No, that was my mistake. I read it (too quickly) as saying the Christian churches wouldn’t let them in!
Oh, OK, that interpretation never even crossed my mind! (Although I can see that what I wrote was ambiguous.)
We often say the ‘Bless Us Our Lord’ grace or the ‘Johnny Appleseed’ grace when we are gathered for a family meal. When H, S, D, SIL, and I are together, we will often go around the table and we will each say something we are thankful for and/or a short prayer for a family member or friend.
I just go around the table ask for everyone to say what they are thankful for this year.
Good to hear there are many others who don’t pray and/or are atheists/agnostics. I, too, never bow my head- and those who think one must will have bowed heads and not notice! Never was with the culture that held hands for prayer- I think I would refuse (and perhaps offer an excuse I would ruin their prayer if I did).
We often have mixed groups- family, friends, neighbors, “strays” with various religious backgrounds. A few years I have asked people, partly because of children present, to say something they are thankful for- mine would be to have the people present.
Thanksgiving is an American holiday- NOT a religious one. The next all-American holiday is New Years. Christmas became a day off/public holiday for the convenience of the many who wanted time off. Most ignore other religions’ very important to them holidays- Christians need to either make theirs a private day or accept the secularization. btw- a belated Happy Divali to all (think lights/new year- big time celebration in India)- learned about it when son was born on it, like Easter’s changing dates his birthday will never occur then again…
Getting tired of the Christmas hoopla already- store decorations, merchandizing, radio songs, TV movies… and it isn’t even Thanksgiving! Could see Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas items in stores simultaneously in October. This year has been the worst for pushing holiday fare the earliest.
Enjoy the holiday everyone.
We are not religious, but we always go around the table and say what we are grateful for. We do this if we have company, too. I just think it’s important to remember it’s a day about gratitude and abundance of spirit, not just abundance of food.
Now, at my Aunt’s house, growing up, we all stood in a circle - and sometimes there were 25-30 people or so - held hands and my cousin or aunt led us in prayer. Although I’m not a believer, I always thought it was a nice thing, and it’s honestly one of my fondest memories of Thanksgiving with my cousins and extended family as a child and teen. It was indicative of what a close family we were.
Expanding on what wis75 said… It makes me sad that Thanksgiving has become overshadowed by Christmas shopping.
I just think it demeans the holiday. It demeans both holidays, actually.
This seems to have been a recent trend as I don’t remember radios or stores playing Christmas Carols as early as before Thanksgiving as a child or even an early 20-something right after college.
Then again, “Black friday” as a wild post-Thanksgiving shopping day was also not advertised nearly as much in the mass media back then as it has been in the last several years.
I agree this is ridiculously over-the-top. And I’m actually fond of most Christmas carols/songs…provided it’s played right before and during Christmas day…not 3 weeks before Thanksgiving or sometimes even before Halloween. 
Black Friday is legitimately the only day of the year I shop. I use it to stock up on clothes… because I’m cheap and clothes are necessary. I despise shopping.
I refuse to shop on Thanksgiving though. Let people spend it with their families. And I saw this as someone who has worked most holidays… because I worked in a life saving capacity, not a freaking retail store. /rant.
Yep we pray before all meals. We also attend church on Thanksgiving - this morning we joined 2000 other Americans at St. Paul’s Cathedral here in London (H and I sing in the American International Choir which also sings). It was a wonderful way to start the day, thanking God for our blessings, remembering the less fortunate, praying for peace and taking a large collection for the refugees.
Reporting back on our thanksgiving meal. My sil has a cousin who is a Catholic priest and he came this year. He’s newly ordained and a super nice guy. He even went on our family run this morning 
Anyways he said the prayer today. We all held hands and he did thank Jesus Christ. Lots of different religions and some who are not so religious. It was lovely.
It ended up being just my parents and me (long story about the H, he’s fine but we found out that one of his cousins is going to an African country for four years so it seemed appropriate for him to go say goodbye.) So, 2 atheists and an agnostic leads to no prayer.
However, I had to go back to the urgent care for the 2nd time this week and we thanked the doctor and medical staff profusely. We also brought some of the apple crisp to give to the small office. They seemed to really appreciate it (although whether or not they can/did eat it, I’m not sure.)
So that was my thanksgiving. I was (un?)lucky enough to thank my healers to their faces.
Romani- why would someone who hates to shop, shop on the worst day of the year? You said you are cheap. But numerous studies have shown that you do not necessarily get the best deals on, so sick of this term, Black Friday.
Also, Romani, glad to see in post #71 to whom and why you are grateful. For many people their whom is God and their why is that this spiritual entity did/does something healing or good in their life for which they are grateful. You don’t happen to believe. Others do. So be it.
If you despise shopping, there is no worse day than Black Friday! I don’t / won’t do it.
I find that there are those who shove their atheist views down people’s throats the same way they accuse others of doing with belief in a higher power.
At the gathering we attended, a child said a lovely grace while all we stood in the kitchen preparing to load our plates. It was well received by all and I don’t think Jesus was mentioned.
H is clergy. I asked if he was going to say a prayer before our meal last night, and he said he was on vacation. Later, we had a birthday cake to celebrate 2 birthdays, and I asked my nephew (who is a professional in the music industry) if he wanted to sing Happy Birthday, and he said he was on vacation too (had already performed in a parade that morning). Luckily earlier I got my S (work study job in college is in the food industry) to help me in the kitchen!
DH said the prayer at dinner, and it was lovely. All present were of essentially the same faith, so no hurt feelings or offense taken, as far as I know.
I hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. My smoked Turkey was delicious. My roasted turkey, after going to much trouble using a brining kit for the first time, was tough and dry. Gah…We will cube it and soak it in some broth today, then D2 will make her famous pot pie from scratch. I think we can salvage it…
Romani, sorry you weren’t feeling well! Get better!
Morris, I’ve never ever experienced black Friday as the worst day. We went from about 5 until now today and never waited more than 5 minutes in line.
I don’t go to the doorbusters but will go for the half off jeans. Not fighting over those
Regarding giving thanks, it’s not about believing or not. It’s just odd, to me, to not know who to thank if not God. Even my very devout family and in laws give plenty of thanks to a non diety. That’s all.
Nrdsb4, thanks.
No prayer yesterday and no going around the table. Cousin’s H did do a welcome thingy and we toasted to good year for everyone.