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

@Flooper

Not necessarily an airhead, just very definitely rabidly anti American.

Yes some Brits are undoubtably of that ilk, but we don’t have a national holidays celebrating colonisation and genocide. Americans have TWO.

Im not saying Americans are bad/British good- this isn’t about people. It’s about Thanksgiving being a horrible holiday that is offensive to celebrate, in my opinion and that of many others.

I certainly don’t want the U.K. to start celebrating it.

I voted YABU, not because I think it is a great holiday to celebrate, but because I think it is unreasonable to complain about other people celebrating a holiday they want to celebrate. If Thanksgiving means something to them, why shouldn’t they celebrate it?

Anti-Thanksgiving isn’t anti-American.

So all these Americans are anti-American then? Because they refuse to celebrate Thanksgiving and view it as a National Day of Mourning?

@Onnabugeisha

I didn't base my criticism on the fact that you were specifically anti Thanksgiving.

There are many other elements in your posts thst illustrate a very definite anti American bias.

Only ppl I know celebrating it are Americans or with Americans in the fam. I’d enjoy being invited for dinner though.

Sorry to mess up a good ol' MN America bashfest but Thanksgiving was established by President Abraham Lincoln In 1863, during the Civil War. It was to encourage a peaceful interlude in the middle of war.

The pilgrims and indian stuff was an addition of the media and the education system.

I think you’ll find more posts of mine criticising the U.K. than the USA! No country is perfect, no sense pretending any of them are.

Exactly. Thanksgiving is a purely American holiday, invented by Americans and imbued with American mythology.

Americans are not sitting around the Thanksgiving table giving thanks for genocide and colonialism, we generally give thanks for our family, friends, health etc.
Like many Holidays (looking at you Christmas!), it has evolved away from its traditional roots and is now generally a lovely day of good food spent with good friends, nothing more complicated than that!

I've not heard of anyone celebrating it here in the UK but I'm up for any celebration that involves a roast LOL

Honestly for most people it's a day to celebrate being off work, seeing family, lots of fine food. We dont' get many paid holidays.

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

It's you.

I was all for getting involved this year, I even made a traditional trifle, but no one ate any 😔

😂😂😂 @Oysterbabe. No Joey at your party then?

We celebrate Thanksgiving having lived in the US for 10 years and with many American friends, it is not for anyone who doesn't have a strong US connection.
The worst thing about it is that you then don't want to do Turkey for Christmas.

It used to be a lovely non-religious non-commercial celebration of family. Americans are very generous to those who are alone and Thanksgiving and we always had an invitation for the holiday.

It become far more politically contentious for various reasons and it is completely inappropriate for it to be celebrated by non Americans (or Canadians in October)

We do it! Dh is American as are children…

Meh if it makes people happy let em crack on. Not great if you're a turkey but otherwise you do you

Right back at ya!

Honestly, a Brit giving anyone a hard time about colonising 🙄

Right?

I've never encountered anything to do with thanksgiving in the uk

No, nothing here either - SE - home counties.

She's made it clear that history isn't her strong suit.

@Onnabugeisha
An equal opportunity curmudgeon then.