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Picture the scene: the house fills with the rich, comforting aroma of roast turkey while cousins you haven’t seen in a year argue (good-naturedly) about the best way to mash potatoes. The football is on in the background, the parade’s confetti is still clinging to jackets by the front door, and somewhere a timer dings to announce yet another pie. Thanksgiving has always been about so much more than food; it’s a seasonal chapter in the bigger story we write with family, friends, and community.
From Harvest Feast to Federal Holiday
1621: The three-day feast
After their first difficult year in what is now Massachusetts, the surviving English settlers marked a successful harvest with a three-day gathering alongside at least 90 Wampanoag people. They ate venison, wildfowl, and dishes shaped by Native knowledge of local ingredients. Nobody called it “Thanksgiving” at the time, but the seed of the tradition was planted.
1800s: One woman’s 36-year campaign
Fast-forward two centuries and magazine editor Sarah Josepha Hale, better known for writing Mary Had a Little Lamb, spent decades urging presidents to create a single, unifying day of thanks. Her letters and editorials caught the imagination of a nation looking for moments of unity during turbulent times.
1863: Lincoln’s proclamation
Moved by Hale’s persistence (and keen to foster national togetherness in the midst of the Civil War), President Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday in November a day “to heal the wounds of the nation” and practise gratitude.
1939–1941: ‘Franksgiving’ and the fourth Thursday
President Franklin D. Roosevelt nudged the holiday forward by a week to extend the Christmas shopping season, a decision so unpopular it earned the nickname “Franksgiving”. Two years later, Congress compromised and fixed Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November, where it remains today.
Why Thanksgiving Matters More Than Ever in 2025
Our calendars bulge, our phones buzz, and the world rarely slows down. That’s precisely why pressing pause each November feels increasingly essential.
A proven boost for wellbeing
Modern psychology tells us that expressing gratitude, out loud, in writing, or even silently, can lower stress, improve sleep, and strengthen relationships. Thanksgiving offers a once-a-year reminder to practise a habit we can (and should) carry into everyday life.
An antidote to digital drift
It’s startling how quickly chats turn into group texts and hugs into emojis. Gathering around a real table, phones face-down, re-centres our conversations on faces, laughter, and stories that deserve to be told in person.
Space for honest reflection
For many Indigenous communities, the fourth Thursday is observed as a National Day of Mourning. Acknowledging this perspective doesn’t cancel celebration; it enriches it. Sharing the fuller story honours the resilience of Native peoples and opens conversations about respect, stewardship, and shared history.
Community care in challenging times
Rising living costs mean more neighbours rely on food banks and volunteer kitchens. Thanksgiving’s spirit of giving makes it the perfect moment to share surplus, donate time, or simply knock on a door and say, “We saved you a slice.”
Five Simple Ways to Weave More Gratitude Into the Weekend
1. Gratitude Jar
How to Try This: Place a jar and small slips of paper where guests can see them. Invite everyone to jot down something they’re thankful for and pop it in the jar. Read them aloud together during dessert.
Why It Works: Sharing gratitude out loud fosters connection and warmth.
Little Extra Magic: Ask children to illustrate their notes—it turns them into instant keepsakes!
2. Volunteer Together
How to Try This: Spend part of your weekend serving meals, collecting donations, or helping a local cause. Shifts the focus from my table to our community.
Why It Works: Giving back reminds us of our shared humanity.
Little Extra Magic: Book the volunteer slot before a big feast—the shared glow carries into dinner.
3. Digital Detox Hour
How to Try This: Agree on a phone-free window (like during pre-dinner nibbles). No scrolling—just talking, laughing, and being present.
Why It Works: Unplugging helps everyone engage more deeply.
Little Extra Magic: Hand out retro disposable cameras for candid snaps—no filters, just memories.
4. Pass-the-Story
How to Try This: Gather in a circle and take turns adding one sentence to a rolling tale about “The Most Thankful Turkey”. Hilarity guaranteed.
Why It Works: Playful storytelling sparks creativity and joy.
Little Extra Magic: Save the final story in a keepsake journal to revisit next year.
5. Gratitude Journaling
How to Try This: After a meal, slip away to a quiet nook and jot down the day’s best moments on paper.
Why It Works: Writing cements gratitude in your memory.
Little Extra Magic: Use a dedicated journal (like Our Moments to Remember) that slips neatly into a kitchen drawer, ready for next year’s reflections.
The FROM YOU TO ME Take
At FROM YOU TO ME, we believe every expression of thanks is the first page of a story worth saving. Whether you’re filling a Dear Dad journal with memories, swapping personalised children’s books after the parade, or simply scribbling who carved the turkey best this year, your words today become tomorrow’s cherished heirlooms.
A Final Toast
So here’s to pumpkin pie crumbs on the tablecloth, to full sinks and fuller hearts, to saying “thanks” and truly meaning it. May your Thanksgiving be generous in spirit, rich in storytelling, and brimming with moments you’ll one day pass down, perhaps inside a well-loved FROM YOU TO ME journal.
Happy Thanksgiving, from our family to yours.