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There’s no easier time to donate to charity than around the holiday season.
During this time of year, many stores make it so simple to donate by giving part of their profits to charitable organizations — so while you’re buying the things that you need, you can also feel good about giving back. But not all retailers require you to spend money to help a good cause.
Enter Aritzia. The Canadian retailer, which opened stores stateside a few years ago, is starting a new campaign where you can help those in need without opening your wallet. The fashion brand has launched a charitable initiative starting now until the end of the holiday season for the Cause We Care Foundation, a charity founded by women to assist disadvantaged single mothers and their children. All you have to do to participate is post a photo on social media of someone (a friend, sister, mother) who you love, with the hashtag #FullofHeart, and Aritzia will donate a brick to help build a subsidized housing complex in Vancouver to aid mothers and children in need.
That’s right, there is no purchase necessary — all you have to do is post a photo with the caption “I am #FullofHeart for X (person)” and you will be giving back.
Now if that’s not effortless style, we don’t know what is.
When it comes to setting our Thanksgiving table, most of us know very little about the history of the elements that decorate our tables. We spoke to Jim Baker, the author of “Thanksgiving: The Biography of an American Holiday,” Richard Pickering, the Plimoth Plantation‘s deputy director and Amy Traverso, the senior lifestyle editor of Yankee Magazine for a mini-crash course in how our tables got this way — and some myths about the first Thanksgiving.
The First Celebrations Were Held At Multiple Tables.
The First Thanksgiving at Plymouth, oil on canvas by Jennie Augusta Brownscombe (1914).
Credit: Wikicommons
“If you Google pilgrim paintings… there are these gorgeous 1930s paintings of Pilgrims sitting at a very long table and these beautiful Pilgrim women walking along the table with steaming turkeys, and there are a couple Native people sitting on the ground at the end of the table,” says Pickering. “Actually, you’ve got 48 people surviving the first winter in Plymouth, and at a minimum there are 95 Native men accompanying [them.]” Pickering says that at that feast, since there were so many more Native Americans there than we have imagined, they would most likely be dining in small groups, rather than one large table.
The Cornucopia Is Older Than You Think.
Those horns filled with fruits and vegetables you see on many Thanksgiving tables are actually a symbol from Greek mythology, displaying a magical goat’s horn, which could be filled with whatever the owner wished. The word cornucopia originated from cornu copiae, meaning “horn of plenty” in Latin, and its first known use was in 1508.
Baker estimates that the cornucopia first appeared in glass, pottery and silver in the late 19th century, while basket versions arrived in the 20th century.
Corn Might Mean More Than The Turkey, Symbolically-Speaking.
Traverso says that corn saved the lives of the first settlers during their first harsh year in the country. Since many of their other crops essentially failed (including bean crops), corn became a saving grace, mostly because they were taught how to properly grow it. “The symbol of the corn is so significant because the corn is what saved the pilgrims from starvation,” says Traverso. “They really didn’t know how to farm in this climate. It was Indian corn, as they called it, which was taught to them by the Native Americans living at the time… that kept them alive.”
Even At The First Thanksgiving, Sports Were Entertainment.
“In the one eyewitness description that we have of this event, there is just as much emphasis on the sports and just as much emphasis on the military practices as the dining,” Pickering says. “It was an opportunity for the English men — now that their agricultural labors were put aside — to be able to muster and practice, because they were also soldiers now. There’s no one else to defend them but themselves.” Pickering says games such as running races and pitching the bar were played during the first celebration.
Not unlike the perfect rhinestone-studded clutch, a bold lipstick never fails to be the perfect complement to any holiday ensemble, not to mention, ties the overall look together in five seconds flat. Though a sexy crimson tone is usually our go-to hue, a rich magenta packs just as much punch, and gives the effect an unexpected, yet elegant, twist.
Thanksgiving is a time for thanks, which is why HuffPost LA — a group made up of both transplants and native Angelenos — has compiled a list of reasons we feel truly blessed to call this city home. Debate our selections in the comments below, and pass the gravy.
“Winter” Weather
I’m thankful that the only winter weather issue we have to worry about is how often to re-apply sunscreen lotion. This year for Thanksgiving, four friends from Minnesota are coming to LA to escape the snowy cold for a week of biking on the beach, hikes overlooking the Pacific Ocean and paddleboard yoga. –Anna Almendrala
The Food On Fairfax
I’m thankful for all the amazing restaurants and bars — some new, some old — on Fairfax between Melrose and Beverly, a short walk from my apartment. Between the oxtail poutine at Animal, the breakfast burrito at Cofax, the pastrami reuben at Canter’s and the fried chicken at Plan Check, that stretch has become one of the most exciting places to eat in the city. –Joe Satran
Hiking Year Round
As a native New Jerseyan, I’m thankful that I can hike Temescal Canyon on my birthday in January and always wear a tank top. That never gets old.
–Kelsey Borresen
The Color Green
I’m thankful to have the most amazing produce options all year round — fresh, local cherimoya, avocado and lettuce in the dead of winter is such a gift!
–Meredith Melnick
The Lost Art Of Radio
I’m grateful for the rich radio news and political landscape in LA that I can listen to while driving around. From KCRW to KPCC to KPFK to KFI to KNX to KABC and more, I can always get the fix that a news-politics-opinion junkie like myself craves.
–Matt Ferner
Those Sunsets
I’m thankful for those hot pink stained sunsets that transforms a normal afternoon into what feels like being eaten by a velvety lava lamp. They remind me that the gaudy beauty of LA isn’t confined to advertisements and neon signs — it’s everywhere!
–Priscilla Frank
The IMAX Screen At The Chinese Theatre
The TCL Chinese Theatre (originally Grauman’s Chinese Theatre) is a historic landmark along Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. It was founded in 1922 and its famed courtyard in front hosts handprints of the most important figures in Hollywood from the 1920s to today. The very first Academy Awards were hosted there. But that’s not why I love it. In 2013, TCL took over and partnered with IMAX to create the largest IMAX auditorium in the world. In a year with a film like Chris Nolan’s “Interstellar,” the tickets to see it in IMAX 70mm (well worth the $20), made for the most incredible movie-going experience of the year. This is why we see movies. –Sasha Bronner
Very Happy Vegetarians
I’m thankful for the San Gabriel Valley and its wealth of amazing Chinese restaurants, especially the veggie-friendly places. (Special shout-out to the house “chicken” at Happy Family. You make me a very, very happy vegetarian.) –Brittany Wong
Surf To Slopes
I am thankful to live in Los Angeles, where you can surf in the morning and then play in the snow in Mammoth just a few hours later. And of course wherever you go, you are bound to bump into a celebrity. Thanks to Adam Sandler for posing with the kids! –Ann Brenoff
Urban Explorers
LA is more a diverse collection of cities than a single urban metropolis. While some see this as a disadvantage (urban sprawl!), I love the fact that with a short drive you can go from ethnic neighborhoods (Thai Town, Little Tokyo, East LA) to glitz and glamour (West Hollywood, Beverly Hills) to beach cities (Santa Monica, Manhattan and Hermosa Beach), to urban core (DTLA), to hipster-ville (Silver Lake, Echo Park) to the great outdoors (San Gabriel and Santa Monica Mountain ranges). Never a shortage of places to adventure and explore!–Mani Chandy
We Walk It Out
The sunshine is obvious — but the walkability of this city is not! Whoever said Los Angeles isn’t walkable doesn’t live in the Beverly Grove area. I’m thankful for strolls to the grocery store, to brunch, to drinks with colleagues and to friends’ houses down the street. It’s a great way to avoid traffic, too. –Ashley Reich
Great Living Spaces
Real estate in LA sure looks pretty compared to New York. I’m thankful that I spent the past couple of years living in a spacious artist’s loft in Downtown Los Angeles because my new Brooklyn apartment isn’t even half the size! –Tiara Chiaramonte
Music Under The Stars
I am thankful for all the amazing live music that comes to the city. Some of our great outdoor venues include the Hollywood Bowl, The Greek Theatre and seeing live bands at the Santa Monica Pier during the summer. Music breathes life into the soul and I feel very fortunate that almost every band plays a show in LA. –Katinka Walker
The Beaches. That’s It.
As a recent transplant from New York City to Los Angeles, I’m most thankful for the stunning beaches right outside my front door. From Santa Monica to Venice Beach, there’s not a single day that goes by that I’m not thankful to have these incredible vistas and playgrounds right at my fingertips. If you like to run, swim, paddleboard, surf, kite surf, kayak, or just sit back, relax, and soak up the sun, the beach is the best place to do it and we’ve got some of the best in the world. Besides, it’s 70 and sunny nearly year-round. Yes, everyone reading this can now be jealous. –Jenny Depper
When he was a child, Eduardo Samaniego sat down with his family every year in his hometown of Zacatecas, Mexico, to eat a Thanksgiving meal.
But in his heart, he was dreaming of America.
Día de Acción de Gracias, as his family called it, was a day to give thanks to God for a good harvest. But by the time the holiday arrived, the beans and apples Samaniego worked all summer to grow had been sold. While his grandmother led the family in prayer, the little boy would look past the small plates of tamales and tostones on the table and fix his eyes on the most prized dish: a whole turkey that relatives in the United States had shipped across the border.
This year, Samaniego, now 22, is celebrating Thanksgiving with friends at Hampshire College in Massachusetts. He’s bringing Mexican food, while classmates from China, Pakistan, France, Italy and Brazil are adding dishes from their home countries.
As Americans prepare for a festive Thanksgiving meal, millions of undocumented immigrants in the U.S. like Samaniego still aren’t wholeheartedly welcomed at the table. They often are the busboys, waiters, cooks, maids, farmhands, janitors, and store clerks working behind the scenes to make the holiday happen.
President Barack Obama’s executive order last week promised deportation relief and working rights for an estimated 4.4 million undocumented immigrants. But Samaniego is among the millions not covered by the action.
Samaniego has been in the U.S. for five years, but he was a few months older than 16 when he came — and a result, he still faces deportation.
Still, he said he has much to be thankful for this year. One of the biggest blessings on his list is education. He said his parents would never have been able to afford sending him to college. In America, he’s gotten the opportunity to study on a scholarship.
“For me, honestly, Thanksgiving is a reminder that everything is possible in the United States, as long as you work for it,” Samaniego told HuffPost, his voice trembling with emotion over the phone. “Even though it took a long time for me to be here, on Thanksgiving I’m going to have something real and I’m going to be here in my college celebrating. Six years ago, I could never have imagined myself doing this.”
Samaniego had the courage to come forward and share his story, but others that HuffPost contacted said they were afraid to speak for fear of deportation.
Some congregants who worship at the Second Avenue Church, an evangelical Spanish-speaking congregation in New York City, are “living in the shadows” as undocumented immigrants, according to the Rev. Michael A. Rivera, the pastor. And they will likely be at work during the holiday this year, Rivera added.
“Many are saddened at such a time, because they have no family to celebrate with. Their families are thousands of miles away,” Rivera said. “To many, our church ‘family’ is all they have.”
The Pew Research center estimated that in 2011, 83 percent of America’s 11.1 unauthorized immigrants were Christian. The church is often the first place where they are introduced to the spiritual aspect of Thanksgiving.
Faith based-organizations, like the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference and the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, have applauded Obama’s move toward immigration reform. But many religious leaders say there is much left to be done.
Bishop Leopold Frade of the Episcopal Diocese of Southeast Florida told HuffPost that Congress still needs to act swiftly to pass a comprehensive immigration bill.
“It’s better late than never,” Frade said of the president’s announcement. “But being late causes thousands of people to suffer and families to be separated.”
Frade, a Cuban native, vividly remembers his own arrival in America back in 1960. He was a teenager then, already certain of a calling to serve God. The Cuban revolution had just swept through his home country, however, and the church was being persecuted.
“I myself was a refugee in this country,” Frade recalled. “And God had it that now I’m the bishop of Southeast Florida.”
He insisted his success story is common.
Immigrants “are hard-working, they’re in construction, in the markets, doing anything they can to feed their families,” Frade said. “These are people who will provide a future for America and strengthen America.
“What I’m hoping is that for the first time in years, many undocumented people will be able to have a Thanksgiving without fear,” Frade added.
After arriving in the U.S., Frade’s family incorporated Cuban traditions into their Thanksgiving celebrations. Their table would have a traditional turkey, but there would also be black beans, rice, yuca and pork.
The same mixing of cultures will happen this Thanksgiving in the homes of members of Ekklesia Miami, a church in Florida that serves many unauthorized immigrants. Senior pastor Christian Garcia has watched the immigration system tear children in his church away from their parents. But he said congregants have embraced this quintessentially American holiday. His church hosts a yearly Thanksgiving service.
Garcia said his community has much to be grateful for this year.
“There’s an atmosphere of joy, celebration, and gratitude here,” Garcia told HuffPost.
The Rev. Ryan Eller, executive director of Define American, said the immigrants he works with have accepted Thanksgiving so easily because giving thanks is a predominant part of many faith traditions.
But when he thinks back to the first Thanksgiving, things get a bit complicated. The holiday’s history is tainted by decades of oppression and mistreatment of Native American people.
“Reconciliation is often painful and we don’t always treat each other with love and respect,” Eller told HuffPost. “Thinking back on our immigrant heritage while embracing the diversity of the future is an act of faith.”
More than 2,000 teens begin abusing prescription pills each day, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health — making prescription pills the most common drugs teens use to get high after marijuana. According to new research, anti-anxiety and sleeping pills may carry an especially high risk of abuse, particularly among teens who have been prescribed these medications.
Teenagers prescribed medication for anxiety or sleep problems are up to 12 times more likely to abuse those drugs — either by using someone else’s prescription pills to get high or by other means of experimentation — than those who had never had a prescription, according to the University of Michigan research.
While these medications are important in treating anxiety and sleeping problems, nursing professor Carol Boyd, the study’s lead author, says that the number of teens being prescribed and misusing these medications is “disturbing.”
Researchers tested 2,750 teenagers from five Detroit-area schools, 9 percent of whom had received a prescription for anxiety or sleeping pills at some point during their lives. More than 3 percent had received at least one prescription during the past three years.
They found that those prescribed anxiety medications during their lifetime were 12 times more likely to use someone else’s anxiety medication than teens who had never been prescribed these drugs. Those who had been prescribed anxiety or sleeping medication within the past three years were 10 times more likely to abuse them than prescription-free teens.
White students were twice as likely as black students to use someone else’s medication, while young women over the age of 15 and teens who had prescriptions for longer periods of time were more likely to abuse the medication.
Anxiety pills like Xanax and Klonopin, and sleeping pills like Ambien and Lunesta, are some of the most commonly abused prescription drugs, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. These medications can be addictive and even fatal when mixed with alcohol or narcotics, and, as controlled substances, it is illegal to share them.
The findings were the first to indicate a correlation between teens’ legal use of these medications and their later abuse of someone else’s prescription for the same drugs.
“It just catches you off guard that so many adolescents are being prescribed these medications,” Boyd said in a statement. “Why is it that our youth are anxious and sleepless? Is it because they are under stress, consuming too much caffeine or seeking an altered state?”
By Barbara Brody for Life by DailyBurn
Gravy-drenched drumsticks, buttery mashed potatoes and gooey pecan pie all sound scrumptious — until you think about what they’ll do to your waistline. While you shouldn’t deprive yourself of all your favorite Thanksgiving staples, cutting back just a little and making some smart swaps can go a long way in maintaining the physique you’ve worked hard to build. Try these 12 expert-backed tips to make it through turkey day without feeling like a stuffed, well, you know.
1. Eat before the big meal.
Yes, you read that correctly! Showing up for the feast with a rumbling tummy is a recipe for over-eating, so be sure to pre-game by having a nutritious, low-cal snack. A bowl of vegetable soup about one hour before mealtime should help tame your hunger, says Sonya Angelone, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Picking at an appetizer veggie platter is a good option as well.
2. Dress to impress.
Save your baggy, comfy clothes for another occasion. Instead, break out a form-fitting garment — think skinny jeans or a curve-hugging dress. “You’ll be less likely to overeat if you’re wearing something a little snug, because you’ll start feeling uncomfortable more quickly,” says Keri Gans, RD, author of The Small Change Diet. If you can make it through the meal without having to undo the top button of your pants, you’re in good shape.
3. Make single-size versions of decadent dishes.
Want to be the perfect host? Add flair to the table and stop everyone, including yourself, from overdoing it by offering individual portions of the fattiest items on the menu, suggests Jackie Newgent, RD, culinary nutritionist and author of The With or Without Meat Cookbook. “For instance, bake stuffing in cups of a muffin pan; make sweet potato or green bean casserole in individual ramekins; ladle creamy soups into espresso cups; or serve gravy or rich salad dressing in shot glasses.” Pre-sizing eliminates the opportunity to pile those taters too high.
4. Don’t worry, be picky.
Before sitting down at the dinner table, have a few favorites foods in mind that you plan to indulge in — and don’t be afraid to change course if the first taste proves to be more “meh” than marvelous. “If it isn’t everything you’d hoped it would be, don’t waste calories by having another bite,” says Elisa Zied, RD, author of Younger Next Week. “Try something different.” Wouldn’t you rather fill up on yummy fare rather than an average dish?
5. Make faux mashed potatoes.
Can’t limit yourself to a small scoop of these buttery spuds? Then bypass them entirely in favor of cauliflower. “For a delicious stand-in, boil cauliflower, mash it, and add a little skim milk, lemon and garlic,” say Tammy Lakatos Shames, RD, and Lyssie Lakatos, RD, aka The Nutrition Twins. The similar texture and color will trick you into thinking you’re getting the real thing.
6. Choose booze or sugar.
Cocktails and dessert are usually both laden with sugar and calories, so pick a singular indulgence — but still be mindful of serving sizes. Think one small piece of pie or a half-cup of eggnog, says Zied, will do the trick.
7. Mix up a 45-calorie cocktail.
If liquor and dessert are equally essential to you enjoying the holiday, at least choose your libation wisely. For a mere 45 calories you can have a “Fruity Tooty Spritzer,” say Lakatos and Lakatos Shames: Simply combine 1 cup sparkling water, 2 ounces vodka, 1 tablespoon grapefruit juice and 6 raspberries. Garnish with fresh mint leaves.
8. Eat off colorful plates.
Leave the fancy white china in the cabinet. “You’ll likely eat more when light-colored foods, such as turkey and mashed potatoes, are served on white or cream plates,” says Newgent. “Research has found that the more contrast between your food and plate color, the less you’ll likely eat — or overeat.” Bring on the bolds!
9. Go to the back of the line.
Heading to a holiday buffet? Let others get their fill first. “Once the cheese platter and desserts have been picked over they won’t seem nearly as enticing,” says Karen Ansel, RD, a New York-based nutritionist. As hard as it may be, fight the urge to be number one.
10. Choose appetizers that provide visual clues.
If you tend to inhale your food without realizing how much you consumed, opt for nibbles like in-shell pistachio nuts. “Their empty shells are a helpful visual cue about how much you’ve eaten, potentially encouraging you to eat less,” says Ansel. Chicken satay and shrimp cocktail are also good options, as you can watch the skewers and tails stack up.
11. Draw a clear finish line.
Once you’ve had your fair share, reach for a “meal ender” to prevent you from picking at whatever’s in front of you. Zied suggests popping a breath strip, sucking on a strong mint or reapplying your lip gloss. Another trick: Pour some water on your plate so you won’t want to use it anymore — just make sure no one’s watching.
12. Join the cleanup crew.
“One hour spent clearing the table and washing dishes while you’re standing can whittle off about 100 calories,” says Newgent. Plus your host will be grateful!
More from Life by DailyBurn:
Low-Calorie Foods That Will Actually Fill You Up
Infographic: How Much Exercise It Takes to Burn Off Thanksgiving Dinner
12 Fast Food Drinks That Aren’t Worth the Calories
There are several essentials for every Thanksgiving table. Of course, you have to have the turkey and the stuffing. Then there’s your grandmother’s china and the perfect seating arrangement. But perhaps the most important element is the gratitude that inevitably filters its way into dinner conversations across the country.
It’s really no surprise we take the opportunity to say thanks during the holidays: Experts suggest it can help us feel more connected to others. Counting your blessings — even the little ones — can also reduce stress and boost happiness.
Seeing as it’s so beneficial, we asked HuffPost staffers to share what they treasure most this year. From puppies to siblings to good health, we certainly have a lot to be thankful for. Take a look at our responses below, then share what you’re grateful for this year.
Happy Thanksgiving from The Huffington Post!
Show us what you’re grateful for, in one image, and we’ll share some of our favorites!
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
