When you start to study why things are, the way they are, you start to realize just how wrong some things are. American Thanksgiving, for example.
As a kid, I was taught that the Pilgrims had the first Thanksgiving, when the Indians brought them food. Their harvest had failed, and they were looking at starvation. The local Wampanoag tribe did the neighborly thing, and brought them food to eat. So they did what Europeans have been doing for centuries, and had a feast with their native neighbors.
That’s the story of the first American Thanksgiving, and it’s a wonderful story. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln decided to make it an official National Holiday, and declared the fourth Thursday of November as Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is as close as the mainstream gets to celebrating the harvest. Why do I say that? Well, we all know that the symbol of Thanksgiving is the turkey, but right along with it, are cranberries and pumpkin pie. Both cranberries and pumpkins are harvested in October. Thanksgiving is a Harvest Holiday.
Unfortunately, it’s a month late. Every other culture in the Northern Hemisphere, celebrates Thanksgiving in October, when the harvest is actually brought in. America decided it should be in November, so that’s when we celebrate it. We’re kind of like the Holy Roman Empire that way. Pick a convenient date for us, and don’t worry about what history, tradition or Nature says.
As a Witch, or any other follower of a Nature based spiritual Path, one of the things you learn to do, is look to Nature for ques. If you’re going to celebrate the harvest, you should celebrate it once it’s in, not a month later. We are giving thanks to the Gods, that the harvest was bountiful enough to get us through the coming Winter.
Americans haven’t had to worry about harvesting enough to feed us through the Winter for more than 100 years. The Great Plains, the “Bread Basket” of America, produce far more than our population can eat. We produce so much, that we export far more than we use ourselves. This is a good thing. We have the most successful farmers in the world.
Most Americans today, don’t know this. They go to the grocery store, and buy whatever they want, whenever they want, whether it’s “in season” or not. Our technology, and trade have allowed this. This is also a good thing. I enjoy eating fruit in the middle of Winter. The unfortunate side effect of this ability to get anything you want, at any time, is that we as a culture have moved so far away from Nature, that most think of it as a nuisance, not a blessing.
Americans are obsessed with killing weeds in their yard, because it’s not the particular weed they planted. We curse flies and mosquitos in the Summer, never thinking about their part in the food chain, that leads directly to us. It’s no wonder that we celebrate the harvest a month late, without a single thought.
Today, Thanksgiving is about family. We gather with extended family for a day, and catch up with what is going on in their lives. That is what the Harvest Festival was always about. Everyone bringing something to the feast to share. Catching up with those we don’t see often. Renewing bonds of family and tribe. Some of the ancient traditions are as strong as ever. Even if we don’t recognize them as such.
New traditions have appeared. Macy’s has their annual parade, to bring attention to their stores. In the afternoon, we watch the football game, usually Detroit losing to some other team. There is nothing wrong with adding new traditions. They keep the holiday relevant to our lives today.
Just don’t forget where Thanksgiving really started. With the Harvest.
