Thanksgiving: The Neglected Counter-Cultural Holiday

Thanksgiving, especially in recent years, is a neglected holiday. Sandwiched  between Halloween and Christmas, and overshadowed by Black Friday, people know Thanksgiving is there, but many don’t put much thought into it until they have to start planning family, food and travel. In recent years, Halloween has become a more culturally celebrated holiday than Thanksgiving. There was even a fun little trend going around social media where you’d show a picture of yourself on Oct. 31 ready for Halloween, and then on Nov. 1 ready for Christmas with Thanksgiving not even an afterthought. There’s just not much societal excitement for Thanksgiving, which is interesting – but it makes sense. Thanksgiving doesn’t fit the ‘cultural narrative’ of self-focus that has been set up.

The first Thanksgiving is widely regarded as having been celebrated by the Mayflower pilgrims in 1621. It had been an incredibly difficult winter (about half of the pilgrims had died from disease or other hardships), and the summer wasn’t looking much better. But God provided by sending Squanto to teach them how to grow food and fend for themselves, as well as secure a peace treaty with the neighboring Native American tribes. In the fall of that year, they held a feast to celebrate and thank God for His provision.