US holiday time for all cultures to give thanks

By Frances Morton
Was the US right to invade Iraq? Whatever your view, Bay vicar Edwar Prebble wants anyone no matter what their political views or religion to help celebrate Thanksgiving Day in his church.
Mr Prebble's St John's Church in Otumoetai's Bureta Rd is hosting a special Thanksgiving dinner today to mark the American holiday.
Many nations would be united under the red, white and blue banners decorating the church hall as Tauranga people from different backgrounds including Iran, Turkey, India and America dine on traditional Thanksgiving fare.
Mr Prebble - whose wife is from Texas - said he wanted Americans to feel welcome in Tauranga rather than uneasy about being an American in New Zealand at a time when some New Zealanders do not agree with US foreign policy.
"America is a lot bigger than its foreign policy," he said.
Mr Prebble has organised a live band to serenade the 100 diners with American music and decked out the hall with balloons, floral table pieces and 100 Star Spangled Banners couriered from the USA for the occasion.
The menu boasted all the festive favourites, turkey with cranberry sauce, creamed potatoes and pumpkin pie.
The candied yams took on a Kiwi twist, using golden kumara in place of the North American sweet potato.
Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in USA and traditionally marked with a large dinner shared among friends and family.
Most people recognise the first Thanksgiving as taking place in autumn of 1621, when Pilgrims in New England held a three-day feast to celebrate the bountiful harvest they reaped following their first winter in North America.
John Viggiano of Matua who has lived in New Zealand for 15 years remembers celebrating Thanksgiving only once in this country.
The 46-year-old Californian was looking forward to joining fellow Americans in a celebration of his homeland.
"It's an interdenominational celebration that everybody can be a part of. It's a bigger family celebration than Christmas," he said.
Mr Viggiano said he felt more Kiwi than American after becoming a New Zealand citizen and not voting in American elections for many years.
However, he could understand that some Americans had a hard time when they first moved here.
"I'm not defensive anymore," he said. "I'm more in line with New Zealand now."
Mr Prebble hoped to make the Thanksgiving celebration an annual event.