I know thanksgiving is supposed to be a time to be thankful and bless others but after knowing how many indigenous people would liken to boycott against thanksgiving I try to not equate thanksgiving with being thankful. I only relate it to big meals and a lot of food. My family still meets for the holiday so it is a time to see those I don’t see throughout the year. I try to find other ways to show my family I’m thankful for them. Food wise thanksgiving means Mac and cheese, rice and peas, and other delicious dishes.

I don’t usually get excited about thanksgiving because I don’t have a big family, there’s 3 of us & we usually stay in watching tv and eating all day every year. Generally, the holidays make me feel sad and isolated, there are days where I feel “jolly” and thankful but not for too long. It’s usually a time of year where everyone is stressing over money, especially with black Friday being the day after thanksgiving. It’s ironic how we’ve dedicated a day to being grateful for what we have and the very next day we’re fighting others for toys and whatnot on sale. The articles that appear in “What Does Thanksgiving Mean to You?” by the New York Times are so relatable and are a good representation of how many oof us feel during the holidays.

To me, Thanksgiving is a time where I’m able to relax and get a break from both school and work. Those around me and in my neighborhood use this time to get together with close friends and family, create new memories and enjoy each other’s presence, something they’re not able to do too often. Even though my family and I don’t do much for thanksgiving we still make sure we make lots of food, sometimes we make turkey and other years we make traditional dishes like Pernil(Roasted pork), potato salad, rice and beans. We like to trade plates of food with neighbors, this is our way of showing thanks and still connecting with others when we don’t want to have big house parties. When I’m older I want to start getting together with my close friends and members outside of my intermediate family, this is something I have not have the pleasure of doing as a child.

Thanksgiving makes me feel warm. When family comes around you get into a positive mood because you know you are about to be surrounded by people you love. Sometimes you can feel isolated and lonely because all your family members are busy working, and you do not hang around as much as when you were kids. That’s what makes holiday breaks so great. A chance to eat some homemade food that you know your aunty put her all into and crack jokes with your favorite uncle. It’s these special moments that lift you up and keep you going.

 
Thanksgiving as a kid meant eating turkey and learning about Native Americans sharing a meal with Pilgrims, but now as I’ve gotten older, I have realized that not just that simple. The basis of this holiday brings up centuries-old unhealed wounds for many people on this land. Spending time with your family is great, but it is important that we remember, listen to, and uplift our indigenous people during celebrations with this kind of deep negative meaning behind it. We as citizens may not be able to make much change, but we can show our deepest regrets and appreciations for those who deserve it.