An American Feast

Why Thanksgiving is a patriotic holiday

Thanksgiving is one of our most poetically elegant holidays. It’s also one of the most patriotic. The silver bells and holly wreaths of Christmas mark a prettier landscape, but there’s a more grounded beauty to a simple wooden table draped with white linen and piled with a cornucopia of New England delights.

The austerity of the table calls to mind the story of the Pilgrims, the poverty they faced and bounty they enjoyed. But instead of a healthy harvest and its promise of another spring, we give thanks for the memories of our loved ones harvested from another year, and the cheer that nourishes us through the cold seasons of our lives.

But Thanksgiving is more than a charming harvest feast. It’s a celebration of freedom and opportunity. If the Fourth of July celebrates the birth of the American dream, Thanksgiving celebrates its survival.