If you’re an American student at St Andrews, whether merely spending a semester abroad or braving all four years far away from home, I am sure you find Thanksgiving somewhat of a difficult time. For most of us, that family-oriented holiday not only functioned as a much needed academic break before daunting December exams, but equally served as a time to recharge with friends and family, reflecting on those we are grateful for.
As Scottish winters approach, saddening us with their 3p.m. sunsets, it is unsurprising we cling to Thanksgiving nostalgia, reminiscing on fond memories of big family gatherings, opulent dinners of turkey and stuffing, pies and crumbles galore, and proper American football.
However, I’ve found that celebrating Thanksgiving in St Andrews has two prominent pushbacks.
Firstly, I cannot blame people for being off-put by Thanksgiving. It would be wrong for me to deny the troubling historical context of this beloved holiday. Our modern conception of Thanksgiving hinges on a great myth, championing a fabricated symbol of unity.
The glorified “friendship” between the Pilgrims and Native Americans, the one we cherish each year, was built on a faulty foundation, fraught with falsehoods, broken promises, and wrongful death. In many regards, Thanksgiving is a gross and painful reminder of a dark colonialist chapter in American history.
Thus, I agree that it is absolutely necessary to decolonize Thanksgiving, teaching all who intend to partake the gruesome truth that underpins our celebrations.
That being said, I firmly believe Thanksgiving should not be written off. Rather than tossing away our beloved traditions, I suggest we should merely repackage them, endeavoring to make a Thanksgiving that is both truthful and wholesome.
This leads me to addressing the second pushback, one almost entirely purported by St Andrews’ British population. Many of my English and Scottish friends belittle Thanksgiving, crucifying it as an unnecessary roadblock in the joyful journey to Christmas.
For them (and truthfully, for me) the Christmas season begins at midnight on the first of November. Thus, they question why we must revert back to autumn for one meager day, when our hearts are already set on another season, and our ears have been avidly imbibing Taylor Swift’s Christmas album the past few weeks? Well, maybe you’re not a Taylor Swift fan, but I digress!
If you are relatively close-minded and rigid when it comes to Christmas, I invite you to take Thanksgiving as an opportunity to celebrate “friendmas,” borrowing from the beloved tradition of “friendsgiving.” Perhaps you can come up with a superior title, but “friendmas” is a foolproof way to satisfy your friend group, catering to the homesick American and the Christmas-centric Brit.
And if you’re keen on a more traditional celebration, don’t let me stop you! I merely contest that Thanksgiving should be celebrated by us all, for the mere reason that it allows us to find joy and celebration in the dreaded “deadline season,” a time colored with dull library sessions, the droning clacking of typing keyboards, and a lack of sleep.
It is easy to neglect Thanksgiving, protesting that you have no time to celebrate in the midst of end of the semester stress. However, I feel positive that every one of us can carve out our schedules to encompass one evening of wholesome fun. As exams taunt us and revision drains us, take the time to be present, and find gratitude for those who’ve helped you get through this semester.
Ultimately, whether you treat it as a pre-Christmas festivity or take it as a proper Thanksgiving celebration, know that merely making time to romanticize our lives, even in the smallest of ways, can have a positive effect.