Yesterday was Thanksgiving (in the States at least, Canada’s was last month, to our friends up North). The history of Thanksgiving dates back to the original English settlers to land in Plymouth, Massachusetts merely 30 minutes from where I currently reside. These settlers needed help from the Native Americans to survive the brutal New England winters and repaid their generosity by gathering to show thanks and celebrate friendship with a feast. We Star Wars fans are on the precipice of a brand new journey in a few weeks with The Force Awakens and I think we should celebrate our Thanksgiving dinner first.
As fans in this community we are all as diverse as the characters inside of the Galaxy Far, Far Way itself. All of us have grown up with different backgrounds, come from different places, and experienced different things. But the one thing that unites us is our love of all things Star Wars. What this can do to benefit us all is give us numerous perspectives that we wouldn’t otherwise be able to find.
Many families’ Thanksgiving days/dinners revolve around getting together, watching football, eating great food, and enjoying the company of loved ones. I think the fandom community is a lot like what happens on Thanksgiving. Whether we come together at conventions, convene on podcasts, or interact online through networks like Twitter or Facebook, we are always enjoying the company of others in the name of the Wars. Through joyous times or difficult times we all have our collective thoughts on one an another. This one franchise has done something great in bringing us all together and it is simply amazing when you think about it. A series of movies has affected all of our lives in such an incomparably positive way that so many of us can’t imagine life without it, or each other.
Having fun at the photo booth at NYCC!
This community we have cultivated has done amazing things. We all believe in one another, support each other, and share our happiness with each other. Thanksgiving dinner is a time to look back on the course of the year and remember the good and the bad. Being a true ‘family’ is about celebrating these moments. As Star Wars fans we’ve had plenty to celebrate this year.
Attending events like Celebration Anaheim, San Diego Comic-Con, or New York Comic-Con give us all an excuse to do nothing but be ourselves, bask in each others company, and enjoy the things we love. I’ve had the privilege to meet so many of you in person at SWCA and NYCC and I consider myself to be absolutely lucky to call all of you my friends.
Star Wars fans. What’s not to love?
So many exciting things are coming up in our world of Star Wars and we are the kind of family to approach this with open arms. We will celebrate and enjoy together just as we have and will no doubt grow our family ten-fold.
So what do you think, how does your “Star Wars” Thanksgiving go? How do you feel being a part of this community? Leave a comment below, reach out on Twitter, or let me know via email!
And as always, This is the Podcast You’re Looking For!
The CWK family at SWCA this year!
