Every November, Americans gather around tables to celebrate Thanksgiving. We tell ourselves a story of Pilgrims and Native Americans sharing a peaceful meal, a myth of harmony and gratitude. But the real power of Thanksgiving lies not in its origins, but in how leaders have used it to shape national identity during moments of crisis.

In 1863, with the Union torn apart by a great Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln declared a National Day of Thanksgiving. His proclamation was not about Pilgrims; in fact, Pilgrims were never mentioned – it was about unity. Lincoln urged Americans to give thanks “in the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity,” reframing suffering as part of divine providence and national resilience. Thanksgiving became a civic ritual of reconciliation, binding the North and South under shared values even as battlefields raged.

By the late 19^th century, the Plymouth feast had become America’s founding story. Textbooks and school pageants promoted a sanitized tale of Pilgrims and Indians, erasing the violence and dispossession that followed. This myth offered immigrants a “common heritage”, but it also narrowed the definition of who belonged in America.  Holidays became instrumental in assimilation, teaching that unity meant conforming to Anglo-American norms. Holidays are not neutral traditions like many of us like to believe. They are political instruments for sending a message relevant to the times we are in. Holidays project stability and abundance, hiding internal divisions.

Franklin Roosevelt demonstrated the economic utility of Thanksgiving when he moved the holiday up a week in 1939 to extend the shopping season. During World War II, presidents used Thanksgiving speeches to bolster morale, linking sacrifice at home to victory abroad. In the Cold War, Thanksgiving was framed as proof of abundance and freedom, contrasted against communist scarcity. Each era bent the holiday to its needs, turning ritual into soft power. Today, presidents use Thanksgiving to project empathy and relatability – pardoning turkeys, praising family, and calling for Unity. Trump is trying to use Thanksgiving as proof of how his economic policies are working. Other holiday services with similar functions: Veterans Day valorizes sacrifice, while Marin Luther King Jr. Day celebrates justice, often stripped of its radical critique. These rituals stabilize national identity, even when democracy itself is under strain.

Thanksgiving reminds us that national myths are not neutral. They are constructed to manage division, obscure conflict, and reinforce legitimacy. Recognizing this does not diminish the holiday’s meaning – it deepens it. If we understand how leaders deploy ritual for narrative control, we can reclaim holidays as spaces for honest reflection, not just comforting myths. This year, Thanksgiving falls on my anniversary. 38 years ago, my wife said “I Do” and she has been stuck with me ever since. I definitely got the better end of the deal. 8 years ago, I had a massive heart attack, and my heart stopped for over 6 minutes. That lady who said “I Do” so many years ago performed CPR on me until emergency personnel arrived. I spent 19 days in the ICU, and every day she was there by my side. This Thanksgiving, I won’t be thinking about the Pilgrims or why Lincoln made Thanksgiving a national holiday. I will be thanking my wife for all the extra years that she has given to me. With those years, I have gotten to watch my grandchildren grow into fine young men and women.

The stories that we tell and share are a reflection of what we are and what Thanksgiving means to us. Six years ago, on Thanksgiving morning, my wife and I were walking into the Sunflower restaurant, and I noticed a homeless man standing about 50 yards away. He was not panhandling; he was just standing there shivering. I took off my coat, and I walked up and gave it to him and said Happy Thanksgiving. I saw him immediately put it on. I have never seen that man again, but every Thanksgiving, I think about that man shivering there, and I am thankful that I gave him my jacket. This year, as we gather around our tables, let us remember that Thanksgiving is really unique in each of our hearts. We all have different and powerful stories that we should be sharing not only with friends and family, but on some occasions, maybe with strangers. It is about the stories we choose to tell, and whether they strengthen ourselves and our relationships. Let's hope that some of the stories will strengthen democracy and heal its fractures