Giving Thanks on Thanksgiving Day

ThanksgivingToday is a national holiday in the United States, known as Thanksgiving Day.  I talked about Thanksgiving in a couple of podcasts here and hereTo give thanks means to be thankful for something, to appreciate and be grateful for the good things in your life.  Interestingly enough, being appreciative and thankful has been found by psychologists to make people happier.  People who stop frequently and think about all of the good things that they have are usually happier and more positive about the future.  Some psychologists recommend doing this on a daily basis, stopping for five minutes each morning or evening and thinking about three or four things you can be thankful for – your health, your job, your house, your family, and so forth.

We at ESL Podcast are thankful for you, our listeners, and especially our members and donors, who support us and make it possible for us to produce the episodes each week.  We are thankful for all of those who post comments to the blog, who email us with comments and questions, and who spread the word (tell other people) about our website.

For those of you who live here in the United States, the entire ESL Podcast Team wishes you a very pleasant holiday.  For those of you who live elsewhere, well, go out and get some turkey and celebrate your own little day of thanks.  You’ll be happier if you do!

~Jeff

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30 Responses to Giving Thanks on Thanksgiving Day

  1. Jose Maria, San Sebastian says:

    I live elsewhere and I give Thanks for many things but, to-day, specially for to know the pretty work of the ESL Podcast Team.
    Happy thanks.

  2. Bettina says:

    Today I am thankful for the ESL team ! It’s so helpful…

  3. Peter90 says:

    Happy Thanksgiving!!!

  4. marvin says:

    hey,bro. thanks a lot for making this website it is helping me a lot.So, keep doing this stuff.You are the best.

  5. reem hinnawi says:

    Me in turn thank you alot Dr.Jeff for this great job on this special day. This day is not in our traditional but i will follow your advice and celebrate this day with all the American poeple to thank God for the good thing i have . Dr. Jeff i was looking for writing to you always about my struggling in Toefl ibt. , I feel you are the right person that you can help me , I need your help. I did Toefl ibt times the last my scores were W 20 , S 22, L 21, R 17., to pass the exam I need to score W 24, S 26, R 24, L 21. Iam so frustrated , I need to pass this exam strongly to start my professional career as a pharmasist. I know you can help me. by the way I supmitted your website to all freinds in Middle East , and to all my freinds of pharmasists here in America who prepare for Toefl ibt, again thanks to you and to all your team for your efforts and you are doing grea, great job.

    Reem Hinnawi
    Chicago

  6. elcomandant says:

    Well, I’m one of those that live out of the United States, and from my country, Spain, I want to wish to all people who live there an happy holiday of Thanksgiving Day.

    Maybe, as Jeff says, I might go out to buy a turkey, although on second thought I’ll go to buy it later, becouse here in Spain many people eat turkey at Christmas Day. Although, better thought, I’ll buy three chickens instead of one turkey, because I like much more. Umm, I’m not sure. Yea, still better, I have had a great idea. I think that I’ll buy six half-chickens of the bottom part instead of three whole chickens, taht is, twelve legs and thighs chicken.

    It’s really delicious baked and sprinkled with extra-virgin olive oil, thyme and a little of salt. I would also make as a garnish, in the same oven tray, some potatoes without peel them, just you should cut them in half and also with extra virgin olive oil, thyme and salt.

    If you decide to cook this recipe, you should introduce the chicken and potatoes in the top of a hot oven and to bake just for a thirty minutes at 200º C or 390º F.

    Don’t forget, you must use extra-virgin olive oil, it’s important, trust me.

    Greetings.

  7. Ariel says:

    Thank you, Jeff, ESL Podcast Team, all of you I know and I don’t know. Thank you everyone.

    It’s good to live in this wonderful world.:)

  8. Thank you so much Jeff and partners for giving us the opportunity to lear so much english through your podcasts. I wonder if you could expla¡n how the -ING generally works in verbs (after prepositions, after other verbs, etc) if there was any rule to get it.

    Thank you so much, I hope you to keep on doing such a good job.

    Best wishes in your Thanksgiving Day from Spain.

  9. Kaz says:

    Thank you Jeff and Lucy!
    It’s my really great thanks, indeed, for your help.
    I’m thankful for a girl Ag as well, who gave me the address of the ESL Podcast one bright day in March this year.
    I’m thankful for my English teacher Anna S. for her work during a language course and all her words of optimism before my First Certificate in English examinations.
    I’m also thankful for all ESL Podcast listeners for their letter, which all let me know much on the entire World, as well for their friendly words of consolation in my sad days.
    Thank you!
    Kaz

  10. emiliano says:

    I like the idea of having a day of Thanksgiving, also that this day is a holiday in your nation, and also your custom of going to see the people you love and spending this day
    with them.

    Some time I have seen in movies or I have read in books that many families thanks God for the food or other good things when they seat at the table before eating, and even
    without faith enough to do that I like it when I see this way of living.
    So, please enjoy your Thanksgiving as much as you can, and I am sure that you´ll will spend it with your friends and relatives having a good time together.

    By my part, I remember you ESL team, Jeff and Lucy, every day I get my mp3 and listen you once and again, every day, by morning or by night, and give to you all my gratitude and my thanks because I feel you as my close friends that help me along some bad moments I have pass along last two years. Even more, to have the chance
    of writing and reading this blog is something I give thanks every moment I´m doing it.

    Thanks to all of you friends that write or participate in it giving ideas or just telling us about your thoughts or feelings.

  11. Isabel says:

    You guys…are so sweet!!
    I’d like to thank you for all the podcast (is it podcasts?). I just love them!!!
    🙂

  12. Rossana says:

    Hi!!
    I live in Perth – WA and I realy appretiate your english as a second lenguage had been usefull for me in this year I never couldn’t imagine that I could read and speak so fast. If I have something for my thanks day it is just thanks for have ESLpodcast in my life!!!!
    please I want to know which is the rule for use “th or ht” ex: thought -with
    thanks

  13. Peter says:

    And Thanks for all the efforts you have extended to run the Podcast. Happy thanks giving guys. you are the best.

  14. Peter says:

    And all the best to you all ,and to you all a good night.

    My dearest friends at the podcast program,

    I opened my wallet and I found it empty…reached into my pocket and found a few coins (this is real… believe me) Searched my heart and I found You… then I realized; how rich am I having a friend like you.

    Thanks for making an impossible , possible

  15. daisuke says:

    hello, I am really enjoying listening to the podcast always! thank you so much!
    I have an idea! how about talking to listener sometimes? for example with skype, listener can ask you a question through the microphone.
    we also could practice speaking English!

  16. Jo says:

    Happy Thanksgiving day from Spain

  17. emiliano says:

    Those days I am reading a novel from J. Grisham “The Appeal” (in English, thanks Jeff/Lucy) and in chapter 3 the author writes:

    They huddled over a card table wedged in a corner of the kitchen, all five of them, “They held hands as Wes (the father) prayed and gave thanks for the good things of
    life, the family, and friends and school. And the food”. He was also thankful for a wise ……….and so on.

    Here that even never happens, I have never seen such a thing along all my life whichever place, home or family I have been in Spain.
    And I envy this behaviour despite I am not a religious person, as I think is good for the spirit and the human life to join and give thanks everyday for whichever good things we may share in life.
    ¿Is it so usual in your country to have this form of behaviour at home in families?. That’s my question…..because I am amazed and I have some envy as told before.
    For me, or others, it should be just imposible to do that (thanksgiving before diner) as everybody should look to you as if you were mad or similar.

  18. Prinkle ! India says:

    Today I’m giving my thanks to Internet and all sincere English learning websites.

  19. Elisângelo says:

    Hi ESL Team,

    well, maybe I am a little bit late by let you know about my comment, whether I really am, but the most important thing to me it is that I would like thank all of you and God by everything which it is going on in this year on life related english…. day by day I am getting more confident on my goals.

    I also took a time for celebrate with my friends the thanksgiving day… by our own, and it was great…. and I thank God every nigth by the good done in my life….

    thanks a lot, and jeff: how many at all are those “tip and hint by improve your english” podcasts bonus?

  20. Lilly says:

    Thaaank youuu!!! ESL podcast team!
    I really appreciate what you’ve done for me. Since I found out this web, my English was upgraded. There are many things not in the books that I learned here, through daily short conversations. So thanks again!

  21. Romko Guru says:

    Ukraine gives thanks for your good job!

  22. Ari Fernando Ramos says:

    In Brazil we haven’t got any specific holiday to celebrate our thanks to someone or to something. I think it’s a good idea to got one. Thanks to ESLPod team to remember us about this day. It’s a pleasure to share whit you such day.

  23. mehdi says:

    hi Jeff,
    Lucy,

    I am actually a newbie to this excellent program you have been doing here and found it really worthy job.
    Writing here just to thank your team for this great job.

    Wish the best for all of you in your “Beautiful L.A.”

    Man! thanks again,
    Mehdi,Iran

  24. Marina says:

    I guest Thanksgiving day is just the drug we need yearly to go on. It is a reflection day. In addition of that, it is a holiday and we share with family or friends some delicious food.
    Regards,
    Marina

  25. Kirs says:

    These is no such day in China, the psychologists are right, you can give thanks everyday,not just on a specific day.
    Thanks Jeff!

  26. Massimiliano says:

    Hi ESLPOD friends,

    thanks for all you do for us

    Happy Thanksgiving day!

  27. Polo says:

    I’m from Peru and in my country we no celebrate Thanksgiving day, but now I live here in United States and I remember a saying: ” where you are, do what you see” o something like that. It means that the person should to try to adopt the customs or tradition of the host country, whitout forgetting his or her own, especially if you are planning to live here for a long time. Happy Thanksgiving day!!

  28. lilya says:

    Iam from Ukraine,I live in Odessa.we do not celebrate this holiday in my country.
    but I know it is a specific day in the USA.
    Happy Thanksgiving day!

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