Thanksgiving arrives each year with the warmth of family gatherings, the aroma of roasted turkey, and the comfort of familiar traditions. Yet beneath the surface of this beloved holiday lies a complex history that many families are beginning to acknowledge. The traditional narrative of Pilgrims and Indigenous peoples sharing a harmonious feast doesn’t reflect the full story of colonization, displacement, and cultural erasure that followed.
This shift in awareness doesn’t mean abandoning gratitude or family connections. Instead, it opens the door to celebrating Thanksgiving in ways that honour both the positive aspects of gathering together and the need for historical accuracy and respect. In fact, many families are discovering that acknowledging complexity actually deepens their appreciation for what they have.
The goal isn’t to eliminate joy from the holiday, but rather to expand our understanding of what it means to give thanks while being mindful of those who suffered colonialism. Read on to explore tips for celebrating Thanksgiving respectfully.
Acknowledge the Full Historical Context
The story most of us learned in school about the first Thanksgiving represents only a small piece of a much larger and more complicated historical picture. The 1621 harvest celebration between Plymouth colonists and members of the Wampanoag tribe did occur. However, it wasn’t called “Thanksgiving” at the time, and it marked the beginning of a relationship that would ultimately prove devastating for Indigenous peoples.
Rather than pretending this complexity doesn’t exist, consider starting your gathering with a brief acknowledgment of the Indigenous peoples who originally inhabited your region. This doesn’t require a lengthy speech or formal ceremony. Simply naming the original stewards of the land shows respect for the full history of the place you call home.
Some families find it meaningful to learn about the specific tribes who lived in their area before European colonization. This knowledge adds depth to your understanding of where you live and can spark interesting conversations about local history that go beyond the standard Thanksgiving narrative.
Focus on Gratitude Above All Else
The most enduring value of Thanksgiving lies in its emphasis on gratitude, not in recreating a sanitized version of historical events. By shifting your celebration’s focus toward genuine thankfulness, you can maintain the holiday’s positive aspects while stepping away from problematic historical elements.
Consider asking each person at your table to share something they’re grateful for from the past year, or create a gratitude jar where family members can write notes throughout the day. These practices centre the experience on appreciation for present blessings rather than on potentially offensive historical roleplay.
If your family is Christian, you might also contemplate Bible verses about thankfulness or other spiritual texts that emphasize gratitude. Basically, make gratitude the star of your celebration. There is nothing problematic about being grateful for the blessings that fill your life, especially if you pair this appreciation with an acknowledgement of privilege and the history that led to it.
Support Indigenous Communities
One of the most meaningful ways to observe Thanksgiving respectfully is taking concrete steps to support contemporary Indigenous communities. This moves your activism beyond the performative stage into action that can make a real difference in people’s lives.
Consider donating to Indigenous-led organizations, purchasing goods from Native American businesses, or supporting land sovereignty movements. Many tribes have specific needs or causes they’re working on, from language preservation to environmental protection. Research what Indigenous communities in your area are prioritizing and find ways to contribute.
If possible, you might also choose to purchase some of your Thanksgiving ingredients from Indigenous suppliers. This supports Native economies while connecting your meal to contemporary Indigenous agriculture and food traditions.
Include Diverse Voices in Your Celebration
Being able to make people feel safe is one of those subtle qualities that make you a great person, and you can bring that skill to Thanksgiving by intentionally creating a diverse, inclusive get-together. Consider inviting friends from different cultural backgrounds or reading works by Indigenous authors as part of your gathering. This might be sharing poems, stories, or essays that offer a variety of perspectives on gratitude, history, or community. Including diverse voices doesn’t mean turning your dinner into a lecture, but rather creating space for broader perspectives to inform your celebration.
Practice Cultural Humility
It’s important to remember what we don’t know and commit to ongoing learning rather than assuming we’ve figured everything out after reading a few articles. Cultural humility means recognizing that Indigenous experiences and perspectives are diverse, and that no single approach will satisfy everyone.
Different Indigenous communities have varying relationships with Thanksgiving and different feelings about how non-Indigenous people should observe it. Some prefer complete avoidance of the holiday, while others appreciate respectful acknowledgment. Rather than assuming you know what’s best, listen to multiple voices and remain open to adjusting your approach as you learn more.
This humility extends to recognizing that learning about Indigenous history and contemporary issues is an ongoing process, not a box to check once and forget about. Respectful celebration of Thanksgiving can be part of a broader commitment to understanding and supporting Indigenous communities year-round.
Extend Gratitude Beyond One Day
Perhaps the most considerate way to approach Thanksgiving is to expand your practice of gratitude beyond a single day in November. This shift turns thankfulness into a way of life rather than a once-yearly observance tied to a specific historical narrative.
Consider establishing weekly or monthly family gratitude practices, keeping gratitude journals throughout the year, or finding regular ways to give back to your community. These ongoing practices can make your annual gathering feel like part of a larger commitment to thankfulness, not an isolated event.
Celebrate With Intention This Year
Celebrating Thanksgiving respectfully doesn’t require perfection or unanimous agreement on the best approach. What it does require is thoughtfulness, ongoing learning, and a willingness to prioritize respect for Indigenous peoples over comfort with familiar traditions.
By informing yourself and using that knowledge to adjust how you engage with the holiday, you can actually deepen your gratitude and strengthen family connections. Moreover, this intentional approach to celebration can become a tradition worth passing down to future generations.