Did you celebrate Thanksgiving?
Hey ya'll!
I was just wondering what you all did on Thanksgiving. Did you spend it with family. Did you have to do the "let's all take hands and thank god for...."? I have many things in my life I am thankful for. Not thankful TO anything or any one; just very grateful and honored to have the people in my life that I do. I can't fake the praying thing. I'm totally okay with taking hands of everyone at the dinner table, but the bowing of the head, and the random talking out loud to "the deity"---just not working for me. I usually end up using the prayer time to look around the table and see all my loved ones. I know that my life is rich and full of good people, a tough but fulfilling job, my fairly decent health (sans the optimal BMI!!).
Does you family pray, or do they ask everyone to speak to something they are grateful/thankful for. Is grateful different than thankful?? Thanksgiving and Christmas are holidays I look forward to because it's the excuse people use to make the effort to drop everything, and spend the day with loved ones. I sure wish we'd do it more often; but it is what it is....
What do you all think?
Jessica 
...just thinking out loud!
...just thinking out loud! 
We had a little Thanksgiving. I suggested a brief grace (which I realize is really odd for an atheist). My grandmother used to say a brief grace that expressed thanks for the gathering of family and friends and the food, and I miss her a lot.
I do have some incredibly annoying fundie relatives. My insane aunt used to sign along with the prayer. She learned some sign language through a church friend and felt that she had to sign for us. None of us were/are eharing impaired.
I reminded my sister of this bit of lunacy recently and asked her if she thought Auntie was signing because God is deaf.
"Well, that'd explain a lot," she said.
I was able to eat the usual Thanksgiving things (surgery is next month, liquid diet is a few days off). I won't go into detail, but it was nice. I didn't go crazy. I'm trying to be respectful of the leftovers without overeating. We really didn't need a turkey that big, or as many pies as I made. Oh well. At least pumpkin pie is a good source of protein.
I was able to eat the usual Thanksgiving things (surgery is next month, liquid diet is a few days off). I won't go into detail, but it was nice. I didn't go crazy. I'm trying to be respectful of the leftovers without overeating. We really didn't need a turkey that big, or as many pies as I made. Oh well. At least pumpkin pie is a good source of protein. Went to a friend's for Thanksgiving. Nice because I didn't have to cook. But...no leftovers. Ah well. The evening was interesting. Her relatives were all there. Loony as the day is long. As an innocent bystander who was just visiting for a few hours, it was great amusement. Were they my family...I'd likely want to run and hide when I saw them coming.
But...lots of good food, good wine and lunacy equals a fun time!
I don't think that it's wrong to be thankful as an atheist or agnostic...it's just who you are thanking that would come into play. I like to just plain old recognize that I'm a lucky individual. I don't credit 'god' with it...just acknowledge it.
The post about the signing to God cracked me up. Fundies are truly another breed with another way of approaching the most mundane of life's functions!
We go to Philadelphia every year for a huge family gathering. This year was 'small' and we only had 30. They say grace, but like you, I take the time to look around at everyone. Thanksgiving is my favorite celebration. It hasn't been commercialized (well maybe with black Friday it has) and there is no insane pressure to overspend. My favorite custom is the football pool we have. We buy squares on a grid and once a quarter the winner gets about $20.00 or so. Makes the football games interesting and that way we don't cluster off into little groups.
Barb
Hmmmm, My family is definitely an interesting bunch. My cousin and her family were there and they are JW's(not practicing now as she can't stay out of the bars or off of ecstacy long enough). My aunt and her husaband attend kingdom hall, but still celebrate holidays. My sister and her family are agnostic, and my mother is a still-in-the-closet Atheist married to a hypocritical christian who hates the world. She is one of those afraid to take that leap in case she is wrong. She still thinks being gay is wrong although she does not believe in the bible
(go figure). I am working on her though through some education.
We used to say grace, but no longer do. For my family, the holidays are just about the family, the food, and the presents. For me, it is just about the presents and maybe the food.
Happy Holidays everyone!!!!!
Terri
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