Thanksgiving Day 2017: 6 Reasons Why Every Culture Should Celebrate This Holiday

Aside from the historic and religious origins of the holiday, today we celebrate Thanksgiving by gathering to give thanks for our blessings (and crops) from the preceding year. Yes, we probably should be doing this more than once a year, but if it’s not the case, every culture should take at least one day to thank whoever it is they believe in, for whatever they feel grateful for. Studies have found that people who practice constant gratitude are more likely to feel joyful, which can improve their physical health!

Here are some other reasons every culture should have a Thanksgiving day:

1. The Food: As previously mentioned, this day has its origins from being thankful about bountiful crops from the past year. This means cooking and baking from the treasures the earth has brought for the season. So whichever vegetables and fruits are in season in your country is what you should use to prepare a glorious feast!

2. The Company: Some families are lucky enough to get together that day, but those who aren’t also try to find a way to spend it with dear friends or other families. The idea is to get together with loved ones and people whose companies we enjoy, to make the celebration more complete.

3. The Holiday Kick-Off: Every year stores decorate sooner; Halloween isn’t even over when you start seeing Santas and pine trees everywhere, as if life wasn’t going fast enough already. But Thanksgiving is the unofficial, official kick off. That’s when your diet for the year ends; it’s when we know the year is over and the holidays are really here.

4. The Charity: The premise is very simple: when you count your blessings, you realize how lucky you are and wish to share with others who have less. Although this should happen all year round, it’s ok if at least you take this season as an opportunity to do something for others.

5. Days Off: Pretty self-explanatory, the days off from work make it easier to spend quality time with our loved ones and provide more time for reflecting, giving, thanking, and feasting.

6. Gratitude: The most important one of them all, as previously mentioned, numerous studies have found that the being thankful and feeling grateful are some of the most powerful tools to achieving happiness or at least joyful emotions. Gratitude can improve your relationships, your immune system and even lower your blood pressure! “There is ALWAYS something to be thankful for.”