Time with Tony - November 21, 2025

Next Thursday is Thanksgiving! When I was first introduced to the holiday in 1998, I had been living in the USA for just one week. It was a chilly day on the shores of the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, but the football was on and Anne’s large family filled the house with noise and fun. I liked Thanksgiving and all its traditions immediately. There was plenty of food and drink, tossing footballs, afternoon walks, and we ended the evening watching “A Charlie Brown Christmas.” We drew names from a hat for Secret Santa while Anne’s mum played carols on the piano, officially kicking off the Christmas season.

It’s hard to think of an Australian holiday quite like Thanksgiving. Australia was discovered by the British in 1770, and the First Fleet of settlers, mostly prisoners, arrived in 1788. These original settlers displaced Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, who had lived on the continent for tens of thousands of years. January 26th, sometimes called “Australia Day,” marks the anniversary of this arrival, but today it’s increasingly regarded as a time to recognize and reflect upon the rich and ancient history of Indigenous Peoples and their resilience.

Boxing Day, observed on December 26th, takes its name from the English tradition of giving boxes of gifts to servants and other workers the day after Christmas. In Australia, it’s mostly a day for sport and gathering with friends and family who weren’t with you the day before.

Australians celebrate Labour Day for workers, ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day (November 11th) for veterans, and the King’s (or Queen’s) Birthday in June (please don’t ask me to explain why). Perhaps uniquely, Australia is the only country to observe a public holiday for a horse race: the Melbourne Cup. (Happy to talk about that all day!)

But growing up, I don’t remember a day when extended family made a point of gathering together like they do for Thanksgiving in the US. Now that we’ve moved away from the DC area, Thanksgiving may be one of the only days each year we see our extended family. There will be laughter, comments about how kids and, let’s be honest, some waistlines have grown, food, football, and, of course, those carols around the piano.

From Anne and me, we wish you the happiest of Thanksgivings. Be safe, enjoy every moment, and we’ll see you in December!