Giving Thanks!

Thanksgiving has got to be my favorite holiday. Food has to be a big reason for this. The fresh cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, green bean casserole, stuffing ...the sides are more delicious than the turkey! Year after year we have added new twists to the traditions with family. I think a big part of what makes it amazing is being surrounded by family and friends and enjoying family time. One of the traditions that we started about 3 years ago si that we each tell what is one thing we are grateful for this year. Now we are not allowed to say general statements like "I am thankful to my family and their love". It has to be something specific. I felt it was quite cringe when we started it but over the years, I have started to enjoy it.

What is it about sitting together and enjoying a meal with your loved ones that is so special across the world cultures? Commensality is a term used as a scientific concept for "eating together". How we engage with food also has to do with social and cultural norms and traditions. The communal eating has been described in various cultural and historical references. What we eat, how we eat, and with whom we eat are integral parts of our cultural identity.

Eating together nourishes us in more than one way by creating social bonds, creating memories, building connections, and ofcourse, enjoying a great meal!

Citations:

1. Jönsson H, Michaud M, Neuman N. What Is Commensality? A Critical Discussion of an Expanding Research Field. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Jun 9;18(12):6235. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18126235. PMID: 34207626; PMCID: PMC8295993.

2. https://anthropologyreview.org/anthropology-glossary-of-terms/commensality-the-social-practice-of-eating-together/