在艰难的岁月里还能怀有一颗感恩之心就显得越发弥足珍贵。感激之情其实也是一剂良药，能帮我们提高情绪增强健康。你会发现生命中的小小感激也能创造大大的幸福!

　　【Turkey: It's What's for Dinner】

　　When the Wampanoag people and the Colonists sat down to their three-day feast to give thanks, they dined on lobster, fish packed in salt, dried and smoked meats, and freshly caught wild game. They did not eat corn on the cob (as Indian corn was only good for making corn meal, not eating whole) or eat pumpkin pie or cranberry sauce since sugar, yams, or sweet potatoes had not yet been introduced to the New England region.

　　Turkey is the big centerpiece of most Thanksgiving celebrations across the United States. Since records of exactly what was eaten at that first celebration in 1621 are fuzzy at best, wild turkey may or may not have even been eaten at the feast.

　　The thing is, turkey was one of the staples of the settlers' diets at that time anyway, as turkeys were in great supply and were enjoyed for their eggs as well as their abundant meat. So, even if the feathered bird wasn't there at the first Thanksgiving, the turkey quickly became a fixture at future tables.

　　Today, many families opt instead for a roast goose (which was almost definitely present at the first feast), a ham (which was almost definitely not present), or the new "gourmet" tradition of turducken (a turkey stuffed with a duck that's stuffed with a chicken).

　　Thanksgiving is one of the few feasts where even the vegetarians can go home full without much modification of the standard menu. Leave out the roast turkey and you still have sweet potatoes, stuffing, corn, cranberry sauce, apple and pumpkin pie, roast squash, brussels sprouts and a host of other seasonal sides and desserts to pig out on. Of course, you can always add Tofurkey (turkey-flavored tofu) or another meat substitute for the non-carnivores and turkey-pardoners of the group.

　　【All the President's Turkeys】

　　And just where did that US Presidential pardoning of the turkey tradition come from? Well, the tradition of officially pardoning a turkey dates back as far as Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy, or George H. Bush, depending on whom you ask. Photos depict President Truman accepting a turkey at the White House, although it is not known whether the bird ended up on the table or at the farm after the cameras left the scene.

　　John F. Kennedy was presented with a turkey at Thanksgiving and decided to "just keep it" instead of serve it up. And when President Bush Senior was presented with a holiday turkey, he gave a lighthearted speech where he decided to officially pardon the turkey. Turkeys have been officially pardoned since that day.

　　Thanksgiving will see many families gathered around the television watching football, cheerleading competitions, or Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade – or all three. The Macy's Thanksgiving Parade (originally called Macy's Christmas Parade) began in 1924 in New York City as a kickoff to the holiday shopping season. Since its first national broadcast in 1947, it has been a staple for TV audiences across the country.

　　Other families take advantage of the four-day-weekend holiday to take a trip – either to visit family or take a vacation. Either way, the Wednesday before Thanksgiving is traditionally one of the most heavily trafficked days of the year by car or by plane.

　　Long airport delays, higher fares, unpredictable weather conditions and other travel hassles have some families opting to go local and bridge the familial distance on less difficult days.

　　For families who stay close to home, opportunities to participate in community celebrations, as well as opportunities for volunteering, are abundant. Many do-gooders go civic and volunteer at local soup kitchens, shelters, orphanages, and other charities to lend some helping hands during the holiday.

　　【8 Ways to Stay Thankful in Hard Times】

　　1. Find What You're Grateful For

　　想想让你感激的人或事

　　The real uncertainty we face about our economic future can make us quite fearful and sad. Locating those things for which we can still be grateful, brings joy even in the face of those challenges without pretending they are not real.

　　我们所面临的经济生活不稳定会让我们很担心很难过，想想那些让我们心存感激之情的人或事，会给我们带来欢乐，就算有困难挑战也无所谓，我们有足够勇气面对，不用假装它们不存在。

　　2. Articulate It

　　说出你的感谢

　　Tell a friend or loved one a story about something for which you are grateful. Don’t be surprised to find yourself smiling by the end of that story.

　　跟朋友或者爱人说说你感激的故事，说完你会发现自己在微笑，别惊讶，这就是感激的魔力。

　　3.There's Always More to Be Grateful For

　　总是有很多值得感谢的人或事

　　Consider the difference between wealth and value. While material wealth is important, it is not the only source of real value in our lives. We can all celebrate value, even when the material wealth in our lives is taking a beating.

　　想想财富和价值之间的差异。物质财富很重要，不过它并不是我们生活中真正价值的唯一来源。就算生活中的物质财富遭受了打击，我们也还能庆祝生命的价值。

　　4. Wealth Begins Within

　　我们其实很富有

　　An ancient rabbinic teaching reminds us that we are wealthy when we are happy with what we possess.

　　古老的谚语提醒着我们，因为所拥有的东西感到快乐，我们也可以很富有。

　　5.Happiness and Satisfaction Are Different

　　快乐和满意不一样

　　We can want more than we currently have and still be happy with what we've got. Wanting more does not have to get in the way of enjoying what we already have. If it does, we will never have enough.

　　我们现在拥有，我们想要的更多，我们也会因为现在的拥有而感到快乐。想要更多，并不会阻碍我们享受现在已有的东西。如果你无法享受现在的拥有，那你永远也不会满足。

　　6. It's All Relative

　　一切都是相对的

　　A person who lives in a $100,000 house in a neighborhood of $75,000 homes experiences living in a mansion. The same house in a neighborhood of $500,000 homes may feel like a hovel.

　　在7.5万美元的小区里，住着10万美元房子的人会觉得自己住的是别墅;同样的房子换到50万美元的小区里，他会觉得自己住的是茅舍。

　　7. Help yourself by Helping Others

　　帮助别人其实也是帮助自己

　　The holidays are a great time to reach out to other people in need. And helping others address their needs is one of the best ways to relieve the anxiety we may feel about our own.

　　节假日是向其他需要帮助的人伸出援手的好机会。帮助他们，满足他们的需要，也是缓解我们自身焦虑最好的方法之一。

　　8. We All Have Something to Give

　　我们总是有东西可以给予

　　No matter how difficult our circumstances may be, we can all offer support to those around us. Whether it’s a penny, a dollar, or much more, the act of giving always makes us feel as if we have more than we thought we had.

　　也许我们的境况很艰难，可是不管怎么样，我们都还是能支持身边的人，也许只是一点点钱，可是这样给予的过程会让我们感到，我们其实拥有很多。