To be annoyed by Thanksgiving in the UK?

[talomon]

Is it me or Thanksgiving is becoming quite widespread in the UK?

I studied in the states and live in central London, so maybe I am exposed to American people more than most, but I still feel many of my Brit and French friends and acquittances have started hosting Thanksgiving and treating it like a major holiday. Ten years ago it was quite obscure.

I mean I get that it's a nice occasion, and the food spread looks nice especially for social media, but still I am not sure I like it.

YANBU = Our culture is becoming to Americanized
YABU = It's a great holiday to celebrate

I don't know anyone who isn't American who celebrates it. It's tied to a particular event in American history so it would seem very odd to me for a non-American to celebrate it. A bit like us celebrating the 4th July or Americans celebrating 5th November.

But we are a Multicultural country. Surely that means that other cultures are as equal as ours, and to say otherwise is dreadfully right wing.
Celebrate all cultures, no?

I am in my 50s and we celebrate harvest thanksgiving at church every year when I was a child. The Americans have changed this into a bigger family celebration but it's not an American invention, just an evolution.

This. I don't know anyone who celebrates it in the UK, but if it brings joy to those who do, why not?

I live in London and barely know when it is, don't know anyone who celebrates it. Just a normal work day.

We always celebrate Thanksgiving despite not being American. DH loves American football and suggested we did Thanksgiving one year and the tradition stuck. November is cold and dark, so it's nice to have an excuse to celebrate and take time to consider what we are thankful for and eat tasty food. Not posted anything on social media either.

I do thanksgiving and we’re not American. But we have some really good American expat friends and have had some fantastic thanksgiving evenings with them over the past 15+ years. They’re back in the states now but the tradition has stuck!

I work for a large US company and it's never been celebrated here. There might be the odd e-card floating around on email by they've always started in the US offices.

I don't know anyone who celebrates it who doesn't have US links. Though we do appreciate it at work, as it's a US company, so it makes it a quieter day.

I am in Antwerp for the weekend, and I was surprised to find a Thanksgiving special on a menu last night.

I haven't voted as I haven't met anyone in the UK who celebrates it

I’m American living in London for 25 years. I love to have a proper Thanksgiving dinner, and, as my late DM did, invite everyone who wants to come to eat, drink, and give thanks with us. Unfortunately DD can’t make it back from Uni, but am glad she’s going to the American Soc potluck, bringing one of my recipes.

It’s a lovely, traditional US holiday.

DS went to a Thanksgiving dinner last night but it was hosted by an American who is a student and a housemate of his girlfriends so I thought that was nice as she is away from home and family. He will be the host next year of Chinese New Year for them, though not on the actual day as he will be with us. I have suggested he bring them all to ours on the actual day.

I don't know anyone who celebrates it, and haven't seen any shops etc marking it in my city.

I was born in the USA although moved back here as a young dc. I have been doing thanksgiving for almost 20 years now - but it's an after work midweek roast meal. So a turkey breast, roast potatoes, gravy, veg (usually includes either some kind of squash/pumpkin or a tin of corn).

But I think the sentiment behind it, giving thanks for what we have and acknowledging the importance of community and sharing, are good to celebrate and call out. We've had neighbours (friendly neighbourhood here) a few times.

But it is very low key. I literally buy the turkey on the morning and don't post it anywhere or make a fuss. And it is a work day.

Thank you for this

As an American in the UK I find the OP's voting options a bit harsh

Some expats celebrating a major holiday with a nice dinner is hardly 'Americanizing the UK', I mean that's quite xenophobic

I know 3 people who live in the UK and cooked a Thanksgiving dinner this year. One does it for her daughter who has an American dad. One cooked it for her dh who is American and the last one is from Chicago.

Really haven't seen any other mention of it.

Dunno any non Americans who celebrate it but I'm not very active on social media so miss a lot of weird brit trends.
Your thread title reminds me of Debbie Harry French Kissing in The USA so thanks for my morning earworm

I have American friends living here who celebrate the holiday and will often inc non American friends for the lunch/dinner. I know whole foods does a whole range of foods for thanksgiving too.

My American friend hosts Thanksgiving every year. It's great, I enjoy going, but the reason that it happens is that she's American. I don't know anyone else that does it!

I haven’t noticed much thanksgiving going on here.

in fact, I was only aware that it was thanksgiving in any meaningful sense because I’m interviewing for a job with a US company and people being off for thanksgiving has affected the interview scheduling. I was aware it was coming up because of the recipes I was seeing online but it’s not a thing to celebrate it here as far as I can tell.

I forgot it was Black Friday and went to the shops yesterday. That was a bad idea. 🤣

Never known anyone give it a second thought.

I did however use it as an excuse to pop a Turkey in the smoker one year. Was a disaster, so I now associate TG with that.

I don't understand it either :) it's a southern thing I think

I've only ever been aware of it in the UK when supermarkets have had a 'Thanksgiving' section suddenly pop up. But then that was in London where there was a sizeable American population (I think), so they were clearly after £££ from that particular demograpic. Otherwise, not seen it here at all.

Do Catholics celebrate November 5th?

No never met anyone who celebrates in the U.K. who isn't American

The only people I know who celebrate it here are a couple where the wife is American. They invite (British) friends around for a large meal with traditional dishes. And like someone else pointed out: it seems to be all the better aspects (no pressure to buy gifts, decorate madly, gathering to share what we have, etc) that the UK has completely ignored in favour of its after party, Black Friday!

I have also not seen a single thing in a shop or supermarket for Thanksgiving, but I bet anything if it takes off here we'll manage to turn it into a nightmarish consumer bonanza.