Close your eyes and imagine an American family. What do you see? Many will picture parents and children gathered around a table for Thanksgiving dinner. The turkey glistening at the centre, along with steaming bowls of sweet potatoes, fragrant servings of stuffing and bright red spoonfuls of cranberry sauce.

Thanksgiving is the quintessentialA typical example. American holiday. According to tradition, it dates back to the Pilgrim Fathers, who survived their first winters in America with the help of the WampanoagA loose confederation of tribes. Their relationship with the settlers is not quite as the story of Thanksgiving tells it. The settlers brought across smallpox which turned into a deadly epidemic. Hundreds of Wampanoag died. The colonists took their land and sold survivors into slavery. tribe. To give thanks, they all celebrated together with a late-autumn feast.

Nowadays, 91% of people in the United States mark Thanksgiving - more than Christmas or Independence DayAlso called the Fourth of July, Independence Day marks the historic date in 1776 when the US Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress. .¹ But, you do not have to be an American to appreciate the holiday's message. Here are five reasons why the rest of us should celebrate:

Gratitude is good for you. According to psychologists, giving thanks can make someone happier. Studies show that people's level of contentment will increase if they take time to remember their reasons for gratitude. In the case of Thanksgiving, being grateful "is built right into the holiday".²

Harvest holiday. Historically, many countries marked the end of harvest with an autumn festival. People would celebrate the gifts of the natural world before the winter weather started. Because of modern food chains, most people ignore the harvest these days, but Thanksgiving connects them back to the seasons and the environment.

Friendsgiving. Young Americans living in cities, who cannot return to their families over the break, will often share the holiday with friends instead. According to one journalist, "friendsgiving" is a celebration not of the family you were born with, but the family you "choose to spend the time with".³

Crossing cultures. The original story of Thanksgiving commemorates strangers coming together in times of hardshipDifficult times in which you suffer. . That may explain why this holiday is celebrated by 74% of recent immigrants to America.⁴ Unlike Christmas and other religious occasions, the festival is open to people of all faiths and none.

Different traditions. Thanksgiving is about more than eating too much turkey. For some, it is a chance to watch American football. For others, the Macy's paradeThe Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is a New York City tradition that celebrates the opening of Macy's flagship department store and generates excitement for Christmas shopping. in New York is the highlight. And others look forward to the Black Friday sales that start the following day. Thanksgiving has something for everyone.

But the holiday also has critics. Many worry about the "epic waste", with the average family throwing away two-fifths of their food.⁵ Also, Native Americans argue that Thanksgiving whitewashes the colonial conquest of America by European invaders. As one respected historian has argued, the holiday is "propagandaInformation, which may be biased or misleading, used to promote a certain viewpoint. ".⁶

Holiday seasons can be hard for those without friends or family. But Thanksgiving encourages people to welcome strangers and support others through times of trouble. Surely everyone could benefit from hearing that message of hope?

Should it be a global festival?

Yes: Thanksgiving can be celebrated by people from different countries and religions, among family or friends, with food, or sports, or shopping. By encouraging people to be grateful, it makes their lives happier.

No: Thanksgiving shows the worst side of American society. It is a wasteful and excessive holiday, which misrepresents the European colonisation of the United States as a story of friendship and mutual support.

Or... If someone is lonely, or depressed, holidays can be hard. However, Thanksgiving encourages people to welcome strangers and share their food with outsiders. That makes it a festival that everyone can enjoy.