If you have just moved to the United States, you probably haven’t had the opportunity to celebrate Thanksgiving. The United States along with other countries such as Canada, Liberia, and some of the Caribbean islands celebrate this holiday,but on different dates. The United States celebrates Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November.
The history of Thanksgiving
Traditionally, Thanksgiving was a day where people got to celebrate the harvest and blessings of the previous year. The very first Thanksgiving celebration dates from October 1621 after the Pilgrims first successful harvest season at the Plymouth Plantation. At that time, this celebration lasted 3 days. However, it wasn’t until the American Civil War in 1863 that Thanksgiving became a national Holiday dedicated to giving thanks and praising God.
Some Thanksgiving traditions are still present. Certain foods that were traditionally prepared during that time, especially turkey, is still very popular. This is why you will hear people refer to this holiday as Turkey Day. Based on my experience in the United States, Thanksgiving is the country’s most “family focused” holiday. Having
The fact that Thanksgiving is such a family centered holiday is very hard for international students and those who are away from their families and cannot fly back home to celebrate. I was alone on most Thanksgiving Days but didn’t feel sad because this wasn’t a holiday that we celebrated in Benin. It could be a different experience for you! Especially if you are from one of those countries that celebrate this holiday. This article has awesome tips on how to prevent homesickness during the holidays. Although I didn’t always celebrate Thanksgiving, there were years where I was blessed to join people and celebrate with them.
Here is what to expect at a Thanksgiving Dinner based on my experience:
Be ready to be stuffed
Be ready to eat a LOT. Most Thanksgiving meals will include: Turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, sweet corn, fall vegetables, pies, cranberry sauce, cornbread and green bean casserole (my favorite). Depending on what part of the country you reside in, certain items from this list may vary, but shouldn’t differ too much.
Be ready for great table conversation
When family and friends gather, great conversations flow! Be ready to participate. This often is the occasion for the people you are celebrating with to get to know you better and for you to get to know them as well. Any questions you have about the food or about Thanksgiving traditions will be great ways to join in the conversation, don’t be shy!
Food coma will most likely hit you
After all the eating and fun conversation comes the part where you feel very sleepy. This happened to me after every Thanksgiving meal. One time it was so bad that I asked the host if I could nap and she nicely offer me the guest room. I probably ate too much!
Feel Blessed
I always felt very blessed to have been spending the holiday with people. Don’t forget to thank them. However you can still enjoy the holiday even if you didn’t receive any dinner invite. Most universities host a Thanksgiving dinner for international students. Some schools will do it at the school cafeteria and others will do it in a different location. In case your school isn’t hosting a dinner, you could plan with other international students. If you put money together, you can order a thanksgiving meal from your local grocery store.
If you aren’t feeling so festive, it’s totally ok, just enjoy the extra days off.