America has been celebrating Thanksgiving for centuries – more than four centuries to be precise. Despite the profound and impressive changes that have taken place in the interim, Americans continue to observe the fourth Thursday of every November with the same gusto as the generations before them.
Thanksgiving is undoubtedly one of the most beloved holidays on the American calendar. While its historical roots lie in the early 17th century when English Pilgrims and Native Americans shared a harvest feast, President Abraham Lincoln first proclaimed a national day of Thanksgiving in 1863, and Franklin D. Roosevelt later formalized the modern holiday date in 1941.
From an expression of gratitude for a bountiful harvest, the day has evolved into a time for reflection and expressing gratitude for the myriad blessings in one's life. Regardless of the multitudinous changes that have come about in the lives of Americans since the first Thanksgiving feast, the essence of the holiday remains the same.
Central to the celebrations is the gathering of family and dear friends, often for a sumptuous meal with a roast turkey as the centerpiece, with rich pies and decadent desserts rounding off the menu. Parades, football games, and family traditions turn the day into a major cultural event across the country.
How thankful do Americans feel this year?
On the occasion of Thanksgiving, TIPP Poll asked Americans nationwide how thankful they felt this year compared to previous years. Hearteningly, 45% said they felt more grateful in 2025 than they had in the years prior, with 25% declaring that they felt 'much more grateful.' Only 16% felt less thankful this year. About the third, 34%, stated they did not feel any different this year.
While gratitude is not precisely measurable, it does reflect the levels of satisfaction, hope, positive attitude, and the general circumstances of one's life. With everyone from psychologists to policymakers now paying more attention to mental health, the need for a sense of gratitude and the role it plays in our well-being has taken center stage in recent years. While overall sentiment is positive, the degree of thankfulness varies across ideological groups.
What Americans are most grateful for?
With this growing awareness, the realization that money, material wealth, and physical comforts alone cannot guarantee happiness and well-being is now widely understood. Bearing this in mind, TIPP Poll asked over one thousand four hundred Americans to pick what they were most thankful for this year from a list of five. They also had the option to choose 'none of the above' and 'not sure.'
The numbers paint a hopeful picture. The largest segment, 44%, stated they were most grateful for their family and relationships. For about a fifth (18%), health was the number one pick. People's faith and spirituality ranked third at 17%.
Smaller factions: 6% said they were most grateful for their financial situation, and an almost equal share, 5%, cited their community and country as the things they were most thankful for. About a tenth were not grateful for any of these or were unsure.
To better illustrate how emotional direction differs across political identity and worldview, the NET measure below shows the percentage-point margin between those who feel more thankful and those who feel less thankful.
Family, health, and faith are indeed blessings to be grateful for. And the celebration of Thanksgiving is an opportunity, a pause if you will, in our busy calendars. It is a time to ponder what makes our lives fuller, richer, and more joyful. The celebration is a chance to spend time with family, reflect on the importance of community, and linger on all that the year has brought. Whether one spends time in quiet reflection or in the boisterous company of family and friends, Thanksgiving is about counting one's blessings and sharing one's bounty with others as we enter the season of giving.
As we count our blessings this Thanksgiving, we count you among them. Your support lifts us, your encouragement drives us, and your presence makes every step worthwhile. We would not be here without you, and together we rise toward an even brighter year ahead.
TIPP Curated
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