Thanksgiving?

[Xlady-OpheliaX]

I've never read anything about pagans celabrating thanksgiving.
How do you feel on the subject?
I, for one, have nothing against celabrating it because the whole thing would not have been possible with out pagans (native americans) and it is, to me, a symbol of harmony between the two religions.  

[Atma311]

That's a rosy way of looking at it considering how the natives got screwed over in a heartbeat by the "civilized" foreigners. I don't particularly mind Thanksgiving as long as I am able to get something to eat (which can be hard for a vegetarian, you know xp ), but I don't put too much importance on this day and I think most everyone that celebrates it only sees a big meal and not so much to be thankful for.

There are some, however, that probably do celebrate Thanksgiving with the true spirit of how it should be celebrated. I'd like to think a lot of people sit and think on Thanksgiving about what the day really should mean as opposed to what it's been made into over the years.

Wow... I didn't think I'd go into a little rant on this... Sorry sweatdrop  

[Shogun_Emrys]

really thanksgiving is more of a national holiday and doesn't have any religious pretext. so I find no reason not to celebrate, when I was younger I really did celebrate it as a time to be thankfull but now its more like a perfect time of year for an excuse to get drunk with family and watch football. GO LIONS.  

[Noirkaze]

As I've gotten older I've not seen a major reason to celebrate Thanksgiving. I've never found a religious context to place with the holiday. If anything I do use it as an excuse to be with family. In fact I'm celebrating it this weekend with family I've only seen twice before.  

[Seira Relur]

Personally, I just find it as an excuse to get out of work... and to enjoy pumpkin pie. Mmmmm... ... ...
Historically speaking, I agree with Atma when he said:

Quote:

"the natives got screwed over in a heartbeat by the "civilized" foreigners."

I'm not a fan on how they sit down and feast one day, and get slaughtered and shoved out of their land the next. It's irritating, so as long as no one actually relates Thanksgiving to that feast (as in "this is the great fantastical reason we celebrate this holiday!"), I'm good.  

[Xlady-OpheliaX]

Atma311

That's a rosy way of looking at it considering how the natives got screwed over in a heartbeat by the "civilized" foreigners. I don't particularly mind Thanksgiving as long as I am able to get something to eat (which can be hard for a vegetarian, you know xp ), but I don't put too much importance on this day and I think most everyone that celebrates it only sees a big meal and not so much to be thankful for.

There are some, however, that probably do celebrate Thanksgiving with the true spirit of how it should be celebrated. I'd like to think a lot of people sit and think on Thanksgiving about what the day really should mean as opposed to what it's been made into over the years.

Wow... I didn't think I'd go into a little rant on this... Sorry sweatdrop

I understand what you mean! I'm vegetarian as well. Yes, I know they did get screwed big time, which is very sad.  

[Mor Righ Anu]

Thanksgiving is a day to be thankful for what you have. Its not religious, its not about football, and its not about having to eat turkey! If you want to having a vegaterian thanksgiving its fine. Just be thankful for what the Gods/Goddess have blessed you with. Do not think about the negative ( cuz it seriously could be worse)  

[Starlock]

It's a celebration with the family, so I do it. Inconvinient when it falls on my B-day but that hasn't happened in quite a while. The Neopagan thanksgiving is more around the time of Autumn Equinox. Having a harvest fest in November always strikes me as a tad odd....  

[Gawqueenpenguin]

i know this is an old topic but i just joined the guild a bit ago and i was browsing the forums... and i hate to break it to every one but there was actually no great day of feasting.... the natives did help the settlers here and there but truly there was no great feast. Thanksgiving was actually a pilgrim practice based on their strict religious faith that they had to put a side one day of prayer a week to give thanks for all they had, normally most pilgrims used Sunday because they already held sabbath on that day. eventually as more settlers came to the Americas the practice died out till one year a president (i forgot which and I'm to sleepy to really look up his name) decided he would declare it a national holiday and if Bush is any proof to this.. politicians are stupid and don't really look to much into their choices or their reasoning and just said because we're celebrating a specific day in time when the natives helped us immigrants.

personally i celebrate it not as a religious holiday but a day to give thanks not only for the harvest but for friends family and loved ones.  

[Nomad of Nowhere]

I confess, when I first read the beginning of this thread, my first impression was that the idea was sort of naive. I celebrate many holidays with my family, but maintain a different feeling about it; thanksgiving, for example, is tinged with a hint of somberness, and I remind myself when I look at thel table full of food; "There really was more than enough of this land to go around." and I suppose I have half a notion that I'm drinking to the big picture, of sharing the harvest all across the table, and not just seizing it. It didn't happen, but I will drink to remembering that the table is set for the family- you know, everyone. "Here's to a lesson" more than anything else.  

[twilight insanity]

number one.) i believe that reason is an illusion. everyone comes to a deciscion then attaches a reason to it. thus, anything can be a holiday.
number two.) i believe you nee dno reason to celebrate anything, and so you can take any holiday and celebrate it as your own, for whatever reasons you want!
number three.) there is no need to dis a holiday because some people celebrate it ignorantly, or it comemorates something that offends you.