As those of us in the United States approach our Thanksgiving holiday on November 27th of this year, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the pagan roots of this national holiday. Though often portrayed today as a secular holiday observed out of tradition and remembrance of America’s settlement by the Pilgrims in the 1600s, the origins of Thanksgiving are rooted in a religious practice, likely by the puritans of England, as a means of celebrating kind favors bequeathed to them by “Almighty God.” Canada would later adopt this as a holiday to give thanks to God for the bountiful harvests He had given to them, and the same sentiment would be found in George Washington’s first proclamation of the Thanksgiving holiday in America. To the seasoned pagan, this all sounds rather familiar. An autumnal holiday giving thanks to a divine being for blessings and plentiful harvests.
⦁ Lughnasadh (Celtic; first harvest)
⦁ Samhain (Celtic; final harvest)
⦁ Haustblot (Norse; final harvest)
⦁ Alfablot (Norse; final harvest, for the elves and land spirits)
⦁ Thesmophoria (Greek; final harvest)
⦁ Cerelia, Opalia, and Saturnalia (Roman; honoring Ceres, the final Harvest, and Saturn, respectively)
For time immemorial pagans have been celebrating the harvest and autumn equinox, giving thanks to the Gods, the spirits of the land, and the ancestors for their blessings throughout the year, and for the bountiful harvest.
As a primarily norse pagan, Thanksgiving, while celebrated secularly, can fall into the Haustblot celebrations, and general thanks-giving for abundance and prosperity. Freyr, especially, could be a god to turn to at this time with offerings and prayers of thanks for a bountiful year. As a Gaelic pagan, I could turn to Lammas or Lughnasadh with the same! These holidays may not fall on the same time of the year, in fact, we are some two months late for them. However, while we gather around the table to celebrate this holiday (in the United States, at least) on September 27th, we can still set our minds the land, the ancestors, and the Gods, and offer gratitude for their blessings.
An Idea for Celebration: Buy a locally-baked loaf of bread, or bake your own. Light candles, acknowledging presence of those your wish to give thanks to. Lay the bread upon your altar, and speak words to the Gods, the landwights, and the ancestors offering thanks. Lift up the bread, giving its essence to them, then burn incense. Spend a moment meditating on the significance of this moment, on all the blessings you’ve received, on everything that you’re grateful for. Give a final word of thanks, then extinguish the candles, leaving the incense to burn out, carrying your intentions with it.
PAGAN NOMAD 
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