Wedged between the spooky nights of Halloween and the dazzling lights of various end-of-year religious celebrations is a holiday that fills our bellies with food and our hearts with gratitude.

The fourth Friday of November was first dedicated to Thanksgiving by our country’s first president, George Washington, in 1789, according to the U.S. National Archives. The occasion was said to represent the annual crop harvests; it’s thought that the holiday was modeled after similar festivities between English colonizers and the Wampanoag tribe in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

However, today, most Thanksgiving celebrations involve snazzy outfits, family photographs, a multi-course dinner with all the fixins, football, and sleepy uncles napping on the couch. Beyond that, it gives us a moment away from our hectic lives to spend time with loved ones and reflect on what we cherish the most.

What are you thankful for this year? The Shawangunk Journal hit the streets and shops of Stone Ridge, High Falls, and Rosendale to get some answers.

As darkness fell under a sheet of white clouds, 39-year Stone Ridge resident Marcia Jackson stood patiently, waiting for her food through the take-out window at Cherry’s Ice Cream Bar along Route 209. An employee inside apologized for the wait, but Jackson brushed her worries aside. She didn’t mind it. If you’ve ever gotten a speeding ticket, you may have met Jackson before. For the past seven years she worked as a part-time court clerk for Marbletown after a 29-year career with IBM and 19 years working with a solar energy company.

This year, Jackson says she is looking forward to visiting her niece for a nice meal. Unfortunately, she can’t visit her two daughters who will be out of the state on the holiday, and her son is working. However, she plans to have a small meal with her grandson and another friend the day prior. Family is of the utmost importance to Jackson. When she ran into some personal trouble last year, and was displaced from her home, her son took her in with open arms.

“I’m thankful for my family,” Jackson said as she was handed a cup of ice cream and a hefty paper bag. “They all get along, and they are always there for me as I would always be there for them.”

Dusk had fully settled in as Saugerties native Evan Sullivan trotted across the blacktop parking lot and headed into Dunkin’ at the Stone Ridge Towne Centre. What’s a Saugerties man doing all the way out here? This 18-year-old is at the tail end of his first semester at SUNY Ulster, and while he’s undecided on his major, he really enjoyed his public speaking class.

This year, as he always does, Sullivan is spending Thanksgiving at his cousin’s house for a big family dinner. He laughed when remembering his favorite family story that always gets brought up at the dinner table. During a friendly game of manhunt, a mix of tag and hide-and-seek, his cousin ran right into a small tree and knocked it out of the ground. While his aunt was furious, it’s become a treasured tale that never fails to make everyone laugh. Aside from his loving family, Sullivan is thankful for the direction his life is going at the moment.

“I’m thankful for how I’ve adapted with everything changing with going to college,” Sullivan said. “It makes me feel more independent. I’m at the point where I can choose things for myself and I’m thankful that I’m going in a direction I’m comfortable with.”

Down the road, 40-year Olivebridge resident Dave Cree pulled into the Mobil gas station in Stone Ridge, browsing an old copy of the Shawangunk Journal as he moseyed around the store. Cree was a retired employee for the Department of Environmental Conservation, where he worked for 37 years in wildlife management. He was charged with monitoring and managing the bear population, which often involved expeditions into their dens. This year, Cree is headed to his son’s mother’s house where he is looking forward to a nice, quiet meal. As for his gratitude… he’s just happy to be alive.

“I’m thankful that our country hasn’t devolved into chaos,” Cree said, “I’m thankful for the health of my family and that we can still be free.”

Woodstock resident Dave Gates walked through the ink-black lot of the High Falls Food Co-Op towards the bright lights atop the front doors. Although Gates works as an arborist (a hint for later), cutting and maintaining trees for residents in the Marbletown area, it seemed he hadn’t had his fill of plants just yet. This year there weren’t any holiday plans for him, but he may figure out a last minute get together with his friends. Can you guess what he might be thankful for?

“I’m thankful for trees; they build and heat our homes, and provide food for us and animals,” Gates said. “Without trees here, this place wouldn’t be as wonderful as it is.”

By around 6 p.m. things had slowed down for Kerhonkson resident and Rosendale Stewart’s cashier Joseph Taylor. For him, Thanksgiving is a whole day occasion with the family, eating small snacks all day, watching Charlie Brown and other festive television specials, plus a massive feast and dessert in the evening. Similar to Sullivan, Taylor was happy to be independent and supporting himself during one of the most difficult periods of time in recent memory.

“I’m thankful for my current position, economically,” Taylor said. “I know there are a lot of people who are having a tough time, so it’s a very rewarding feeling.”

We at the Journal are thankful everyday for our readers. What are you thankful for this holiday season?