Viewpoints: Thanksgiving Traditions

Each week in the Viewpoints feature FāVS asks its writers to respond to a timely question about faith and ethics.

This week’s question comes on the heels of Thanksgiving:

What pieces of advice would you pass on to the next generation as they establish their own Thanksgiving (holiday) traditions?

Andy Castrolang: Right off the bat I would say this: focus FIRST on the relationships, and only after you prioritize the people, then you can focus on the food, the dishes, the pretty decorations.

Too many meals are ruined by perfectionism, some “ideal” that has been put in the heads of the hosts by magazines, by pictures. Get rid of them and focus on friendship, laughter, human connection.

Luke Grayson: Family is the people you have built, not always the ones you’re born into. Going home for the holidays can be stressful, so it’s good to do something a few days after to build yourself back up.

For my kids this means we do queer Thanksgiving the Saturday after, where they all come home, hang out with their chosen/adopted family, and get reminded that being who they are doesn’t make them worth any less or any less lovable, and that their chosen names will always be respected. It means that they will always be loved as they are, and they will never be asked to dull down who they are to be accepted in our home.

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About Andy CastroLang

Andy CastroLang is senior pastor at Westminster Congregational United Church of Christ. She is deeply committed to civil discourse between individuals and throughout our community; in interreligious conversation, private conversation, intergenerational conversation and yes, even in political conversation. She has been a supporter of SpokaneFaVS since its inception because she supports this creative effort at thoughtful community conversation.

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About Luke Grayson-Skinner

Luke Grayson-Skinner is a 20-something, disabled, nonbinary trans-person who has been in Spokane since 2012 and is an advocate for the LGBT community and for transgender people.
They are also a slam (performance) poet who went to Atlanta for National competition in 2016 as a part of a team representing Spokane, and continues to be apart of the local writing and arts communities.
Luke doesn't currently know what faith-base they "belong in" but grew up in an Evangelical church that they left when they moved to Spokane and has attended an open and affirming UCC church off and on since they were 20.
Luke uses they/them pronouns.

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