[3169] Editorial: The public nature of Thanksgiving holiday

Editorial: The public nature of Thanksgiving holiday

Translated by Lydia Ma

This year’s November 25 is the last holy Sunday in the Western liturgical calendar, also known as Christ the King Sunday. However, churches in Taiwan are more likely to be celebrating Thanksgiving on November 22 because they are more familiar with Thanksgiving holiday. Though Thanksgiving is not a traditional church holiday, a lot of people know that it originated from the Mayflower and what happened to its passengers. Canada is another country that celebrates Thanksgiving, though it celebrates this holiday earlier because the harvest season in Canada is earlier.

Thanksgiving began to be celebrated in Taiwan after Western missionaries arrived here. Though the holiday is considered “American” and has some colonial connotations, it is still a good legacy left by old missionaries and serves as a reminder that we should thank God for his grace. The popularization of “Black Friday” in the US and the rise of consumerism in recent decades have changed the way Thanksgiving is celebrated in the US and raised much criticism. On the other hand, increasing awareness about celebrating local cultures has inspired many people to reinvent this holiday to fit their own culture and history, including Taiwan.

Thanksgiving was originated from a celebration of people from different cultures who shared their resources with one another. Much like the United States, Taiwan is also an immigrant society. An influx of people from Tangshan came here during the Qing dynasty. Some 2 million immigrants came here in 1949. Then, intercultural marriages beginning in the early 1990s led to an influx of people from China and parts of Southeast Asia. When these people came to Taiwan, they had to learn how to live side by side with indigenous peoples in Taiwan. Thanksgiving is a holiday based on the value of sharing and we should use this holiday as an opportunity to think about how different ethnic groups in Taiwan can practice mutual respect and support one another.

In North America, the original purpose for observing Thanksgiving is to thank God for a plentiful harvest, which inevitably translates into people being fed and satisfied. As Christians observing this holiday, we should do more than simply thank God for his blessings and provisions. We should remember and give thanks that we have been blessed in order that we may bless and help others.

The apostle Paul reminds us of these things when he writes that we should not be looking to our own interests only, but to the interests of others as well (Philippians 2:4). He goes on further to say, “therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people…” As we celebrate Thanksgiving in our churches with feasts and family meals, let us remember to help out those who have less financially and those who cannot even afford a square meal. Who are these people? They include the working poor, the homeless, the unemployed, and those living on minimum wage, etc. It is my hope that Thanksgiving will inspire Christians to further God’s kingdom on earth through helping others to have a square meal and furthering harmony between different ethnic groups.