Would celebrating Thanksgiving in September be beneficial? Thanksgiving has long been a cherished tradition in the United States. It’s a time when families gather to express gratitude, enjoy a feast, and mark the transition from autumn to winter. Traditionally, it’s celebrated in late November. Thanksgiving kicks off the holiday shopping frenzy, and in our modern materialistic society, this commercialization has all but erased the meaning of Thanksgiving. It is becoming less and less relevant with each passing year.
But what if there were a more meaningful way to honor this tradition? By moving Thanksgiving to September, we can reconnect with the meaning of the harvest. This change allows us to align the celebration more closely with the natural rhythms of the Earth. Thanksgiving in September would reduce the stress associated with the current holiday season. And it would offer us a chance to celebrate abundance in a way that honors both the Earth and our ancestors. It also creates a less commercialized, more reflective experience, allowing us to truly savor the season of gratitude without rushing into the chaos of holiday shopping.
Let’s explore some benefits of celebrating Thanksgiving in September.
Historical and Seasonal Context
Why is Thanksgiving in November, anyway? Who decided that?
Many school children grow up learning about the Pilgrims and the Native Americans. They make paper turkeys in school. And they learn about a specific event in American history in which Native Americans and Pilgrims sat down to a harvest feast.
But in actuality, there are likely many events in Colonial history in which settlers declared a Thanksgiving, from Europeans in Newfoundland in 1578 to the Spanish in La Florida.
And traditionally, these days of Thanksgiving often coincided with the autumn harvest, which is something that was celebrated by both Native Americans and Europeans since ancient times.
Southeastern Native Americans, such as the Cherokee, Creek, and Choctaw, held the Green Corn Ceremony. This celebration took place after the corn harvest, typically in August.
In Europe, the Ancient Celts, Germanic peoples, and many others, celebrated three harvest festivals from August to October: Lughnasadh, Mabon, and Samhain. The second of these festivals, Mabon, was celebrated at the Autumn equinox and is recognized as a day of Thanksgiving.
The reason for the November date of Thanksgiving is attributed to Abraham Lincoln. He established the date as a day of Thanksgiving to boost morale during the Civil War.
So now that we’ve established some history, what are the benefits of Thanksgiving in September?
Benefit One: Thanksgiving in September Aligns with the Autumn Equinox
The more logical reasoning for moving Thanksgiving to September is to put it more inline with the rhythm of nature. The Autumn Equinox is the time when there is a balance of night and day. It marks the official beginning of Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, as from here on out, the days will grow shorter, culminating in the shortest day of the year, the Winter Solstice in December.
And the Autumn equinox occurs in September, usually between September 21-24th every year. To celebrate Thanksgiving during this time would make it truly a fall festival. It would be a time to ring in the new season. After all, in many parts of the country, Winter has already arrived in late November!
Benefit Two: Less Controversy to Thanksgiving in September
Thanksgiving is constantly steeped in controversy. Every November, as Americans gather their turkey and other such sides, there are calls for the cancelation of a holiday which activists claim celebrates violence and bloodshed.
It’s no secret that there has been a darker part of human history in the United States. It involves the conquest and the eradication of Native culture by European settlers. And while the truth of these events may be more complicated than that, the controversy of digging up that dark part of history obscures the meaning of the season. And Thanksgiving being celebrated to recognize a particular event, rather than the season itself, only serves to dig up the past.
Thanksgiving should be about honoring the season. Celebrating Thanksgiving in September brings us back to a festival of gratitude, which is what it was always meant to be.
Benefit Three: The weather is more favorable in September
September weather is typically still warm in most parts of the country. Yet there is still that hint of fall chill. There is already plenty of fall foliage to enjoy by Mid September, giving you a chance to relish in the new season.
But with warmer weather still in effect, celebrating Thanksgiving in September affords people the opportunity to enjoy a true autumn harvest. It will be filled with plenty of outside activities like apple picking, picnics, and pumpkin patches.
Benefit Four: Traveling in September is a lot less stressful than in November
By November, in much of the country, winter has already arrived. Snowstorms, icy roads, and other hazards associated with winter make traveling stressful. Every year, there are flight cancellations and airports are packed. Freeways are backed up.
No one enjoys traveling during the holidays! And having to do it twice- once in November and then again for Christmas- is a nightmare!
September is a lot less stressful. Families can relax and take their time, enjoy the season change, and focus on the meaning of the season.
Benefit Five: Less commercialization
In our modern, materialistic society, the meaning of Thanksgiving is often overshadowed by the abrupt start of the Holiday shopping season. Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, is always a day of chaos. Every year, there are crowds outside major department stores. And sometimes, people don’t bother with Thanksgiving at all! They go straight to the lines at 2 in the morning!
Retail workers are forced to give up their Thanksgiving in order to deal with rowdy mobs eager to get their hands on the newest tech gadget and take advantage of Black Friday deals before anyone else.
With Thanksgiving in September, we can go back to enjoying the meaning of the holiday. That meaning is gratitude. And a chance to enjoy time with family, gathered around a table with the season’s bounty, rather than camping outside a department store in the snow, is way more relaxing.
Benefit Six: A chance to relax before the Holiday Rush
As mentioned above, Thanksgiving in November traditionally kicks off the Holiday season in the United States. This can be a time of stress for many Americans. Its chaotic and highly commercialized.
There are all the gift giving, holiday parties, and other seasonal obligations to contend with.
So why not leave the holiday stress in December and enjoy a pleasant break with Thanksgiving in September?
Benefit seven: Support local agriculture
The fall harvest is in full swing in September. You can take advantage of this and have a truly meaningful autumn harvest.
Thanksgiving in September means fresh apples, berries, pumpkins, squash, and other produce all grown locally at your local farm. You can go apple picking or visit a farmer’s market near you.
If produce is available at the grocery store, when it’s not in season, that typically means it has to travel from somewhere else in the world to get here. This is harmful to the environment and requires lots of additives and preservatives to keep foods fresh.
Check out this article about how food distributors use gas and other preservative methods to keep food fresh well past its due date.
Benefit eight: Preserving your own holiday foods
The harvest season is a great time to learn some authentic food preserving skills. You can buy your apples for your Thanksgiving pie, your berries for your berry cobbler, and of course your pumpkins for all your pumpkin centric treats all from local farmers. And then you can preserve them yourself.
If you are new to preserving your own produce, check out this article here to get you started! Also, check out my Hygge Summer article for ideas about how to get a head start on seasonal produce in the Summer.
This can give you fresh preserved produce that can last well into the Winter. This can take some of the stress away from your December holiday festivities.
Benefit Nine: World Traditions
By celebrating Thanksgiving in September, you will integrate other world holidays into a new family tradition.
Of course, there are still the usual American Thanksgiving traditions to enjoy. As mentioned above, both Europeans and Native Americans celebrated autumn harvest festivals like Mabon and the Green Corn Ceremony. Check out my article on Lughnasadh for an idea on how to celebrate the first harvest.
In addition, there’s the Mid-Autumn festival, celebrated across China every year. This is a lunar holiday, so it moves around every year, but usually falls in September or October. It’s celebrated by making mooncakes, and being with family.
There’s also the Chuseok festival in Korea where families get together to celebrate gratitude, family and their ancestors. They eat traditional foods like Songpyeon and they remember their ancestors.
And there are the Jewish high holidays, including Sukkot, Rosh Hashanah, and Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur involves fasting, but Sukkot and Rosh Hashonnah involve traditional foods like challah bread and brisket.
Conclusion
Everything still applies when celebrating Thanksgiving in September. Turkey, pies, and pumpkins are still on the menu. Fall leaves are still on deck as far as decor and themes.
But moving Thanksgiving to September celebrates the season meaningfully. It does away with all the commercialization. It’s a time to take a break, relax, and enjoy family and nature. It’s a time to reflect on being thankful for all you have in life.
So let’s embrace this change. It doesn’t mean changing an American tradition, it just means moving it to be more in line with the natural rhythm of nature, and with our ancestors.
Let me know if you’ve ever celebrated Thanksgiving in September and what was your experience? Would you consider celebrating in the future? Let me know in the comments.
And don’t forget to check out my articles on Lughnasadh and a Hygge summer for more seasonal living.
