Cayman Thanksgiving
I know that we are in the midst of the busy Christmas season, but it’s time once again for us show our gratitude for our multitude of blessings. Four years ago an innocent child asked her parents why the Cayman Islands did not set aside a specific day to give thanks for allthat we have. After all, she observed, other countries take time to stop, share a meal, fellowship and offer gratitude.
Fortunately for us, that little girl’s parents took her question to heart and set into motion what is becoming a new annual tradition – Cayman Thanksgiving. As was recently announced in the Legislative Assembly by our Minister for Culture, Hon. Osbourne Bodden, Cabinet has agreed to officially recognise the first Sunday in December as Cayman Thanksgiving.
This first Sunday in December, marks the official end of hurricane season; one of the many things for which we can be thankful.
God has spared us the wrath of another atrocious storm this year and for that we are extremely grateful. But there are so many other reasons for us to give thanks.
I believe sometimes we forget, in the grand scheme of things, that Cayman is blessed beyond measure. We hear and read of wars, famine, starvation, crises – well the list goes on – in other countries. Sometimes I believe we have become a country of bickering people. Cayman Thanksgiving is meant for us to stop sniping, reflect and join together for fellowship and a meal. It is also about our Caymanian heritage, which is steeped in food, music, faith and sense of family; it’s what still connects us as a people.
The best way to be thankful, I think, is to use what you have for the greater good.
In the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 25, he tells us that Jesus finds favour in those who actively care for their fellow man. Beginning in verse 35 Matthew writes “For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you invited Me in; naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to visit me”.
Jesus was telling the most righteous among him that whenever they had taken care of their fellow man, they had also cared for Him.
We are called to care for our brothers and sisters and that includes all and sundry who live in and visit the Cayman Islands.
I invite you to begin the celebration of Cayman Thanksgiving on Saturday, 6 December, in Lower Valley where Thanksgiving and Market on the Grounds have been combined to give us Market and Music at the Grounds at the Agricultural Pavilion. It’s going to be a free day of entertainment and camaraderie. While you are there, get a plate of food, let your children have fun with some of the planned activities, or buy locally grown provisions to create your own Cayman Thanksgiving meal.
Many of our churches will also be holding special Thanksgiving services on Saturday and Sunday. Going to a church service is always a good way to show our thanks.
As many of our traditions in the Cayman Islands go, food is an integral part of the festivities. That includes Cayman Thanksgiving. You can host a dinner, be a guest, prepare traditional Caymanian food or go to any of the restaurants offering a Cayman Thanksgiving-themed dinner.
I said earlier that we have been spared the wrath of another hurricane this season. That means many of us have stocks of hurricane supplies, including non-perishable food. I encourage you to take those supplies to a food bank or fix up a basket of goodies for a family or person in need.
We indeed do have so much to be grateful for in Cayman.
I want to publicly thank Kayci Rose for asking that innocent question of her parents four years ago and for her parents, their friends and the many dedicated volunteers for sharing this vision with the rest of the country, setting into motion one of our newest and most precious traditions.
Please take this weekend to show kindness to each other and show your thanks for all our many blessings.
On behalf of Government, my family and myself, I wish you a happy Cayman Thanksgiving.
Category: Viewpoint
God has spared us from another storm.
Do you think I am stupid ?
It is hard to tell without a sarcasm font.
07:36.Since you asked.YES.
"The fool says in his heart 'there is no God'". Psalm 14:1.
Pathetic bitter posters on this site with truly empty lives.
Thank you Kayci and thank you Cayman we are truly blessed.
If real!
sad so many people with so much to be grateful for blinded by hate…
heaters gonna heat!
What a pathetic bunch in this thread.
Very amusing. I imagine you don't even get your delicious sense of irony.
Welcome, you fit in well then.
This crap may get lapped up by the electorate but to others, it may as well have unicorns feature in it!
08:32.Sorry you missed the unicorns.
I happened to be at the Fosters near the airport on Saturday evening and asked several people if they were going to celebrate Cayman Thanksgiving…
Alden you have a bit more pubic relations spin to do on this child's idea as people looked at me like I was mad..
06:50 So sad ,hope you get some help out of your forlorn state.
A tacky derivative Americanism.
06:24.If you really believe that Americans have the monopoly on giving thanks (thanksgiving) then you are hopelessly lost.More likely that you are opposed to it because Caymanians are suggesting it. If some expat paid by Dart had proposed it ,you would be right out there on the Festival Green ,eating whatever Dart told you to eat.
So what are we having, turkey or duck? Typical PPM and UDP – big headlines, light on details…
Children.
Children of the provider.
Citizens of the good ship.
Please now, hear me speak.
I’ve had a vision.
And you know what it is that I saw?
I saw the land.
And if there’s a river, we’ll dam it.
And if there’s a tree, we’ll ram it.
‘Cause I’m talkin’ progress here.
Yes, sir I’m talkin’ development.
For we shall suck and savor the sweet flavor of Dryland.
Dryland is not just our destination, but it is our destiny!
How can I find this glorious place?
And he said to me: “A child shall lead you”.
A child.
And behold!
11:09.Mocking a child,how low will you stoop? You must be a Deacon in the Church of Satan.
The ladies of Honduras and the DR are thankful for our phone top ups although we would prefer cash sometimes.
Ay Papi!!!
Too many stops at the Sweet spot boys and girls the PPM waist lines keep increasing day by day this is just another day for them to gobble up more food.
We actually need two Thanksgiving Days…
The first Sunday in December which we should spend in Church – praying and giving thanks…
Then the following Monday should be a holiday in which we eat like a glutton, drink as much alcohol as possible, and cavort and party like there is no tomorrow…
In other words, be our usual selves…
Thank you for the clarification on the origin of the Cayman Thanksgiving. I thought it was a public relations scheme thought up by the Dept of Tourism to fill in the lull between American Thanksgiving and Christmas.
Has the 4 year old mentioned the dump?
You have a reading comprehension problem. "Four years ago a child…" is not the same as "a four year old child".
You are correct, I am mistaken, thank you.
" We are hungry and we have not eaten?"
"What about those Juniper bushes over there?"
"He has made the bushes bear forth with juniper berries!"
"It's a sign, not a good one by any standards but still a sign!"
Brian. Chapter 8. 1978
21:22.Judging from your comment I think you should stay away from from those berries.
Was Heroes Day invented by a 4 year old who did not know what "hero" meant?
12:30.No,but an adult with an infantile brain tried to poke fun at it.You have too much idle time on your hands,and no love in your heart,and that's a bad combination.Have a Happy Cayman Thanksgiving.
You have a reading comprehension problem. "Four years ago a child…" is not the same as "a four year old child".
No, only someone with a 4 year old's intelligence would think up Heroes Day.
So, reading between the lines, we can conclude that PPM thanksgiving was invented by a 4 year old who said we should be more thankful back in the UDP days…..
10:31 Except for the fact that the child's age is not mentioned in the article, you are pretty much on target .I hope you were simply making an observation ,and not trying to belittle the efforts of a child,just to score political points.
Well at least I was not the one USING the efforts of a child just to score political points.
– 09:43.Yes you were.
I would hate to be stuck on a long flight next to someone as self-righteous as you.
Danger. Fatuous drivel alert. Danger.
This thoroughly contrived nonsense must surely be attributable to a fine single malt.
I know I need one after reading it. Make it a double.
21:05.Are you saying that you need a nonsensical invention of a holiday to have gratitude; how sad.Just remember don't use sentences without spaces in between punctuation marks, and that the Oxford comma is an unnecessary affectation in almost all usage ,so don't write in public and reduce the extent to which you expose yourself as an empty barrel.
10:08.Typical response from someone without a good argument,belittle the opponent by poking fun at their use of punctuation marks. I am quite sure that you understood what I meant, even if a comma was misplaced. So please drop the high and mighty attitude . It will not score you any points here in Cayman.
I just threw up reading that patronising sanctimonious crap. I am thankful that I missed my shoes.
10:09. Stupid is, as stupid does.Hrer's your sign.
It is handy that the troll always starts by typing the time of the poster he is responding to. It is a marker for "Here comes semi-literate crap".
You are lucky! I caught both of my shoes!
If governemnt really wanted to make Cayman Thanksgiving a special event, they should have designated it as a public holiday. Why not recognize the first Monday in December and make it a new public holiday.
No. I just consulted with my four year old adviser who states that on that day it should be National Spider man day and we should all be allowed to climb things. And have fizzy pop.
An official statement will be distributed to all press outlets tomorrow.
No. I just consulted with my four year old adviser who states that on that day it should be National Spider man day and we should all be allowed to climb things. And have fizzy pop.
An official statement will be distributed to all press outlets tomorrow.
They could have been really original and designated the last Thursday in November.
Hmmmm… no… someone has clearly plagiarized the plot of a bad lifetime movie and tried to pass it offas "history". If you're going to make up crap, at least be less obvious about it.
Except it is not made up and is perfectly true.