Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate everything we are lucky enough to have in Canada—clean air, abundant resources, high-quality food and water, healthcare, and so much more. It’s also a time to be with your family and friends and make sure they know how grateful you are for them. How are you celebrating it this year?
Give thanks and practice gratitude. Even if you’re abroad and don’t have a big family to share a meal with this year, you can still celebrate the holiday all by yourself by taking time to think hard about everything you have and how lucky you are to have it. If you don’t already have a daily gratitude list, consider using the day to write down a big list of every little thing you can think of that you are grateful to have, from things as important as a healthy family to things as small as a favourite coffee mug.
Bake a pie. Cooking is a big way we show people love, and baking is as much self-care as it is a joyful experience for the person eating it. Pie season is in full swing, and Thanksgiving is nothing without an abundant selection of pecan, pumpkin and apple pies. Take it upon yourself to learn a new skill and enjoy the wonderful smell in your home that comes from baking before you bring it to your gathering where it will bring others joy.
Read about the history of Canada. It is easy to just focus on the good parts of Thanksgiving—being with family and friends eating amazing food—but it’s always a good idea to remember the true history of Thanksgiving and the roots of colonialism. It’s a good day to give back to the native community and support some organizations that truly help lift them up.
Spend time with your relatives. Whether it’s with the family you were born into or the family of friends you created yourself, make time to see the people you love, and share a meal and give thanks. It’s easy to get trapped in our busy lives and go months without seeing the people we love most—Thanksgiving is a good time to stop and reflect and really make the people in our lives a priority.
