A Harvest of Writing
This month, our writers have shared fresh thoughts on November’s traditional themes. Cammie’s Smart Mom’s Guide advises kids of all ages to practice the art of thankfulness. From gratitude jars to simple notecards of thanks, there are lots of creative ways to engage our kids in the theme of the season. Dr. Dana Harris reminds us that expressing our gratitude to others in thoughtful ways has important scientific and mental health effects. Paige’s column is an appreciative reflection of memories from last year’s New York Macy’s Parade.
In addition to the insider resource of Augusta Family’s toy guide, Dustin has provided practical ways to approach holiday shopping. He informs the Augusta Family reader with a breakdown of Black Friday and Cyber Monday comparisons.
Don’t miss the local poetry piece from Davidson Fine Art’s student Brooke Nelson, as well as part two of Meredith Flory’s family podcasts section.
And I did a little research on a few words sure to surround this month’s Day of Thanks. Here is what I learned:
Thanksgiving: The word thanksgiving dates back to the 1530s and is formed by combining the noun ‘thanks’ — taken from the Old English ‘þanc’ — meaning ‘grateful thought’, and the present participle of the verb ‘give’. This is from the Old English ‘giefan’ meaning ‘to bestow or grant’.
Cranberries: Around the 1640s, American English adapted the term from the German kraanbere. It is believed that the fruit was so named because the stamens of cranberry plants resembled the beak of a crane, or kraan.
Pumpkin Pie: The name pumpkin originated from the Greek word for “large melon” which is “pepon.” “Pepon” was changed by the French into “pompon.” The English termed it “pumpion” or “pompion.” By the 1670s, recipes for a sort of “pumpion pie” were appearing in high society and long-titled British cookbooks.
Happy Day of þanc!
Aimee Serafin
aimee.serafin@augustafamily.com
This article appears in the November 2019 issue of Augusta Family Magazine.
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