As a European it is not always easy to understand that Thanksgiving is the biggest holiday in the U.S.. While today is the “Thanksgiving Day“, in reality the celebrations go on until Monday when everyone is back at work – it is by no means a one day affair.

Having had the pleasure of celebrating Thanksgiving with a friends family in Massachusetts in the late eighties, I have always been a little jealous when my U.S. friends and employees leave on wednesday by saying “Happy Thanksgiving”. Because I know the scenes around every small and big dinning-room table, with good food and the much needed family time – especially in todays fast living society.

Thanksgiving is now an almost four hundred year old tradition in the U.S. (1619 – Berkeley Plantation in Virginia), and the holiday was first established by President Lincoln, with specific reference to giving thanks to God. Today however it is widely regarded as a secular and quintessential American holiday.

For many small business owners this will be a time to take stock, it may be the first Thanksgiving, since you started your business. There may be worries about the future, or cause for celebrations. Whatever it is, today of all days, look around yourself and realize how fortunate you are to have family and friends to share this day with. Todays work/life balance should be 100% on the side of life, OK maybe 99% – after all you are reading this.

Happy Thanksgiving from across the pond to all my readers, my friends, my employees and all your families. Stefan

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