Life

Thanksgiving Quotes That Define The Holiday

by Chelsey Grasso
John Moore/Getty Images News/Getty Images

Everybody has their own experience of Thanksgiving, and while we all may have unique stories to tell and different traditions to share, at the heart of it all, the holiday is about bringing friends and family together and sharing what we are all thankful for. These Thanksgiving quotes for 2016 demonstrate the breadth of emotions that come with Thanksgiving, and they also serve to depict how unified Americans are on Turkey Day.

From Al Green and Christie Brinkley to Tony Snow and Mackenzie Davis, these quotes come from many different walks of life, but the one thing they all share despite their different authors? An appreciation for Thanksgiving, and more significantly, what Thanksgiving represents as a holiday. While the origins of Thanksgiving may go back to the original American settlers (and we can all admit that their ways weren't always something to be proud of), the holiday has morphed to signify a day of thanks in today's modern age. And who can ever say "thank you" too many times? I know I can't. Here are a few quotes to help express the sentiment.

1. "I'm thankful for every moment." — Al Green

2. "I love Thanksgiving because it's a holiday that is centered around food and family, two things that are of utmost importance to me." — Marcus Samuelsson

3. "There is one day that is ours. Thanksgiving Day is the one day that is purely American." — O. Henry

4. "That's one of the great things about Thanksgiving: Football's on!" — Michael Strahan

5. "I love Thanksgiving. In Canada, we don't really have a lot of history with Thanksgiving, and it's a holiday devoted to food, and that warms the cockles of my being." — Mackenzie Davis

6. "My most memorable meal is every Thanksgiving. I love the food: the turkey and stuffing; the sweet potatoes and rice, which come from my mother's Southern heritage; the mashed potatoes, which come from my wife's Midwestern roots; the Campbell's green-bean casserole; and of course, pumpkin pie." — Douglas Conant

7. "On the morning of Thanksgiving, I would wake up to the home smelling of all good things, wafting upstairs to my room. I would set the table with the fancy silverware and china and hope that my parents and grandmother wouldn't have the annual Thanksgiving fight about Richard Nixon." — Debi Mazar

8. "At Thanksgiving, I always start at the top of my list and say I'm grateful for friends, family, and good health. Then I get more superficial... like being thankful for my Louboutins." — Christie Brinkley

9. "If you think Independence Day is America's defining holiday, think again. Thanksgiving deserves that title, hands-down." — Tony Snow

Images: John Moore/Getty Images; Giphy (2)