subject: Different Ways Of Celebrating Thanksgiving [print this page] There are numerous ways of celebrating Thanksgiving and one way to see the differences is to look at the way other countries celebrate. An American Thanksgiving typically means staying inside to keep warm, cooking a huge feast and watching football. Plentiful crops are represented by a cornucopia table centerpiece that spills over with the fruits of the harvest, and people decorate their homes with colorful pumpkins and squashes. In Israel they celebrate Sukkoth and instead of staying indoors they build a shelter and head outside for the holiday, while commemorating the 40 years that the Israelites spent wandering the desert.
Of course it is not only countries that have different Thanksgiving Day celebrations; many people celebrate in any number of ways. One group that foregoes much of the traditional meal is vegans. Thanksgiving and Christmas, both related heavily to food can be tough for them and their families. Most often if only one member of the family is vegan, then that person may have to suffer through dinner with "Tom Turkey" on the table, but will often have prepared several vegetarian side dishes; a compromise that seems to work with most.
Of course there are other ways of celebrating Thanksgiving and expressing the true holiday spirit of sharing as well, and that is by donating time at a soup kitchen. Thanksgiving is understandably one of the busiest times at a soup kitchen and it can be one of the perfect Thanksgiving activities in which the whole family can participate.
Upholding Thanksgiving traditions is one way that many people choose to celebrate. Whether it is by cooking specific side dishes that appear every year on their table or enjoying a game of football between Thanksgiving dinner and those delicious desserts, traditions play an important part.
You may want to consider celebrating Thanksgiving in a similar fashion by making up plates of treats and setting them up at your local hospital or fire station, anywhere in your community where men and women must work on Thanksgiving Day. Or, make up a tray or two and take them to a retirement home or orphanage that may be in your area; somewhere where people are without family and may be alone. You may be surprised just how much it would mean to most of them.
