I find it a little unfortunate that the Thanksgiving holiday (focused on gratitude and recognizing the Lord’s hand in our lives) has not spread throughout world the way Halloween (a commercially-driven holiday with pagan roots) has.

As we invited some locals to celebrate Thanksgiving with us, I was considering the hallmark characteristic of Thanksgiving in the USA being families and friends gathering for a feast. And guess what? Italians already do that – like at least every weekend! And sitting down for a meal here has never been about stuffing your plate with everything you can, scarfing it as fast as you can, and moving on to the next activity of the day. There are no “sides” in traditional Italian dining – there are “courses”.

For example, last week we had our first meal in an Italian family’s home.

1. It began with Antipasto (appetizer) – we had meats and cheese with grissini breadsticks.
2. Then they served Primo (first course) – usually a simple pasta dish – we had lasagna.
3. Next comes Secondo (second course) – usually a meat – we had meatballs.
4. Then we had Contorno (side dish) – we enjoyed a lovely salad.
5. Last, some Dolce (dessert) – a wonderful Tiramisu (which by the way is fantastic without the nasty coffee beans!)

Now, you don’t serve every course for every meal, and there are more courses that could have been served, but it’s the difference in the concept that is striking. WE ATE LUNCH FOR THREE HOURS! It was focused on delightful conversation. It gave every dish its own place to shine. It gave the belly time to digest and realize how full it was getting. (Which didn’t stop me from having three pieces of tiramisu, but just recognizing that I’m full is progress!) And this is traditionally how it is done – all nearby family member gather every weekend.

In our fast-paced world, it’s easy to lose sight of the importance of slowing down and savoring the simple joys of life—like good food, heartfelt conversations, and time spent with loved ones. The Italian tradition of gathering for meals reminds us that gratitude doesn’t need a specific holiday to be expressed. It can be a way of life, woven into the rhythm of everyday moments.

Unfortunately, this tradition seems to be waning here as Italian culture migrates toward western pace and families spread out to pursue their dreams. Let’s not let it go! How will you make room in your life for what truly matters over the next year? What would happen if you rejected everything else on your calendar and had three-hour meals every weekend?