“[Thanksgiving] is a fun day to get together with family and friends,” said Mary*, one of our Amish employees at Peaceful Valley Furniture.
For most people, Thanksgiving involves good times with family and friends along with feasting on delicious roasted Turkey and scrumptious home-made pumpkin pie. The Amish are no different.
Family & Food
Amish families celebrate somewhat differently depending on how big their family is, how far away they live from each other along with other factors.
Normally, they will celebrate Thanksgiving with their grandparents or parents as youth. As they marry and have their own children, they start to celebrate in smaller groups. No matter the family size, though, the Amish celebrate Thanksgiving with the ones they love, either eating together, visiting or shopping later during the Black Friday sales.
“Sometimes, we get together with our friends. It’s not really set . . . When I was growing up, most of the time we went to my grandparents house. So that was kind of our tradition . . . [now] the meal is kind of the tradition,” said Mary.
Decked out in their Sunday best, the Amish families gather at their tables to enjoy the immense meal. Conversations ripples through the dining room and carries long into the afternoon, as children grow sleepy with full turkey tummies. The rich family life of the Amish is at its best today: the women work together for the meal then with their men and children, they enjoy the work of their hands.
“I always liked going to my grandparents,” said Mary. “I have good memories of that growing up, just being with them.”
Thanksgiving is truly a day better spent with close family and friends!
Sales & Deals
The Amish love a good deal so of course, they flood Lancaster County’s malls and department stores. Often, if they work the next day, they will join the shopping crowd late Thanksgiving night, prepared to score a good deal on anything from shoes and sweaters to sheets and towels or kitchen supplies. Popular places in Lancaster County include Target, Park City Mall and Rockvale Outlets.
Thanksgiving isn’t a religious holiday that the Amish must rest and observe according to their faith. There are no rules against Black Friday shopping or even chores. Naturally, most Amish families do the minimum of chores, to keep their house and lives clean, but time is a precious commodity on Thanksgiving.
“We pretty much take the day off,” said Mary. “It depends what we’re doing; I would maybe do some [chores] in the morning before we leave and maybe later on too.”
With the meal preparations and eating, visiting and games, they don’t have time to work. However, they like it that way.
Grateful & Thankful
Thankfulness is one of the key ingredients of a good Thanksgiving. For most Amish — and us! — there is plenty to be grateful for. We have an abundance of clothes and shoes, plenty of food and clean water, items much of the world lives without.
“I’ve done already where I just write down different things I’m thankful for . . . I would write notes to my husband and saying thank you [but] I’m sure I don’t enough,” Mary said, chuckling.
So, count your blessings or write a thank-you note, but don’t forget to realize how blessed you truly are.
“You want to be thankful everyday but Thanksgiving is one day where you try to be extra thankful. It makes you stop and think,” she said.
This Thanksgiving, celebrate the way the Amish do: with your loved ones, gratitude in heart, and plenty of good food in hand.
.*name changed for privacy
