Thanksgiving is a traditional holiday celebrated primarily in the United States, Canada, and some other countries. It typically takes place on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States and the second Monday of October in Canada. The holiday has historical roots, but its modern observance is often focused on expressing gratitude and giving thanks.
In the United States, Thanksgiving has its origins in a harvest festival celebrated by the Pilgrims and Native Americans in 1621. The Pilgrims, English Puritans who had settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts, invited the Wampanoag people to join them in giving thanks for a successful harvest. Over the years, Thanksgiving evolved into a national holiday marked by gatherings of family and friends, feasting on a traditional meal that typically includes turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie.
Beyond the historical and cultural aspects, Thanksgiving is seen as a time for reflection and gratitude. People often use the occasion to express thanks for the blessings in their lives, spend time with loved ones, and participate in acts of kindness and generosity.
Thanksgiving Quotes
1. “Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”
— William Arthur Ward
2. “Give thanks not just on Thanksgiving Day, but every day of your life. Appreciate and never take for granted all that you have.”
— Catherine Pulsifer
3. “Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day and leave out the gratitude.”
— E.P. Powell
4. “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
— Melody Beattie
5. “Thanksgiving is a time to give, a time to love, and a time to reflect on the things that matter most in life.”
— Danielle Duckery
6. “The thankful heart opens our eyes to a multitude of blessings that continually surround us.”
— James E. Faust
7. “Thanksgiving is the holiday that encompasses all others. All of them, from Martin Luther King Day to Arbor Day to Christmas to Valentine’s Day, are in one way or another about being thankful.”
— Jonathan Safran Foer
8. “We can always find something to be thankful for, and there may be reasons why we ought to be thankful for even those dispensations which appear dark and frowning.”
— Albert Barnes
9. “Thanksgiving is a time of togetherness and gratitude.”
— Nigel Hamilton
10. “Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.”
— Henry Van Dyke
11. “Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.”
— Zig Ziglar
12. “Thanksgiving is a time of quiet reflection, a time to sit back and be thankful for the blessings we have received.”
— Harvey Mackay
13. “Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity…it makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
— Melody Beattie
14. “Thanksgiving is a time to count your blessings, one by one, as each relative goes home.”
— Melanie White
15. “Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.”
— Charles Dickens
16. “Thanksgiving is a time to give, a time to love, and a time to share.”
— Unknown
17. “The roots of all goodness lie in the soil of appreciation for goodness.”
— Dalai Lama
18. “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
— Melody Beattie
19. “The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest.”
— William Blake
20. “Thanksgiving is a time to give, a time to love, and a time to share.”
— Unknown
21. “Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.”
— Henry Ward Beecher
22. “Thanksgiving is a joyous invitation to shower the world with love and gratitude.”
— Amy Leigh Mercree
23. “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues but the parent of all others.”
— Marcus Tullius Cicero
24. “Thanksgiving is the day when you turn to another family member and say, ‘How long has Mom been drinking like this?’ My Mom, after six Bloody Marys, looks at the turkey and goes, ‘Here, kitty, kitty.'”
— David Letterman
25. “On Thanksgiving Day, we acknowledge our dependence.”
— William Jennings Bryan
26. “Thanksgiving is a time of quiet reflection… a time to count our blessings.”
— John Clayton
27. “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more.”
— Melody Beattie
28. “Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.”
— Aesop
29. “Thanksgiving is a time of togetherness and gratitude.”
— Nigel Hamilton
30. “Thanksgiving is an emotional holiday. People travel thousands of miles to be with people they only see once a year. And then discover once a year is way too often.”
— Johnny Carson
31. “Thanksgiving is an attitude that must be rooted in our hearts and expressed in our actions.”
— David Jeremiah
32. “Thanksgiving is a time of food, family, and friends. It’s also a time to give thanks for the blessings of the year, including the turkey.”
— Unknown
33. “Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.”
— Henry Van Dyke
34. “Thanksgiving is America’s favorite holiday because it’s a time when we put aside our cares, much like the day when we log off Twitter for a few minutes.”
— Lewis Black
35. “Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.”
— Zig Ziglar
36. “Thanksgiving is a time to give, a time to love, and a time to share.”
— Unknown
37. “Gratitude is not just a word; it’s a lifestyle we should embrace every day.”
— Christine Sternfels
38. “Thanksgiving is a time to count your blessings and be thankful for the things you have.”
— Unknown
39. “Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind.”
— Lionel Hampton
40. “Thanksgiving Day is a good day to recommit our energies to giving thanks and just giving.”
— Amy Grant
41. “Thanksgiving is a time of togetherness and gratitude.”
— Nigel Hamilton
42. “Gratitude turns what we have into enough and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.”
— Melody Beattie
43. “Give thanks for a little, and you will find a lot.”
— Hansa Proverb
44. “Gratitude is the ability to experience life as a gift. It liberates us from the prison of self—preoccupation.”
— John Ortberg
45. “Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day and leave out the gratitude.”
— E.P. Powell
46. “Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.”
— Henry Ward Beecher
47. “The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but the thankful heart will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings.”
— Henry Ward Beecher
48. “Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.”
— Zig Ziglar
49. “Thanksgiving Day is a good day to recommit our energies to giving thanks and just giving.”
— Amy Grant
50. “Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”
— William Arthur Ward
51. “Thanksgiving is the day when you turn to another family member and say, ‘How long has Mom been drinking like this?’ My Mom, after six Bloody Marys, looks at the turkey and goes, ‘Here, kitty, kitty.'”
— David Letterman
52. “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
— Melody Beattie
53. “Thanksgiving is a joyous invitation to shower the world with love and gratitude.”
— Amy Leigh Mercree
54. “Gratitude is the sign of noble souls.”
— Aesop
55. “Thanksgiving is the holiday that encompasses all others. All of them, from Martin Luther King Day to Arbor Day to Christmas to Valentine’s Day, are in one way or another about being thankful.”
— Jonathan Safran Foer
56. “Thanksgiving Day is a good day to recommit our energies to giving thanks and just giving.”
— Amy Grant
57. “Gratitude is the ability to experience life as a gift. It liberates us from the prison of self—preoccupation.”
— John Ortberg
58. “Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.”
— Henry Van Dyke
59. “Thanksgiving is a time of quiet reflection, a time to sit back and be thankful for the blessings we have received.”
— Harvey Mackay
60. “Give thanks not just on Thanksgiving Day, but every day of your life. Appreciate and never take for granted all that you have.”
— Catherine Pulsifer
61. “The thankful heart opens our eyes to a multitude of blessings that continually surround us.”
— James E. Faust
62. “Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.”
— Zig Ziglar
63. “Thanksgiving is a time to give, a time to love, and a time to reflect on the things that matter most in life.”
— Danielle Duckery
64. “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
— Melody Beattie
65. “Thanksgiving is the holiday that encompasses all others. All of them, from Martin Luther King Day to Arbor Day to Christmas to Valentine’s Day, are in one way or another about being thankful.”
— Jonathan Safran Foer
66. “We can always find something to be thankful for, and there may be reasons why we ought to be thankful for even those dispensations which appear dark and frowning.”
— Albert Barnes
67. “Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day and leave out the gratitude.”
— E.P. Powell
68. “Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
— Melody Beattie
69. “The thankful heart opens our eyes to a multitude of blessings that continually surround us.”
— James E. Faust
70. “Thanksgiving is a time to give, a time to love, and a time to share.”
— Unknown
71. “Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.”
— Henry Ward Beecher
72. “Thanksgiving is a time of togetherness and gratitude.”
— Nigel Hamilton
73. “Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity…it makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.”
— Melody Beattie
74. “Thanksgiving is a time of quiet reflection, a time to count our blessings.”
— John Clayton
75. “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues but the parent of all others.”
— Marcus Tullius Cicero
76. “Thanksgiving is the day when you turn to another family member and say, ‘How long has Mom been drinking like this?’ My Mom, after six Bloody Marys, looks at the turkey and goes, ‘Here, kitty, kitty.'”
— David Letterman
77. “On Thanksgiving Day, we acknowledge our dependence.”
— William Jennings Bryan
78. “Thanksgiving is a time of food, family, and friends. It’s also a time to give thanks for the blessings of the year, including the turkey.”
— Unknown
79. “Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.”
— Henry Van Dyke
80. “Thanksgiving Day is a good day to recommit our energies to giving thanks and just giving.”
— Amy Grant
81. “Thanksgiving is an attitude that must be rooted in our hearts and expressed in our actions.”
— David Jeremiah
82. “Thanksgiving is a time of food, family, and friends. It’s also a time to give thanks for the blessings of the year, including the turkey.”
— Unknown
83. “Gratitude is the inward feeling of kindness received. Thankfulness is the natural impulse to express that feeling. Thanksgiving is the following of that impulse.”
— Henry Van Dyke
84. “Thanksgiving is America’s favorite holiday because it’s a time when we put aside our cares, much like the day when we log off Twitter for a few minutes.”
— Lewis Black
85. “Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.”
— Zig Ziglar
86. “Thanksgiving is a time to give, a time to love, and a time to share.”
— Unknown
87. “Gratitude is not just a word; it’s a lifestyle we should embrace every day.”
— Christine Sternfels
88. “Thanksgiving is a time to count your blessings and be thankful for the things you have.”
— Unknown
89. “Gratitude is when memory is stored in the heart and not in the mind.”
— Lionel Hampton
90. “Thanksgiving Day is a good day to recommit our energies to giving thanks and just giving.”
— Amy Grant
91. “Thanksgiving is a time of togetherness and gratitude.”
— Nigel Hamilton
92. “Gratitude turns what we have into enough and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity.”
— Melody Beattie
93. “Give thanks for a little, and you will find a lot.”
— Hansa Proverb
94. “Gratitude is the ability to experience life as a gift. It liberates us from the prison of self—preoccupation.”
— John Ortberg
95. “Thanksgiving Day is a jewel, to set in the hearts of honest men; but be careful that you do not take the day and leave out the gratitude.”
— E.P. Powell
96. “Gratitude is the fairest blossom which springs from the soul.”
— Henry Ward Beecher
97. “The unthankful heart discovers no mercies; but the thankful heart will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings.”
— Henry Ward Beecher
98. “Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.”
— Zig Ziglar
99. “Thanksgiving Day is a good day to recommit our energies to giving thanks and just giving.”
— Amy Grant
100. “Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”
— William Arthur Ward