Sacred Days of Thanksgiving: Spiritual Rhythms

As the fall season approaches and the harvest is gathered, religious and civic traditions alike have embedded in their stories and cultures sacred days or seasons of thanksgiving that bring entire communities together in gratitude. Over time, these seasons have been infused with both spiritual and civic significance, making them annual celebrations of our cultures and our faiths. 

Seasons of gratitude direct our gazes towards the good in life by recognizing the role of others and God in granting us gifts. Sacred days of Thanksgiving allow us to turn inwardly to our faiths and outwardly towards communion with family, friends, neighbors, and that which is sacred. 

In the THRIVE framework for spiritual health, we see these annual holidays (“Holy Days”) as religious and spiritual rhythms that nurture our expression of gratitude and love. (1) In addition to being embedded with religious significance, they also draw our attention to the histories of our cultures and faiths in a way that allows us to transcend the here and now and draw thanks for the actions and fortunes of others that have brought us to this day.

Sacred Days of Thanksgiving Across Traditions

When something is deemed sacred, it takes on a deeper meaning that shapes its importance. Sacred days of thanksgiving do this for gratitude–they remind us that gifts are sacred and thanks should be given for the blessings of life. These spiritual rhythms are often centered around the sustenance provided by food, shelter, and community–things we can take for granted now, but were not guaranteed during the days in which these seasonal practices were formed. 

Thanksgiving: In the early days of the American colonies, faith and life were one as many colonialists were devout Christian protestants. Early settlers observed days of prayer and thanksgiving to God for survival and harvests, which later evolved into the national holiday declared by Abraham Lincoln. To this day, Thanksgiving is a recognized day of gratitude that seeks to draw our attention towards humility and remembrance for the hardship of survival.

Sukkot: Also known as the Feast of Tabernacles, this week-long Jewish festival celebrates the harvest and commemorates God’s protection of the Israelites when they left Egypt. This holy week comes days after fasting periods for Yom Kippur, ceremonially enriching the week with gratitude for food and shelter. Every day of Sukkot is filled with offerings and prayers of thanks.

Diwali: The Festival of Lights is a celebration of good triumphing over evil, based in the stories of ancient Vedic Hindu texts. This week is about giving thanks for the triumph of goodness, and gratitude is ever present through many communal exchanges of gifts, shared feasts, dancing, and songs. Diwali marks the beginning of the Hindu New Year and can be seen as an offering of thanks and gratitude for the gods that bring goodness and prosperity into their communities.

Indigenous Harvest Festivals: Many Indigenous nations have harvest or seasonal ceremonies rooted in relationships with the land and its natural cycles. These ceremonies are deep spiritual practices that center on reciprocity, interdependence, and stewardship of nature. Giving thanks to the land is habitualized through communal song and dance, prayers, offerings, and meals.

What they have in common:

• Gratitude towards God: At their core, most sacred days of thanksgiving are spiritual acknowledgements of divine generosity. When practiced regularly, expressing gratitude towards God leads to greater humility, resilience, and faithfulness. (2) (3) (4)
• Gratitude towards the land: Expressing thanks to the Earth, the waters, the plants, and all living beings is common during these sacred thanksgiving, especially in indigenous traditions. They notice how the land gives us all nourishment, protection, and community.
• Gratitude for one another: When surrounded in community, people are pulled together to recognize the collective efforts that make the day and their lives a success. Whether gratitude is expressed across the table or in serving the community, these days have the power to draw our attention outward towards the love that others bring to our lives. Authentically expressing gratitude towards one another improves relationship quality. (3)

How you can maximize gratitude on these sacred days: (3 (5) (6)

• If you’re a religious leader: Use this season to cultivate collective gratitude within your faith community. You can do this by explaining the meaning of gratitude in your faith tradition, inviting members to share personal stories of giving or receiving gratitude, and by organizing donation drives or community service towards a meaningful cause.
• If you are the head of your family or friend group: Use one of these sacred days of thanks as an opportunity to grow positivity and authenticity in your group. Lead with intention by offering blessings or grace before meals and remind the group to count their blessings. 
• If you love giving back: Let gratitude in this spiritual season lead you into action. Find a local event, cause or initiative that matters–maybe it’s donating your time and talents in service of causes that feed or shelter others. Connect giving to what you have been given.

Embrace gratitude this holiday season, and see how it fills your days with joy and connection!

Additional resources

• What is Gratitude and Why Is It So Important?
• Want more Love and Goodness? Savor Gratitude – Thrive Center
• Expressing Gratitude through Everyday Prayers of Thanksgiving
• Walking with Wonder: Feeling Gratitude in Nature and During Pilgrimage
• The Gift of Giving: Cultivating Grateful Communities through Charity and Service

References

1. King, P. E. (forthcoming). Religion and spirituality in positive psychology: What’s love got to do with it? In C. Pury, J. Gillham, S. Schueller, & K. Bronk (Eds.), APA handbook of positive psychology: Vol. 2. Applications and interventions. American Psychological Association.
2. Krause, N. (2006). Gratitude toward god, stress, and health in late life. Research on Aging, 28(2), 163–183. https://doi.org/10.1177/0164027505284048
3. Emmons, R. A. (2007). Thanks!: How the new science of gratitude can make you happier. Houghton Mifflin Co.
4. Watkins, P., Emmons, R., Davis, D., & Frederick, M. (2024). Thanks be to god: Divine gratitude and its relationship to well-being. Religions, 15(10), 1246. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel15101246
5. Diniz, G., Korkes, L., Tristão, L. S., Pelegrini, R., Bellodi, P. L., & Bernardo, W. M. (2023). The effects of gratitude interventions: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Einstein (São Paulo), 21. https://doi.org/10.31744/einstein_journal/2023rw0371
6. King, P. E., Baer, R. A., Noe, S. A., Trudeau, S., Mangan, S. A., & Constable, S. R. (2022). Shades of gratitude: Exploring varieties of transcendent beliefs and experience. Religions, 13(11), 1091. https://doi.org/10.3390/rel13111091