How to make your Thanksgiving more Sacred

Happy Thanksgiving! We are heading to Montana to have Jenksgiving at my sister’s and she could have a baby ANY DAY!! I really hope she goes into labor while I’m there. I’ll be an aunt for the first time and I can’t wait.

Here are a few things you can do to make your Thanksgiving more Sacred.

1. Understand the real origins of Thanksgiving.

The Harvest Meal was a Fall Equinox tradition dating back to the pre-Christian Europeans who honored Mother Earth’s bounty in the fall. SO thanksgiving is actually a secret, feminine tradition. Americans adopted it as a National Holiday in 1863, during the peak of the Native American Genocide which, in my opinion, served as an effort to “distract” people from the atrocities being committed by creating a story around the comradely between the Pilgrims and the Native Americans. 

In our home, we use Thanksgiving as a time to educate our kids on the real history of Native Americans (which my kids still do not get in school), celebrate their culture and their massive contribution to science, the arts and environmental protection. 

Since my ancestors came over on the Mayflower, we also take the opportunity to talk about religious freedom, taking risks, and creating new legacies. And, we are clear with our kids that our ancestors were most likely involved in the genocide of the Native Americans, which is why it is really important for us to support our local native American tribes, and honor the original ancestors of the land we live on.

We believe that we can hold both the joy and the pain in our family.

2. Know the symbolism of foods

Pecans, Oysters & Turkey are all about fertility!

Pumpkins and squash symbolize the womb.

Cranberries symbolize the bitterness of life.

And Potatoes keep us grounded! 

3. Ask your family members and loved ones some meaningful questions around the table to get people to go deeper.

Here are a few of my favorites:

What is something you’re really excited about in your life right now?

What part of your life are you proud of right now and why?

What is one way you’ve grown since last Thanksgiving?

If you could sum up your life right now like it’s a book, what would the title be?

What is one thing you would like to see happen before the end of the year? 

And of course, it’s a beautiful time to share what you are grateful for and to bask in the magic of the present moment.

I hope you have the most nourishing, meaningful, and Sacred time with your loved ones. 
Remember, you get to set the tone. You get to make it meaningful.