Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds.” — Theodore Roosevelt

“Give thanks not just on Thanksgiving Day, but every day of your life. Appreciate and never take for granted all that you have.” — Catherine Pulsifer

“Thanksgiving is the holiday that encompasses all others. All of them, from Martin Luther King Day to Arbor Day to Christmas to Valentine’s Day , are in one way or another about being thankful.” ‍ — Jonathan Safran Foer

P.S. Thanksgiving is followed by Small Business Saturday and Giving Tuesday . Learn more about each of these holidays and more November holidays via our awareness days guides .

Article Details

65 suicide prevention quotes to remind you that hope and help are always within reach

Embrace September's beauty with these uplifting quotes and poems

No, You Can't Donate Thanksgiving Leftovers - But Here's What You Can Do Instead

90 Best Gratitude Quotes To Inspire Thankfulness

Want to stay up-to-date on positive news.

The best email in your inbox. Filled with the day’s best good news.

• About Good Good Good
• Privacy Policy & Terms
• Take Action
• Subscriber Account
• Affiliate Program

Join the Good News Community

• Skip to main content
• Skip to secondary menu
• Skip to primary sidebar
• Skip to footer

A Plus Topper

Improve your Grades

Thanksgiving Essay | Essay on Thanksgiving for Students and Children in English

February 14, 2024 by Prasanna

Thanksgiving Essay: Thanksgiving is a vital occasion in present-day American culture. Individuals all through America take additional consideration to make this day a paramount and cheerful festival. This practice has been in the American way of life since 1621 when it initially began. Despite the fact that this practice has been modified and changed the importance and significance stays as before. The principal Thanksgiving was a significant milestone and made an immense engraving in the American culture today.

At that point and Now Thanksgiving is an occasion that started many years prior. It was a festival of various things. Perhaps the main explanations behind the festival were appreciation that large numbers of the Pilgrims endure the primary year of their new lives in America. Today, be that as it may, Thanksgiving appears to have an altogether different significance to individuals. Their principal center isn’t being appreciative for the things they have, yet needing more.

You can also find more  Essay Writing  articles on events, persons, sports, technology and many more.

Short Essay on Thanksgiving 350 Words in English

The occasion of Thanksgiving is a practice begun by the Pilgrims and Indians. Together they shared the products of the recently settled America. Thanksgiving Day is a shared festival set apart as a feeling of appreciation individuals feel for every one of the beneficial things throughout everyday life. This is finished by offering supplications, gifting your precious ones. Its starting point can be followed back to the sixteenth century when the primary thanksgiving supper is said to have occurred. Also, the fourth Thursday in the period of November is set apart for the yearly festival.

Thanksgiving is a period for gifting your loved ones. The day is an opportunity to show your appreciation and regard to your seniors, companions, your kin and furthermore your associates. Famous blessings incorporate thanksgiving blossoms, gems, prepared treat hampers, chocolate blessing bins, confections and wine.

Thanksgiving Day is a family celebration celebrated with excitement in the US and Canada. Thanksgiving Day Festival remembers the blowout held by the Pilgrim settlers and individuals from the Wampanoag individuals at Plymouth in 1621.

On this day individuals offer thanks to God for his endowments and express appreciation to darlings for their affection and backing. Devouring with family is a vital and most brilliant piece of Thanksgiving Day festivities. The family feast is a significant practice during Thanksgiving. The whole family finds a spot at the table during supper and offers a petition to the Lord Almighty for his consistent elegance. The conventional stuffed turkey embellishes each supper table during the banquet.

At last, Thanksgiving allows Americans daily to invest energy with loved ones. We as a whole reflect, at the otherworldly second when we initially take a seat at the occasional table, how God has favored the United States of America for 200 and 35 years with spilling over cornucopia, unbound political and strict opportunities, and financial freedom. Allow us additionally to stop briefly to petition God for and recall the individuals who have made a definitive penance to shield our opportunities who ensured and protected their country.

Long Essay on Thanksgiving 900 Words in English

Thanksgiving is likewise about expressing gratitude toward and liking all that we have. Some of the time we get excessively occupied with our day-by-day lives to remind ourselves how honored we are. For instance, we must be grateful for being sound, for having food on the table, for having a house where to take up residence and for some different things around us. Thanksgiving is a fun chance. We do that by contemplating the individuals who are not as favored as us. I recall when I worked at Good shepherd hospital – each November, particularly on Thanksgiving eve and Thanksgiving Day, individuals from different associations, and even people who didn’t have a place with any association, visited the patients who were hospitalized for quite a while frame, or patients who were destitute, or who had no family. Maybe we can do that throughout the year at the same time, in the event that we have not, Thanksgiving is the update; it is the reminder of the year for recollecting what we ought to be appreciative for.

Another extraordinary thing about Thanksgiving is the custom of giving and sharing. It begins with offering food to one another. Individuals give cash and food to nearby associations like the Salvation Army; cash that will be circulated to the individuals who are out of luck. Some others give their time by chipping in at the food communities like Manna Food. While there, the volunteers coordinate and pack the gifts, and prepare them for circulation on Thanksgiving Eve or Thanksgiving Day.

At the time that numerous families either go to or have Thanksgiving gatherings – and appreciate imparting the food and joy to their families and companions – numerous volunteers are headed to convey the pre-arranged nourishment for families out of luck. Destitution, sickness, vagrancy, and numerous different reasons may keep people and families from planning or purchasing Thanksgiving supper. I recollect each year, precisely several weeks prior to Thanksgiving, the volunteers at the volunteer office at Shady Grove Hospital were caught up with pressing the gifts, which were made by the clinic’s workers. Assisting with that cycle made me inexpressibly pleased with the warmth and perpetual bliss.

Thanksgiving has a straightforward, mainstream, and general message, and each one with various foundations, various religions, and various societies can follow it. The message of satisfaction, consideration, and gratefulness aren’t about race, shading, religion, or sexual orientation; it is about each person with essence.

Thanksgiving has an exceptional spot in my heart on the grounds that my better half and my more youthful child’s birthday celebrations are near Thanksgiving, and in some cases on Thanksgiving Day. November 24 is my better half’s birthday and November 23 is my child’s birthday. We generally have an additional festival during our Thanksgiving party. For the most part, I have the Thanksgiving gathering as opposed to going to my companion’s home, and notwithstanding a conventional Thanksgiving supper, I make my significant other’s and my child’s number one food. Another diverse thing about Thanksgiving in my family is the birthday cake. We serve pumpkin pie and a birthday cake. Requesting a birthday cake for Thanksgiving Day is practically unimaginable, and tracking down an ordinary, yet new, birthday cake is exceptionally troublesome. Having two birthday celebrations at an equivalent time as Thanksgiving is extraordinary, and reminds me more about how honored I am.

For some Americans, Thanksgiving festivity isn’t finished until they go out on the town to shop on Friday in the wake of Thanksgiving, which is called Black Friday. Numerous stores promote less expensive costs on heaps of things, and numerous individuals burn through all Friday shopping at various stores. One of my companions finishes her Christmas shopping each Black Friday. She has a rundown of things she needs, and a rundown of the stores that she needs to visit. She believes that she sets aside a ton of cash, yet I don’t know whether I would prefer to do that. I think it is more about ad and how much retailers need to sell, and individuals feel that they get an extraordinary arrangement, yet it is only a decent arrangement.

Thanksgiving is an American occasion that carries warmth and bliss to pretty much every American’s supper table. Thanksgiving has instructed me that I can impart my satisfaction to others without having a place with a particular race, religion, or gathering. All in all, I can act naturally and still observe Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is the best season for families to get together, party, eat and even shop. As a foreigner, I observe Thanksgiving with my family and my local area, and I am so glad for that.

I desire to keep on observing Thanksgiving, yet I believe it’s additionally imperative to make sure to be grateful consistently, and not simply on Thanksgiving Day. Every year I remind myself to not simply be grateful on the day and to convey the inclination with me. Being grateful can make an individual more joyful, as they will see the value in the things that they typically disregard. Numerous families on Thanksgiving Day circumvent the supper table and say one thing that they are appreciative of. At the point when I pose myself this inquiry, it truly makes me think, however, there is such a huge amount to be grateful for. In the vast majority’s lives, they go during their time whining, however, that is a horrible quality of life.

Thanksgiving isn’t just a day for me to recall everything that I have that is so acceptable; it is additionally a period for me to disregard the entirety of the issues. In the event that individuals figured out how to zero in like this on the encouraging points throughout everyday life, I figure they would appreciate every day more. There would be less disdain on the planet, and individuals would figure out how to see the value in the easily overlooked details that light up their day.

FAQ’s on Thanksgiving Essay

Question 1. Why is thanksgiving important?

Answer: Thanksgiving is significant in light of the fact that it’s a positive and mainstream occasion where we praise appreciation, something that we don’t do what’s necessary nowadays. It’s likewise a festival of the fall gathering. It’s an occasion that is ideal for social affairs with friends and family and offering thanks for our endowments.

Question 2. What is the history of thanksgiving?

Answer: Thanksgiving Day is a public occasion in the United States, and Thanksgiving 2021 happens on Thursday, November 25. In 1621, the Plymouth pilgrims and Wampanoag Native Americans shared a pre-winter reap feast that is recognized today as one of the first Thanksgiving festivities in quite a while.

Question 3. What does thanksgiving mean?

Answer: Thanksgiving has consistently been viewed as a strict occasion expressing appreciation to God. The principal thanksgiving was commended by expressing appreciation to God and the Native Americans for assisting the Pilgrims with enduring the brutal winter climate.

Question 4. What is the most important part of thanksgiving?

Answer: The main Thanksgiving custom is a major dinner with family or companions. Some particular dishes I love are macaroni and cheddar, cranberry relish, and obviously pumpkin pie

• Picture Dictionary
• English Speech
• English Slogans
• English Letter Writing
• English Essay Writing
• English Textbook Answers
• Types of Certificates
• ICSE Solutions
• Selina ICSE Solutions
• ML Aggarwal Solutions
• HSSLive Plus One
• HSSLive Plus Two
• Kerala SSLC
• Distance Education

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

13.7 Cosmos & Culture

Being thankful in the wake of tragedy.

Tania Lombrozo

On Thursday, families across America will participate in a yearly ritual around the Thanksgiving table: expressing their gratitude. Some will be grateful for friends and family, others for health or material well-being, for safety, the natural world or the meal before them.

But what does gratitude look like in 2015, with Thanksgiving coming on the heels of significant loss of life in terrorist attacks in Beirut, Paris and beyond? With Syrian families fleeing a bloody civil war? With international news that's anything but reassuring?

On the one hand, these are powerful reminders of all we have to be grateful for. Many of us take safety and stability for granted; we don't worry about where our next meal will come from or whether our families can remain intact. On the other hand, it might seem selfish or small-minded to focus on our own individual blessings, insignificant as each of us is in the face of so much suffering. Does any good come from our gratitude?

The answer is probably yes : Gratitude can increase empathy and support personal well-being. But it also matters what we're grateful for , and tragic events might push us to experience gratitude with a wider perspective.

After the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, many Americans reported a shift in their values and priorities . For instance, one study found that people identified their character strengths differently in the two months following the attack than in the months immediately prior. They judged themselves to more strongly possess characteristics that reflected hope, kindness, love, spirituality, leadership, teamwork and gratitude .

Another study analyzed Thanksgiving essays written by more than 300 school-age kids living in the Midwest in 2000 and 2001, straddling each side of the Sept. 11 attacks. Children were most often grateful for their families and friends, for having their basic needs met, and for their teachers and schools. A 9-year-old girl wrote: "I am thankful for my mom and dad because they help me with my homework."

Yet, there were also significant differences between 2000 and 2001. After the terrorist attacks, children were significantly more likely to write essays expressing gratitude for living in the United States, for American values (such as freedom), for police, firefighters and other helpers, and for other people — those who were neither family, friends nor teachers. One 6-year-old wrote: "I am thankful for policemen. They help people."

There was also a trend where children mentioned gratitude for material objects less often after Sept. 11: In 2000, 13.8 percent of essays included a statement of gratitude for material objects; in 2001, only 8.2 percent did.

Will we see similar effects in the wake of this month's tragedies, with shifts in priorities and changing targets of gratitude?

As we learn to cope and move forward, the Thanksgiving holiday offers an opportunity for reflection. Beyond gratitude for the narrow compass of our own lives, we can take a step back to be thankful for the broader circumstances that make those lives possible — circumstances that relatively few people share.

Tania Lombrozo is a psychology professor at the University of California, Berkeley. She writes about psychology, cognitive science and philosophy, with occasional forays into parenting and veganism. You can keep up with more of what she is thinking on Twitter: @TaniaLombrozo

• Sept. 11 attacks
• Thanksgiving
• positive psychology

We use cookies to enhance our website for you. Proceed if you agree to this policy or learn more about it.

• Essay Database >
• Essay Examples >
• Essays Topics >
• Essay on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Essay Example

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Thanksgiving , Life , Friendship , Friends , Time , Opportunity , Black Friday , Nation

Words: 1300

Published: 02/01/2020

ORDER PAPER LIKE THIS

Introduction

Traditionally, Thanksgiving is an occasion, mainly celebrated in the US and Canada, to offer special thanks to the almighty in appreciation of the abundance of food and happiness blessing our lives. In celebration of Thanksgiving, people get together with their friends and family over gourmet food and feasting meal comprised of delicacies including roasted turkey, potatoes, stuffing, dainty vegetables and pumpkin pies. A national holiday Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November in the US. Thanksgiving is a popular time of the year when people meet their families, travel extensively and indulge in a binge of shopping. Since there are many discounts offered on almost on all the goods sold in shops, it is a favorite season for shopping. Being a national holiday, most of the government offices, schools, colleges, universities, business houses remain closed on Thanksgiving. The entire country wears a festive look and revels in the madness of the celebration on this day. Going forward in this article, I would like to delve deeper into the subject of Thanksgiving by throwing light on its historical background, the purpose of its celebration, misinterpretation of Thanksgiving by the current generation and Thanksgiving viewed from the eyes of a foreigner spending his first Thanksgiving in the states.

History of Thanksgiving

The history of Thanksgiving dates back to the fall of 1621 when pilgrims and native Americans celebrated the joy of their successful harvest in Plymouth, Massachusetts amidst a three day long feast of fresh produce and merrymaking. But the mere celebration of good harvest did not translate into an annual celebration or national holiday overnight. What set the base for celebration in 1621 later on morphed into a sporadic tradition of offering thanks for specific blessings of life including the end of a drought, good harvest or a win in a particular battle. It was only in 1777 in the month of October that 13 colonies came together in celebration of Thanksgiving in unison. Thanksgiving got a national recognition in 1789 with President George Washington announcing Thursday, November 26 to be a day of prayer and thanksgiving in acknowledgement of the opportunity to offer thanks for the formation of a new nation and a viable constitution. Still, Thanksgiving didn't become an annual celebration. It was due to the efforts taken by a lady called Sarah Josepha Hale that the concept of modern day celebration of annual Thanksgiving came into picture. At a time when the civil war was bearing down on the integrity of United States, on her suggestion the then president Abraham Lincoln took the opportunity of bringing the nation together by declaring the last Thursday of November as a day of Thanksgiving, thereby awarding it a status of a national and annual holiday. The successive presidents of Lincoln honoring the tradition set by him proclaimed the last Thursday of November to be a day of Thanksgiving. Only aberration occurred in 1939 during the tenure of President Franklin D. Roosevelt who taking the complaint of retailers into consideration pre-poned the day of Thanksgiving a week earlier, giving rise to a lot of controversy.

Purpose of Thanksgiving

In our busy day to day life, we often forget to be thankful for the simple things that we enjoy but take for granted, such as food, clothing, health, shelter, job, family and friends. Thanksgiving gives us the opportunity to be grateful for what we have and offer our support to people who are going through some rough phases of their lives by inviting them to be a part of a Thanksgiving dinner and lighten them up. The purpose of Thanksgiving not only lies in being thankful for what we have but in giving back the joys we have to people around us who are in suffering. It is a time when getting together with friends and family, we refresh our memories by looking back to some beautiful moments of our life and recreate new memories. It is that time of the year when people forget their differences in opinion and conflict partaking in the celebration of unity and of being thankful.

Misinterpretation of Thanksgiving by the Current Generation

Black Friday is the day that comes right after Thanksgiving, kickstarting a shopping season for Christmas. Now due to the retailers all around the United States giving a whopping discounts on Black Friday, Thanksgiving is losing its purpose as there are many people who try to get over with their Thanksgiving dinner as quickly as possible to line in a queue for hours, shove their way into the retail stores to avail the special discounts offered on Black Friday. In order to manage the rush of frenzied shoppers, many stores open in the wee hours of Thanksgiving and therefore, people who wait the entire year to make use of this moment of opportunity of purchasing goods in an unusually lower price choose shopping on Black Friday over their Thanksgiving dinner. The melee over availing the Black Friday deals is very unnerving. There have been instances of an employee in Wal-Mart having been crushed under the feet of frantic consumers trying to get hold of the items on sale. Such incidents are becoming largely common these days. Therefore, it is time when we should reflect back and think if in the rush of getting good deals, are we not corroding the age-old essence of Thanksgiving along with our morals? Thanksgiving is a day meant to be spent with family and friends in appreciation for the simple things of our life and not in chasing good deals.

Thanksgiving in the Eyes of a Foreigner

I am foreign to US, having come a long way from an Asian country. Last year was the first time I had the opportunity of spending Thanksgiving in the US. I was invited to a dinner thrown by a friend. I was thoroughly impressed by the Thanksgiving tradition of offering thanks for the little pleasures of life we bask in. The food, feasting and the conversation contributed to making my first Thanksgiving dinner a memorable one. I felt truly blessed of being a part of this wonderful custom that Thanksgiving offers.

Thanksgiving is a meaningful occasion, coming on the fourth Thursday of November that gives us an opportunity to spend time with family and friends in reflection of the good things we have in our life. The tradition of Thanksgiving dating back to as early as 1621 did not change into a national holiday and an annual celebration overnight, taking few hundred years for the official Thanksgiving date to be announced. The purpose of Thanksgiving in being thankful and spreading the joys around is, however, losing its substance in the face of a huge craze over Black Friday shopping with stores beginning to open in the wee hours of Thanksgiving night. The current generation of people indulge themselves more in pursuing the deals offered on Black Friday than spending a night of festivity among friends. Personally my tryst with Thanksgiving has been a wonderful one. Having been invited over dinner to a friend's house, I have got the opportunity to indulge in the tradition of feasting and offering thanks for every simple pleasure of life. The very essence and purpose of the entire celebration is so meaningful that one is bound to bask in its glory, whether Christian or not.

- How FDR Changed Thanksgiving, Jennifer Rosenberg, http://history1900s.about.com/od/1930s/a/thanksgiving.html(15th April 2013) - The purpose of Thanksgiving, Kat Ballew, November 2010, http://www.helium.com/items/2012265-what-is-thanksgiving-the-purpose-of-thanksgiving-the-real-meaning-of-thanksgiving (15th April 2013) - Is Black Friday edging out Thanksgiving?, Bob Greene, November 19, 2012, http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/18/opinion/greene-black-friday (15th April 2013)

Cite this page

Share with friends using:

Removal Request

Finished papers: 1122

This paper is created by writer with

ID 257446638

If you want your paper to be:

Well-researched, fact-checked, and accurate

Original, fresh, based on current data

Eloquently written and immaculately formatted

275 words = 1 page double-spaced

Get your papers done by pros!

Other Pages

Point dume essays, kemmerer essays, michael bloomberg essays, my leadership philosophy essays, hajek essays, friar lawrence essays, deaths of romeo essays, synoptic problem essays, jamaican music essays, technoscience essays, yoruba culture essays, peter gustav lejeune dirichlet essays, sumatriptan essays, social fact essays, miss brill essays, the speckled band essays, multitasking essays, free essay about letter to a friend, rousseau and the concept democracy research paper, australia wifi research papers examples, anti war sentiments essays examples, free report about a on a live play, good example of essay on asepsic, good critical thinking about frankenstein as a harbinger of doom, free essay on technology 2, soma drug in brave new world critical thinkings example, p1 describe the recruitment documentation used in a selected organization essay, training and development course works examples, good example of argumentative essay on unemployment is the cause of many social problems in the society, free the five cs of credit model thesis sample, example of essay on pros and cons of gun control, good example of education and poverty essay, good example of essay on history, university of michigan personal statement, saddle critical thinkings, pioneer critical thinkings, plea critical thinkings, breath critical thinkings, throne critical thinkings, tour critical thinkings, simplicity critical thinkings, horizon critical thinkings, potato critical thinkings.

Password recovery email has been sent to [email protected]

Use your new password to log in

You are not register!

By clicking Register, you agree to our Terms of Service and that you have read our Privacy Policy .

Now you can download documents directly to your device!

Check your email! An email with your password has already been sent to you! Now you can download documents directly to your device.

or Use the QR code to Save this Paper to Your Phone

The sample is NOT original!

Short on a deadline?

Don't waste time. Get help with 11% off using code - GETWOWED

No, thanks! I'm fine with missing my deadline

• Featured Articles
• Report Card Comments
• Needs Improvement Comments
• Teacher's Lounge
• New Teachers
• Our Bloggers
• Article Library
• Featured Lessons
• Every-Day Edits
• Lesson Library
• Emergency Sub Plans
• Character Education
• Lesson of the Day
• 5-Minute Lessons
• Learning Games
• Lesson Planning
• Subjects Center
• Teaching Grammar
• Leadership Resources
• Parent Newsletter Resources
• Advice from School Leaders
• Programs, Strategies and Events
• Principal Toolbox
• Administrator's Desk
• Interview Questions
• Professional Learning Communities
• Teachers Observing Teachers
• Tech Lesson Plans
• Science, Math & Reading Games
• Tech in the Classroom
• Web Site Reviews
• Creating a WebQuest
• Digital Citizenship
• All Online PD Courses
• Child Development Courses
• Reading and Writing Courses
• Math & Science Courses
• Classroom Technology Courses
• A to Z Grant Writing Courses
• Spanish in the Classroom Course
• Classroom Management
• Responsive Classroom
• Dr. Ken Shore: Classroom Problem Solver
• Worksheet Library
• Highlights for Children
• Venn Diagram Templates
• Reading Games
• Word Search Puzzles
• Math Crossword Puzzles
• Geography A to Z
• Holidays & Special Days
• Internet Scavenger Hunts
• Student Certificates

Newsletter Sign Up

Lesson Plans

• General Archive
• Health & Safety
• Interdisciplinary
• Language Arts
• PE & Sports
• Social Science
• Special Ed & Guidance
• Special Themes
• Top LP Features
• Article Archive
• User Submitted LPs
• Box Cars Math Games
• Every Day Edits
• Five Minute Fillers
• Holiday Lessons
• News for Kids
• ShowBiz Science
• Student Engagers
• Work Sheet Library
• More LP Features
• Calculator Lessons
• Coloring Calendars
• Friday Fun Lessons
• Math Machine
• Month of Fun
• Reading Machine
• Tech Lessons
• Writing Bug
• All Work Sheets
• Critical Thinking Work Sheets
• Animals A to Z
• Backpacktivities
• EveryDay Edits
• Hunt the Fact Monster
• It All Adds Up Math Puzzles
• Make Your Own Work Sheets
• Math Cross Puzzles
• Mystery State
• Math Practice 4 You
• Phonics Word Search Puzzles
• Readers Theater Scripts
• Sudoku Puzzles
• Vocabulous!
• Back to School
• Back to School Archive
• Icebreaker Activities
• Preparing for the First Day
• Ideas for All Year
• The Homework Dilemma
• First Year Teachers
• Don't Forget the Substitute
• More Great Ideas for the New School Year
• Early Childhood
• Best Books for Educators
• Assessments
• Award Certificates
• Bulletin Board Resources
• Classroom Organizers
• Graphic Organizers
• Newsletters
• Parent Teacher Communications
• More Templates

Search form

Being thankful: writing prompt ideas for thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving will be here before we know it, and teachers will want to educate their students on what the holiday is about: gratitude. 

Being thankful is just one of the important factors behind the holiday, and teachers can bring a number of writing prompts into their classrooms to help their students understand that fact. 

Education World has gathered a list of writing prompt ideas for teachers to use in the classroom before students set out for Thanksgiving break. These prompts invite students to think about what they are thankful for, and also encourage them to have fun in the process. 

Giving Thanks: With this printable provided by Education World, students are asked to elaborate on three things that they are most thankful for.

RachelKTutoring : This website offers 20 Thanksgiving writing prompts to use in the classroom, including:

• Make a list of 20 things that you are thankful for.
• What is something you are thankful for this year, that is different than last year? Why?
• Write a letter to a family member and share what you are thankful for
• What is the best thing about Thanksgiving?

Each Person Is...: With this writing prompt by Education World, students are asked to look at the Native American proverb: "Each person is his own judge", and are asked what that proverb means to them. 

WriteShop.com: In this article, teachers are given five different writing prompts to use in the classroom around Thanksiving time.

• Gobble! Gobble! Tweet! Students are asked to imagine that they are the Thanksgiving turkey. "It is your good fortune to discover that the farmer accidentally left the door to the house ajar. You sneak in unnoticed. Quickly, you find the computer and login to Twitter. You have just enough time to type five tweets. What will you say to your followers in no more than 140 characters per tweet?"
• Invitation to Dinner: Students are asked to write down who they would invite to Thanksgiving dinner. Then, students can write down ten questions they would like to ask this person. 

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving: Provided by TeachHub.com, students K-12 can watch the famous 1973 Thanksgiving special and participate in a number of writing prompts. 

• K-2 Giving Thanks: In this prompt, students are invited to think of something or someone they are thankful for. After they decide, create a thank you card for that person, place or thing and include a message explaining why they appreciate it/him/her.
• 3-5 Food Frenzy: Students are asked to step in Snoopy's shoes and create a new dish  for the Thanksgiving table. "Describe what it is made of and why you think Thanksgiving would be better with your dish on the table."
• 6-8 Turkey Traditions: Students are asked to elaborate on any traditions their family has on Thanksgiving, and if not, what traditions would they like to start this year?
• 9-12 Create Your Own Holiday: Here, high school students are asked to think about an event or idea that deserves a holiday. "Why do you think it is holiday worthy? What would you do to celebrate it? What day would it be on? Write a letter to the president arguing why this event or idea deserves to be recognized." 

Article by Kassondra Granata, Education World Contributor

EW Lesson Plans

EW Professional Development

Ew worksheets.

Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and receive top education news, lesson ideas, teaching tips and more! No thanks, I don't need to stay current on what works in education! COPYRIGHT 1996-2016 BY EDUCATION WORLD, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. COPYRIGHT 1996 - 2024 BY EDUCATION WORLD, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. SchoolNotes.com The Educator's Network Share this — Watch Full Episodes Read With Jenna Inspirational Relationships TODAY Table Newsletters Start TODAY Shop TODAY Awards Citi Concert Series Listen All Day Follow today More Brands On The Show TODAY Plaza 50 Thanksgiving activities to take Turkey Day to the next level November is full of all sorts of fun Thanksgiving activities, like feasting on home-cooked food , catching up with relatives and counting life's many blessings. However, once everyone's done indulging and the leftovers have been stowed away, you might be on the hunt for a few Thanksgiving activities to help keep the celebration going. Naturally, you can watch football on TV or chill out on the couch, but there are also a lot of other Thanksgiving activities to take Turkey Day to the next level. For instance, have the gang join in on creating a gratitude jar, in which everyone jots down what they're thankful for , then save them to share next year or usher the crowd outside for a post-dinner walk to shake off the turkey fatigue . From tried-and-true favorites like watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to something new, like working on a family tree while you’re with your relatives, there’s a little something here for everyone (including the kids). Use these unique ideas to start a new Thanksgiving tradition or to create Instagram-worthy memories with whoever you're spending the holiday with. Either way, read on to find a rundown of Thanksgiving-activity ideas that are simply, well, the baste . Play Thanksgiving games Get the party started this year with a round of Thanksgiving bingo or Turkey Day Pictionary. Kids, adults and the whole family will have a blast engaging in these fun Thanksgiving-themed activities. Choose from a variety of games like I-Spy, crafts for kids and many others that you can find right here . Bake a pumpkin dessert Nothing against pumpkin pie, but why not try something completely new for this year's dessert spread? Whether it's pumpkin cheesecake or warm pumpkin bars topped with cream cheese frosting, shake up the traditional dessert with an updated seasonal sweet. Watch 'A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving' It's not Thanksgiving without at least one viewing of the Peanuts' classic movie “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving.” Whether it's your first time seeing the 1973 TV special or your hundredth, you'll be filled with nostalgia watching this sweet ode to Turkey Day and listening to Vince Guaraldi's timeless soundtrack. Volunteer in your neighborhood Simply put, Thanksgiving is a day to count your blessings. If the simple abundance of your life inspires you to give back to others, consider doing so on Turkey Day. Volunteer at a food pantry, soup kitchen, church or your local animal shelter. Go solo or invite family and friends to join. Join friends for a Thanksgiving eve pub crawl With everyone home for the holiday, the night before Thanksgiving is perfect for a night out on the town. Schedule a pub crawl or make a date to meet up with friends or family at your favorite local haunt on Wednesday night. Watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has been a holiday tradition for nearly 100 years. Settle in on the couch with friends and family to watch the 3-hour extravaganza live on TV, or plan a trip to New York City to watch it in person. Look for balloon favorites like Snoopy and Spongebob, as well as new additions to the lineup. Host a cookie swap Kick off the holiday season with a cookie swap on Thanksgiving. It doesn't have to be elaborate given there's already a fair amount of cooking going on already. But since Christmas cookies are next up on the calendar, bake a dozen or two, then exchange them with friends and relatives on Turkey Day. Celebrate special occasions Sure, it's Thanksgiving and all, but it's also one of the few times of the year that the entire family or friend group is gathered together in the same place and the same time. Seize the moment by acknowledging and celebrating birthdays, anniversaries, graduations and other special occasions. Host Friendsgiving Even if you have plans to celebrate with family this year, dedicate part of your day to hang out with your friends or reconnect with old acquaintances . Invite high school or neighborhood friends over for after-dinner dessert, then catch up on old times. Break the ice Thanksgiving is a time when families and friends come together to enjoy good food, football and conversation. If this year's gathering includes new guests, help them feel right at home by playing an icebreaker game or go around the table and ask questions to get to know everyone a little better. Tell turkey jokes There's no better to infuse a little humor into the situation than during a family gathering. Gather a supply of Thanksgiving jokes , puns or even good ol' fashioned dad jokes and you'll have everyone laughing around the table in no time. Hold a Turkey Day scavenger hunt Swing by the dollar store or use items from around the house to plan a Thanksgiving scavenger hunt. It'll get the crowd up and moving after the big meal, giving everyone a chance to stretch their legs before settling in for a movie marathon . Sing karaoke If you've never heard your sister-in-law take on Joan Jett's "I Love Rock-n-Roll, then now's the time. Whether you borrow, rent or buy a karaoke machine, make belting out some tunes on Thanksgiving a new family tradition. Make matching t-shirts Even if you aren't matching t-shirts kind of people, making Thanksgiving t-shirts as part of your Turkey Day celebration is a fun activity that'll get everyone involved. Take plenty of pics of everyone wearing them, then post on Instagram. The best part? Guests go home with a keepsake. Serve warm drinks Thanksgiving kicks off the holiday season and all things winter. Celebrate the cozy by making a seasonal drink for everyone to share. Hot chocolate, apple cider or pumpkin spice latte are all perfect picks. Plan a Petsgiving Don't just invite friends and family over. Make it a Petsgiving by asking your loved ones to bring their furry family members too. Have everyone bring a pet-friendly dish to share, so all the pups and cats can feast along with their loved ones. Contribute to a cause Because it's the giving season, after all. Get a consensus on which organization or foundation the group would like to contribute to, then take up a collection. Your annual donation can become a Thanksgiving tradition and is a meaningful way to show your gratitude. Make a family tree Take a trip back in time by tracing your heritage on Thanksgiving. Do it through an online service or simply gather everyone together at the table and plot it out on a piece of paper. Invite older family members to share their stories of days gone be. It'll be a lasting legacy for the entire family. Fill a gratitude jar Instead of having everyone go around the table to say what they're thankful for , have them write it down on a piece of paper. Collect the sentiments in a jar, then read them aloud one by one. See if guests can guess who said what. When the game's over, save the jar and its contents as a family keepsake. Bust out the board games Monopoly, Battleship, Scrabble, UNO — it doesn't matter what game you choose, just pick one and have a game-a-thon with friends and relatives. Get everyone in the competitive spirit by offering small prizes (think: dollar store finds) for the winners. Put a puzzle together Puzzles are a great family activity, especially on Thanksgiving when things can get a little hectic. Bring a puzzle to Thanksgiving dinner or, if you're hosting, put one out for guests and relatives to work on as a calming break from the action. Serve signature cocktails Take Thanksgiving to the next level by whipping up seasonal cocktails — alcoholic or otherwise. Whether it's a pitcher of Thanksgiving sangria or a bubbly cranberry gin fizz , guests will love having a specialty drink all their own. Host an open house Hosting a large, sit-down dinner for Thanksgiving can be a daunting task for anyone. Why not break it up by turning Thanksgiving into an open house instead? Relatives and friends can stop by throughout the day, mingle, eat a few appetizers, then be on their merry way. Assemble care packages Part of expressing gratitude is recognizing what you've got, then doing what you can to help others less fortunate. Start a Thanksgiving tradition of assembling care packages for members of the military, local shelters or animal rescues. It's an activity everyone can participate in — young or old. Share Thanksgiving memories Take turns having guests share a meaningful or funny Thanksgiving memory with the rest of the crowd. Not only does it bring a piece of everyone's personal history to the gathering, it's also an easy way to get to know new faces at the table. Take a walk Unless it's pouring rain or snowing, a post-dinner walk is the perfect way to walk off that extra serving of pumpkin pie. Go alone or with the rest of the group. Either way, it's a chance to get a breath of fresh air or take a moment if you need it. Make a Thanksgiving craft Hours of food and football can get pretty boring for the little ones, so keep them busy (and happy) by arranging a Thanksgiving craft or two. Pick up easy-to-follow kits at your local craft store or DIY your own Thanksgiving-themed project. Share baked goods with friends and neighbors Make someone's day with a thoughtful drop-off on Thanksgiving. It doesn't need to be elaborate or even homemade. A care package made up of baked goods (or anything else for that matter) is a wonderful way to let someone know they're in your thoughts and heart on Thanksgiving Day. Host an ugly sweater contest Make it mandatory to show up on Thanksgiving in a hideous sweater. It doesn't even have to be holiday-themed, just terrible. Guests will love the challenge and it's a great ice-breaker. Once everyone arrives, vote on who's wearing the best-worst sweater. Queue up a holiday playlist There's no better time to make a holiday playlist than when the whole gang's together for Thanksgiving. Have each person contribute a few of their favorite songs to add to the list, then share the finished compilation with the group so everyone can enjoy it. Honor your relatives If a loved one is missing from this year's table, then honor them with a meaningful remembrance. Set a framed photo in their place, and make a cherished dish or dessert to pay tribute. Play Thanksgiving trivia Where did the Mayflower first land when it arrived on American shores? If you answered Plymouth Rock, then you're incorrect! Eventually the Pilgrims ended up there, but their first stop was in Provincetown, Massachusetts. Answer this question and so many more during a game of Thanksgiving trivia. Run a 5K or road race It's never a bad idea to start off a day with a little physical exercise. Whether it's a 5K or turkey trot, your body will thank you for jumpstarting your metabolism. Decorate Thanksgiving placemats Some blank sheets of white construction paper and crayons are all the supplies necessary to craft some placemats for the table. Let kids draw pictures of turkeys, then finish it off by writing a few Thanksgiving messages . Draw names for holiday gifts If the Thanksgiving crowd will gather again for the holidays, then use time together to plan out a gift exchange. Throw names into a hat and have family and friends choose one person to buy a gift for instead of shopping for everyone. Play a game of flag football Instead of watching your team lose on TV, get everyone outside and play a game of flag football instead. Those too young or unable to join can cheer teams on from the sidelines. Take photos for holiday cards Since everyone's together and all dressed up for dinner, you might as well get the holiday card photo out of the way when you're all in your Thanksgiving best. However, the time to do it is right after everyone arrives — once the turkey's been carved and football has begun, it's all over. Have a movie marathon Thanksgiving weekend is the perfect time to binge long movie series including “Harry Potter,” “Lord of the Rings” or any Marvel series. Watch them all in order and don't forget the popcorn. Make an ornament for the Christmas tree Keep the crew entertained while the turkey is cooking by organizing a Christmas ornament craft. The football crowd might opt out, but otherwise kids, tweens and adults are sure to get involved in the project, especially it means a new ornament to hang on the tree. Start a new family tradition Shake things up by starting a new Thanksgiving tradition. Watch the National Dog Show together and wager if the Scottish Deerhound is going to take home the trophy for the second year in a row. Go rogue and ditch the same ol' turkey and gravy for a completely new menu that reflects a guest's heritage or family-favorite recipes. Eat out for Thanksgiving Let someone else do the heavy lifting by going out to eat on Thanksgiving. Though many restaurants are closed for the holiday, quite a few remain open. With no dishes to do or leftovers to wrap up, you'll have plenty of time for football and conversation. What spells “good times” on Thanksgiving? B-I-N-G-O, of course. Bingo is pretty much the easiest game in the world to set up and play, especially if you're hosting a crowd. Make your own Bingo cards or find Thanksgiving-themed cards online. Make a holiday shopping list The year's busiest shopping season is in full swing, so use any down time on Thanksgiving to start pulling your holiday shopping list together. Poll friends and relatives for ideas. You might get some insight into what they're hoping to receive at the same time, making it a total win-win. Film a Thanksgiving video Just about everyone has a phone and will likely be using it to capture all the special Thanksgiving moments. Elect someone in the group to make a short video of it all, then share it so everyone has a keepsake of the holiday. Make a masterpiece with sidewalk chalk If the weather's nice, head outside with a bucket of sidewalk chalk and create some memorable Thanksgiving art. Or if you'd rather, write some messages of gratitude as a warm welcome to neighbors and guests. Bake holiday cookies No time like Thanksgiving weekend to get started on baking Christmas cookies and other sweet treats. Unless, of course, you're exhausted from cooking Thanksgiving dinner. In that case, get a massage and we'll forget this whole conversation happened. Try out a new recipe (or two) Sick of sweet potatoes and apple pie? Throw tradition right out the window and make something entirely new for Thanksgiving. Look online or flip through old cookbooks for vintage family recipes. Unpack the holiday decorations Decorating the house for the holidays is a lot of work. Be a friend to your future self and get the ball rolling early. Take the decorations out, make sure the lights still work and figure out what you need to pick up during the Black Friday sales. Go to the movies After being cooped up in the house all day, going out to see a movie might be exactly what the doctor ordered. Thanksgiving weekend is one of the best (and busiest) times to see a new film. Scout out times and get tickets ahead of time to make sure you don't miss out on the latest blockbuster. Map out your Black Friday shopping plan When it comes to Black Friday, it's crucial that you make a plan — otherwise you'll come home with things you don't really need. Make a list of who you need to buy for, then see where the best prices are. Once you've got a plan in place, map out where to go so you don't waste a single, precious moment on the big day. Sarah is a lifestyle and entertainment reporter for TODAY who covers holidays, celebrities and everything in between. More Thanksgiving 25 Thanksgiving poems to share at the dinner table this year Thanksgiving colors: The meaning behind orange, yellow, red and brown 85 thoughtful Thanksgiving greetings and wishes to send in 2024 'Happy Thanksgiving' captions to post in celebration of the holiday 75 Thanksgiving trivia questions and answers to share over dinner 65 thankful quotes to express your gratitude for all of life's blessings 42 fun Thanksgiving games to play before, during or after dinner 100 funny Thanksgiving puns that are simply the baste When is Thanksgiving 2024? Essential Turkey Day details to know 60 funny Thanksgiving quotes that'll have the dinner table yamming it up 418 IMAGES Essay on Thanksgiving Day Template (1000 Words) I am Thankful for... THANKSGIVING FUN PERSUASIVE ESSAY by Teacher Time I Am Thankful Thanksgiving Essay (final) ≫ An Analysis of the Things to Be Thankful for in Thanksgiving Day Free VIDEO A very thankful Thanksgiving We Are Thankful : Thanksgiving Show the first thanksgiving is a fairy tale Ending to a Thankful Thanksgiving Thanksgiving essay in english COMMENTS Thanksgiving Essays: Samples & Topics Find various essay topics and samples on Thanksgiving, a holiday that celebrates gratitude, unity, and tradition. Learn how to write an introduction, body, and conclusion for your Thanksgiving essay. Giving thanks can make you happier Gratitude is a thankful appreciation for what you receive, whether tangible or intangible. It is strongly associated with greater happiness, better health, and stronger relationships. Learn how to cultivate gratitude with research-backed tips and examples. A Heartwarming Thanksgiving Narrative: Embracing Family and Traditions Thanksgiving has always held a special place in my heart as a holiday that brings my family together in a tapestry of warmth, laughter, and cherished memories. Each year, as the days grow shorter and the air turns crisper, the anticipation of Thanksgiving begins to build in our household. It's a time when our bustling lives slow down, and we collectively embrace the opportunity to reconnect ... Thankful For Thanksgiving I am thankful for many things, including my education, my family, and my friends. Thanksgiving is a time for thanks, and I am thanking God for everything that I have. Finally, I'm thankful for my grandparents because they love me and they spoil me. My grandparents will always love me, and I will always love. Free Essay: Thanksgiving is coming ... Thanksgiving Reflections: a Personal Narrative Conclusion. In conclusion, Thanksgiving embodies a multifaceted narrative that transcends the act of feasting. It encompasses the joy of preparation, the challenges of the kitchen, and the shared moments of celebration. Thanksgiving also shares parallels with the Great Thanksgiving, urging us to be thankful amidst the complexities of life. Thanksgiving Essay: Best Guide With Topics And Samples Learn how to write a thanksgiving essay with various topics, samples and prompts. Find out the history, meaning and significance of this day and express your gratitude for different things in life. Being Thankful A short essay expressing gratitude for various blessings in life, such as family, home, food, and talent. The author also acknowledges the importance of being thankful and not taking things for granted. 10 Prompts for Talking and Writing About Thanksgiving Nov. 21, 2022. Every school day, we post a writing prompt based on a New York Times article for teenagers to respond to. And every November, we ask about Thanksgiving. This year, we've decided ... 70 Best Thanksgiving Quotes To Help Spread Gratitude Find inspiring and uplifting quotes about Thanksgiving from famous writers, poets, and public figures. Whether you want to express your gratitude, share your blessings, or give back, these quotes will help you celebrate the spirit of Thanksgiving. PDF What are you thankful for? Around Thanksgiving I like Thankful Essay By: Giancarlo Valenzuela What are you thankful for? Around Thanksgiving I like to think about what i am thankful for. I am thankful for my family and my cousins and my grandma and friends I am thankful for my family because they are the best and I love them a lot and they love me to. And when we go Thanksgiving Essay Find essays on various topics related to Thanksgiving, such as its history, traditions, food, and culture. Read examples of different types of essays, from decent to satisfactory, and get inspired for your own writing. PDF Thanksgiving/Thankful Essay Thanksgiving/Thankful Essay Thanksgiving is one of my favorite family holidays. Thanksgiving in the USA is celebrated every last Thursday of November every year. This is the time when everyone gathers and sits at the table with a big feast and gives thanks to the Lord for all the blessings we have received. There are so many things I am ... 20 Thanksgiving Writing Prompts Find fun and creative writing prompts and papers for Thanksgiving, such as letters, lists, poems, and stories. Download free Thanksgiving writing papers or access them online with Minds in Bloom Unlimited. Why Am I Thankful For Thanksgiving Lastly I'm thankful for God. The first thing I am thankful for this Thanksgiving is my family. I'm thankful for my family because they are always there when I need them. They will always be there for me no matter what. They will always take care of me. Secondly, my friends is another thing I am thankful for this Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving Essay Thanksgiving Day is a public occasion in the United States, and Thanksgiving 2021 happens on Thursday, November 25. In 1621, the Plymouth pilgrims and Wampanoag Native Americans shared a pre-winter reap feast that is recognized today as one of the first Thanksgiving festivities in quite a while. Question 3. PDF Thanksgiving Essay Thanksgiving Essay by Kelly Hashway It was the night before Thanksgiving and Leslie was sitting at her desk trying to write her essay for school. The topic was "What I'm thankful for this Thanksgiving" and Leslie didn't know where to begin. Mrs. Calendar had said they should focus on one specific thing and explain why they are thankful ... Being Thankful In The Wake Of Tragedy : 13.7: Cosmos And Culture Another study analyzed Thanksgiving essays written by more than 300 school-age kids living in the Midwest in 2000 and 2001, straddling each side of the Sept. 11 attacks. Children were most often ... Thanksgiving Essays A five-page essay on the history, purpose and misinterpretation of Thanksgiving, a national holiday in the US and Canada. The essay also includes a personal experience of a foreigner spending his first Thanksgiving in the US. PDF I'm So Thankful! Learn how to teach expository writing and make a thankful writing craft with this step-by-step lesson plan and printables. Students will write about what they are thankful for and create a personalized folder to share with their families on Thanksgiving. Being Thankful: Writing Prompt Ideas for Thanksgiving Find out how to teach your students about gratitude and being thankful with various writing prompts for Thanksgiving. Explore different topics, formats and levels of difficulty to suit your classroom needs. 50 Thanksgiving Activities For the Whole Family Find fun and festive ideas to celebrate Turkey Day with friends, family or anyone else. From games and crafts to jokes and trivia, there's something for everyone to enjoy on Thanksgiving. assignment essay homework paper phd resume review speech thesis