How Does Thanksgiving Bring People Together

Food has been playing a part in human cultures since the beginning of time. An example is that certain foods are used in my religion to symbolize the body of Christ. A second example is the use of dates in Islamic culture, as dates are commonly eaten at the Iftar meal to break the fast of Ramadan, recalling the tradition that the prophet Muhammad broke his fast by eating three dates. However, it is not always used in a religious setting. Thanksgiving is a great example. By having your family with you while you eat together is truly special and is most likely a tradition as you will most likely do it again the following year. Foods connect to the theme of bringing people together, sometimes in ways they wouldn’t have thought. By eating the same foods, it allows people to achieve a higher goal together, either by becoming closer to god or becoming closer to family and friends.

The first example of a “ritual” food would have

Thanksgiving is a time for, well, “giving thanks”, and that couldn’t as special without your family with you. Sitting together at a huge table, everyone gets to enjoy the meal, whether homemade or not. While not being seen as a religious gathering, Thanksgiving allows the start of a family tradition as most will come back the following year. It is great when people come together, in celebration of a common purpose. It is a reconciliation of differences as well as a time of healing. In sharing the good times as well as our struggles, we find strength and hope. It is also used to spread stories, as each generation brings an individual experience with them. Most importantly, it teaches us gratitude, as we humbly reflect upon all the gifts in our lives. By “giving-thanks” we choose to extend ourselves and give to others less fortunate. Out of the abundance of our hearts, we are able to offer our resources to help