Why Thanksgiving doesn’t feel the same anymore: a personal reflection on family, history and truth.

Thanksgiving hasn’t felt the same for me since 2019. I honestly can’t remember the last time my whole family came together for the holiday. My parents and siblings live in another state, and this year I ended up staying home instead of visiting family nearby—partly because I’m on my period, and partly because I just wasn’t in the mood for the whole “holiday spirit” thing.

And honestly… what’s the big deal anymore?

We treat Thanksgiving like this picture-perfect moment of togetherness, but at the same time we’re literally celebrating a holiday tied to trauma for multiple Indigenous nations. Meanwhile, the government feels like it’s falling apart more every day, but we pause once a year to dress up, eat turkey, and pretend everything is fine.

Don’t get me wrong—gratitude is important. Family time is important. But it feels strange that so many people focus only on the food and nostalgia, not the history behind Thanksgiving or the people this holiday continues to hurt. It’s like we want the cozy parts without acknowledging the truth.

Maybe I’m feeling this way because I’m taking a class that exposes so many inaccuracies in the way U.S. history is taught—especially around Native American communities. As a Black woman, I’ve always been aware of how the “official story” often centers the groups our society favors most. Learning more about the roots of inequality, homelessness, and how our economy keeps failing people has me examining everything differently… including holidays we take for granted.

So it really makes me question:

Why are we celebrating gratitude on a day that still offends Indigenous people?

And why do we use holidays as distractions from the problems we see every single day?

No wonder other countries side-eye the U.S. sometimes.

What I’m Reading Right Now

I’m currently on Chapter 9 of A Fate Inked in Blood by Danielle Jensen, and I’m really enjoying it so far. It has this old-folktale vibe, almost like it pulls from Scottish or Irish mythology, especially with the mentions of Odin and multiple gods. It’s outside my usual YA comfort zone, but the strong female lead and the myth-heavy world building definitely pulled me in.

What About You?

I love hearing what other people are reading or watching—especially during the holidays when everyone’s curled up with something cozy.

What are you reading right now? Watching anything good?

And since it is Thanksgiving:

What’s your must-have turkey day food?

(I’m nosy. Drop it in the comments.)