Thanksgiving is a quintessentially American holiday in that it is about giving thanks for life itself. It’s a holiday like no other, as there are no presents exchanged, only acknowledgements of all the non-material things that make for fulfilled and happy lives – like friends, family, freedom.  Amongst the marvellous things about Thanksgiving, the 5 best are:

Family – Family has to be the best thing about the Thanksgiving holiday. Thanksgiving is a time when all  family members travel from different places across the nation to meet in one place, usually one of the family member’s home.  The family members makes the time to share this special holiday with one another. They share stories and treasured memories, give thanks, and catch up with those  they haven’t seen for a long time.

Turkey – The turkey would have to be the next best thing about Thanksgiving. Nothing says ‘Thanksgiving’ like the almost ritualised preparation, cooking and eating of the turkey. It is estimated that 88 percent of all Americans eat turkey on the Thanksgiving holiday. This tradition is said to have dated back to traditions of the New England harvest. The traditional way to cook turkey usually refers to roasting although some in the South like deep fried turkey. No matter how the turkey is prepared, there are over 730 million pounds of it consumed by American on this holiday each year. Pulling apart the wishbone of the turkey is also a favourite shared event at the table.

Parades – Americans love the excitement and thrill of watching the Thanksgiving parades. One of the more famous and largest parades is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Many people travel to New York to see the parade, camping out on the parade route the night before in order to snag the best spot. Millions others watch it on TV, thrilled by the spectacle of enormous sky-high balloons, Santa on his sleigh, Radio City Rockettes in full performance mode, and many other fantastic floats and marching bands.

Volunteers – Another fantastic thing about Thanksgiving is the amount of Americans who use this day to volunteer their time to the homeless and other less fortunate people in the community.  Charitable organizations host free dinners for these members of their community and hold food drives for families and individuals who require help to make the holiday season one to share in and enjoy.

Being Grateful – Lastly being grateful for all you have is one of best things that you can experience on Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving teaches us that gratitude is an important practise to observe and to remind ourselves of the many benefits we are blessed with in our lives.