Understanding Thanksgiving: A day of Gratitude 

(From Dadu to his Grand Children) 

A Note from Dadu 

My dear grandchildren, 

As Thanksgiving approaches, I wanted to share with you the story behind this special day — not just the food or the celebrations, but the kindness, gratitude, and history that shaped it. No matter where you live, these ideas belong to all of us. I hope this little story helps you understand Thanksgiving and also reminds you of the joy in giving thanks every day. 

With love, 

Dadu 

Understanding Thanksgiving: A day of Gratitude 

(From Dadu to his Grand Children) 

Every year, when autumn paints the trees of North America in shades of gold and red, a special day arrives that brings families together around warm kitchens and happy tables. This day is called Thanksgiving, and even if you are  far away from the United States or Canada, its meaning is something that belongs to everyone. At its heart, Thanksgiving is about one simple word that glows in every culture and every home: gratitude. 

The story of Thanksgiving begins more than four hundred years ago, when a small group of people from Europe sailed across the ocean searching for a new home. These travellers, known as the Pilgrims, had a long and difficult journey, and when they reached the new land, life did not become easier. The winters were harsh, the farming was unfamiliar, and the land itself felt strange to them. 

Not far away lived the Wampanoag people, who had cared for this land for thousands of years. When they saw the Pilgrims struggling, they did something kind and generous—they helped. They taught the newcomers how to plant corn, how to fish in the rivers, and how to live with the seasons. When the Pilgrims finally had their first good harvest, they invited the Wampanoag to share a meal. People brought vegetables, roasted meats, fruits, and corn, and for three days they sat together, ate together, spoke to one another, and celebrated the gifts of the Earth. That was in the year 1621. This gathering is remembered as the First Thanksgiving, a moment when help, hope, and friendship came together like sunlight breaking through clouds. 

Many years later, long after the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag had shared their first meal, the United States had a president named Abraham Lincoln. The country was going through a difficult time, and people were worried and divided. Lincoln believed that a day of gratitude could bring comfort and hope to everyone. So in 1863, he chose the fourth Thursday of every November as a day when families should come together, remember their blessings, and give thanks. Many years afterward, in 1941, the U.S. Congress made this date official by passing a law, so that every generation would celebrate Thanksgiving on the same day.

Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated once a year—on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States and on the second Monday of October in Canada. Families travel from far and near to be with one another. Kitchens fill with the smell of roasting food, children help set the table, and everyone waits for the moment when they can sit together and talk about the things they are thankful for. Although turkey and pumpkin pie are common on this day, the real purpose of Thanksgiving lies in pausing, looking around, and appreciating the many blessings in our lives: family, friends, teachers, neighbours, and the Earth that feeds us. 

Even though Thanksgiving grew out of American history, almost every culture in the world has its own way of saying “thank you.” In India, festivals like Pongal, Makar Sankranti, Onam, and Baisakhi celebrate the harvest season and honour the farmers and fields. In China and East Asia, families come together during the Mid-Autumn Festival to share mooncakes and admire the full moon. In Ghana, people celebrate Homowo, a joyful festival marking the victory over famine. In Japan, a special day called Labor Thanksgiving Day honours both harvests and hard work, and many European countries have their own harvest festivals as well. These celebrations may look different, but they share the same gentle idea: the world gives us so much, and it is good to give thanks in return. 

Gratitude, when practised by children, becomes something magical. It turns an ordinary morning into a happy one, because you start noticing the small things that make life better—the smile of a friend, the kindness of a teacher, the taste of a favourite meal, or the comfort of coming home at the end of the day. Gratitude also teaches us to appreciate the people whose efforts we may not always see: the farmer in the field, the driver of the school bus, the gardener who waters the plants, or the workers who make our clothes and books. It helps us remember that so many hands help shape our world. 

You can celebrate the spirit of Thanksgiving no matter where you  live. You can share something you love, write a short note to someone who has helped you, water a plant to thank the Earth, or simply say “thank you” with a sincere heart. Even the smallest act of kindness carries the light of gratitude. 

In the end, Thanksgiving is not only about a feast that happened long ago or a holiday celebrated today. It is a reminder that our lives are full of gifts— some big, some small, some seen, some unseen. It invites us to pause for a moment and whisper a quiet thank you for all that we have, all whom we love, and all the goodness that surrounds us. 

And that is a celebration every child, everywhere in the world, can join.