Organized by the Spiritual Care and Learning Centre, the harvest dinner stems from a long-standing tradition of welcoming international students
This year's harvest dinner on campus was held during reading week on Oct. 17, 2024 from 5:30 to 8:00 p.m. at The Buttery in Alumni Hall. Students who attended the dinner enjoyed an evening of food, conversation, and friendship.
This dinner was primarily organized by the Spiritual Care and Learning Centre, one of the services of the Student Success Center, along with the McMaster Chaplaincy Centre. It was supported by the International and Exchange Student Experience office. The SCLC was founded in 2021 to provide accessible and comprehensive spiritual care.
Andy Crowell, the SCLC director, explained that the harvest dinner evolved from an annual thanksgiving dinner that the ecumenical chaplaincy held for nearly thirty years. “The heart behind it is to provide hospitality for any students, but particularly identifying international students. The heart behind it was to provide a little hospitality at a time when Canadians are celebrating in a traditional way,” said Crowell.
The heart behind it is to provide hospitality for any students, but particularly identifying international students. The heart behind it was to provide a little hospitality at a time when Canadians are celebrating in a traditional way.
Andy Crowell, Director
Spiritual Care and Learning Centre
The ecumenical chaplaincy falls under the umbrella of groups supported by the SCLC. Crowell noted that he advocated for the SCLC to help host the dinner to sustain the tradition without relying on volunteer support. “The original dinner through the ecumenical chaplaincy would involve at least 50 volunteers … That kind of organization, you can imagine, was wide and arduous,” said Crowell.
The dinner is held during reading week to provide a social opportunity for international students. “A lot of students go to their homes … [but] many are still on campus, most of whom are international students,” added Crowell.
Crowell also spoke to the decision to rename the event. “Thanksgiving is a perfectly appropriate word for a human expression of something, but it has a connotation at that time of year,” said Crowell.
Elder Katherine Knott, who works with the SCLC, was invited to speak at the dinner to honor the significance of this change. The harvest dinner included traditional thanksgiving and Indigenous dishes. “The repositioning is sought to try and decolonize a little bit out of the Canadian, sort of Euro-thanksgiving concept to one that is no less grateful,” said Crowell.
The evening began with opening remarks from Crowell, Knott, ecumenical chaplain Marlice Simon and dean of students Sean Van Koughnett. Each table had a host who facilitated icebreakers and friendship bracelet making. Door prizes were given out throughout the event and winners were encouraged to introduce themselves.
Crowell shared that the event was at full capacity, with over 100 students attending. Many students stayed and continued their conversations after the event officially ended.
Speaking about what he hoped students would take away from the event, Crowell said, “If they’ve not had many points of contact with other students to help build a small sense of community, they could and did find it that night."
If they’ve not had many points of contact with other students to help build a small sense of community, they could and did find it that night.
Andy Crowell, Director
Spiritual Care and Learning Centre
The harvest dinner provided an opportunity for students to find community and express gratitude. To connect with the SCLC and their programs and services, you can visit their website or drop in to their office, located in room 212 of MUSC.
C/O Yoohyun Park
The importance of self-care and managing school and other stressors
By: Anna Samson, Contributor
About halfway through every semester, Canadian postsecondary students get one week off from school. Known as a mid-term recess, or reading week, this week is meant for students to catch up on class material and assignments. It is also used as a break so that students can take some time to rest before entering the homestretch of the semester.
This year, at McMaster University, reading week for the fall 2021 semester ran from Oct. 11 to 17.
The break is a chance for many students to spend time with family and friends. Like most fall semester reading weeks, this year’s reading week aligned with Thanksgiving weekend. In the winter semester, it aligns with Family Day. Both holidays offer good opportunities for students to reconnect with their loved ones.
Aside from seeing friends and family, students can use the break as a chance to do some self-care that they may have slacked on in lieu of schoolwork. This can include getting more sleep, taking long baths, spending time in nature, journaling, doing hobbies or just going out and having fun.
Yuka Abe, a fourth-year kinesiology student, spent her break reconnecting with family and friends. She also got some rest and devoted time to leisure reading.
“I did read more, I think, which I haven’t done in a while. So, that was pretty nice, just reading for fun and not like school readings,” said Abe.
Since fall of 2019, students have had reading weeks that were filled with health anxiety and uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Fall of 2021 is the first reading week since the pandemic started where students are not stuck at home. As places open back up and people get fully vaccinated, students now have more options regarding how they choose to spend their reading week.
Zeinab Khawaja, a Health Promoter at the Student Wellness Centre at McMaster, highlights the importance of adequate sleep and rest and not being too hard on yourself throughout the school year. Her major piece of advice for students about managing stress is two-fold.
“One: trusting in your ability to handle things and get the supports that you need, because they exist at McMaster and within your social circles. Two: prioritizing rest. Say ‘this is my cut-off time and I’m gonna do as much as I can by then and then I’m gonna rest guilt-free or go to bed’,”
Zeinab Khawaja
The Student Wellness Centre has services available to students year-round. These include counseling and therapy sessions, both individually or by group, medical care and health promotion and wellness resources. Most services are covered under the McMaster Student Union Health Plan.
As this week off from school falls around the middle of the semester, students are often preoccupied with studying for midterms. Some midterms are due right before reading week, which gives students some time to recharge and recuperate afterward. Other midterms may fall after reading week, which provides students with more uninterrupted time to prepare and revise.
However, although reading week is meant to relieve stress for students, trying to balance productivity and finding time to rest can also induce greater stress for some.
With one midterm before reading week and two more during the first week back from the break, Abe was one student who felt that the break did not offer enough time for relaxing.
“I don’t think I was able to relax as much as I could’ve, or wanted to, during the break because I was just thinking about the midterms or like studying for them,” said Abe.
Other students have also expressed similar sentiments in previous years.
To help organize and manage schoolwork, students can use planners to make note of due dates. Scheduling programs and apps are also great ways for students to make realistic schedules for all the tasks they have to juggle. Most importantly, making time for self-care, including exercise and relaxation, can help reduce stress.
Khawaja emphasizes the need for students to be kind to themselves.
“Forgiv[e] yourself for not completing every single thing you wanted to do and not doing everything at 110%. We’re humans, we can’t constantly be functioning at “100%” and our best looks different every single day,” said Khawaja.
Through self-kindness, rest and realistic planning, students can achieve a healthy balance between their lives and their workload. It is important that students find ways to use the reading week to enrich their minds and bodies and not feel overwhelmed by school.
C/O David Menidrey, Unsplash
As fall holidays approach, the Ontario government releases guidelines for Thanksgiving, Remembrance Day and Halloween events
Given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, last year’s Halloween looked very different than a regular year’s, as was the case for other fall holidays such as Thanksgiving.
In 2020, traditional door-to-door trick or treating was not recommended for York, Peel, Toronto and Ottawa public health regions. Although some other regions were allowed to celebrate Halloween trick or treating, the Ontario government asked that extra precautions be taken.
This #Halloween, traditional door-to-door trick or treating is not recommended for @YorkRegionGovt, @cityoftoronto, @regionofpeel & @ottawacity #PublicHealth regions due to high transmission of #COVID19. Stay safe & follow public health advice. https://t.co/eXAwIUuTz6 pic.twitter.com/rzXCHffTBc
— Ontario Ministry of Health (@ONThealth) October 19, 2020
This year, due to vaccinations and lower case counts, individuals of all age groups should find themselves able to celebrate Halloween this year. These precautions are important for McMaster University students to consider, whether they go trick or treating alone or with friends and family.
For children in Ontario, this means that trick or treating will be able to go ahead, but with some precautions.
These precautions include remaining outdoors as much as possible, wearing masks, avoiding crowds, maintaining physical distancing when possible, interacting with others for only brief periods of time and using hand sanitizer.
“Be creative; fashion a face covering into your costume design, but remember a costume mask is no substitute for a proper face covering,” said Kieran Moore, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer, in his address to the province.
“Be creative; fashion a face covering into your costume design, but remember a costume mask is no substitute for a proper face covering.”
Kieran Moore, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer
Disinfecting pre-packaged candies is not among the precautions necessary for those going trick or treating this year.
Along with Halloween-related guidelines, the province also released similar sets of guidelines for Thanksgiving and Remembrance day. These guidelines emphasize minimizing the number of people attending events, using outdoor spaces and sanitizing regularly.
Hosting #Thanksgiving dinner at your house this year?
— Ontario Ministry of Health (@ONThealth) October 9, 2021
Remember that knowing someone does not reduce the risk of transmitting #COVID19. Keep following good #PublicHealth practices: https://t.co/391DaQMi5I
#CelebrateSafely pic.twitter.com/3w2GkrpJN1
People should also adhere to the current provincial gathering limits set at 100 people outdoors and 25 people indoors.
If a gathering includes vaccinated and unvaccinated people, Moore advises that masks stay on even indoors. This is especially important for older people and those with chronic medical conditions.
For all three holidays, the province emphasized the importance of staying home and engaging in a virtual celebration for individuals showing any symptoms of COVID-19.
Moore noted that this applies to all individuals, regardless of the severity of symptoms.
“If you are sick, even with mild symptoms, you should not be participating in social events like Halloween,” said Moore.
“If you are sick, even with mild symptoms, you should not be participating in social events like Halloween."
Kieran Moore, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer
As well, the province emphasized that, especially for those individuals who are unvaccinated or at an elevated risk for COVID-19, the safest way to gather continues to be on virtual platforms.
“We know from experience [that] it is exactly these kinds of events that can lead to spikes in transmission. But, provided we do our best to follow the guidelines in place, we can enjoy some well-deserved time with friends and family while also keeping our community transmission low,” explained Moore.
“We know from experience [that] it is exactly these kinds of events that can lead to spikes in transmission. But, provided we do our best to follow the guidelines in place, we can enjoy some well-deserved time with friends and family while also keeping our community transmission low.”
Kieran Moore, Ontario’s Chief Medical Officer
As of Oct. 8, the Ontario government has now administered 22 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Those who are not vaccinated can book their vaccination on the Ontario website at: https://covid-19.ontario.ca/covid-19-vaccines-ontario.
It is important for McMaster students to consider all necessary precautions as they plan their fall festivities. By remaining aware of government recommendations and regulations, students can ensure that they are protecting themselves and those around them.
They braved headwinds, traffic, and last-minute Thanksgiving grocery shoppers.
The 51 participants of Cranksgiving Hamilton crossed from west to east and cycled up and down the escarpment in a cross city scavenger hunt, with items gathered donated to the Welcome Inn Community Centre.
Rather than paying to enter, participants used their purchased items on a list, spending more than $1,500 and carrying over 839 pounds of food and hygiene items. This was the second year the event was run in Hamilton by Heidi and Reuben Vanderkwaak.
They started it out of a love of cycling after seeing a story about the event in New York City.
“I saw then that Cranksgiving had been happening in many cities and there was a ‘how-to’ guide on their website, so we just looked at each other and said yes, we have to do this!” said Heidi.
The event combines two values: cycling and community.
“What we like about this ride is that not only is it a chance for us to give back and to be thankful for what we have and provide food to others but also it’s using our bikes for something that is a lot of fun,” said Reuben.
The ride is also a way to get more people to see bicycling as a mode of transport, and even as an option for grocery shopping.
“A lot of people last year that came out said ‘I didn’t realize I could run around and gather all these groceries by bike, so now I’m going to try doing it on my own too,’” said Reuben.
Participants had a chance to win prizes like a NYNE portable bike speakers, a Wike Bicycle Trailer made in Guelph, and trophies made from upcycled bike parts from New Hope Bikes. Prizes were given to the fastest male and female participants in the 25km and 10km distances, but also to the heaviest haul (Matt Grande, 76 pounds) and Most Generous (Emma Cubitt, $136.22).
Several McMaster students participated, and one Mac student, Jackson Waite, was the winner of the male 25 km distance. He said the sense of community amongst cyclists also extended from non-cycling residents.
“It was really nice to take in the kindness of Hamiltonians during the race. At the stores when I asked if I could jump the line, everyone was more than willing to let me through, the same when I was asking for directions in the east end where I was getting pretty turned around,” said Waite.
Cranksgiving events have been a fixture in New York City for 15 years, and are starting to take off across North America with 35 locations hosting an event this year.
Cranksgiving is only held in two locations in Canada: Hamilton and Vancouver. But some participants that came to Hamilton from Toronto have expressed interest in hosting a Cranksgiving in Toronto next year.
The event showed how viable and fun biking in Hamilton can be.
“It’s the best way to get around,” said Waite. “You can cover way more ground on a bike, you get some solid exercise in and the endorphins flowing, and for me, most importantly, you’re not stuck waiting forever for the HSR.”
Alon Coret
The Silhouette
Living a thankful, grateful, appreciative life has numerous benefits.
It was found that people who are thankful tend to perform better in school, have fewer mental health problems, sleep better, and build stronger relationships.
The holiday we call Thanksgiving is celebrated in various ways and at different times around the world.
In sixteenth century England, various days of fasting and Thanksgiving were an integral part of the English Reformation; celebrated by the Puritans, these special days sought to replace the various existing church holidays – including Christmas and Easter. The American version of Thanksgiving is generally traced to a celebration of good harvest, which took place in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621. This initial celebration, inspired by Puritan pilgrims who immigrated to the United States, became a regular holiday in New England by the late 1660s.
In Canada, the roots of the Thanksgiving holiday are unclear. Some attribute it to the explorer Martin Frobisher, who, in 1578, celebrated his safe journey across the North Atlantic. Others claim that early French settlers, who held harvest feasts throughout the fall and winter, inspired the holiday. The Thanksgiving holiday is also celebrated in Germany (Erntedankfest), Japan (Kinro Kansha No Hi), the Netherlands, and Liberia. Although celebrated differently, Thanksgiving is a universal holiday, at least in terms of its name: Gratitude. Appreciation. Recognition. Indebtedness. A sense of humility…
I think everybody could celebrate it as a very human holiday. The notion of Thanksgiving calls upon us to look beyond ourselves, and say ‘thank you.’ Whether that appreciation is directed at a family member, at a friend, at oneself, or whoever and whatever else – it’s important that we express it somehow.
Being thankful should be a daily practice, something beyond plain etiquette. It is a quality that often needs to be nurtured, dusted off; you could even argue that the ability to feel thankfulness is a talent. During stressful and difficult times, being thankful becomes difficult; it is simply so much easier to fixate on the problems (real or ‘first-world’), and it can be far more fun to bitch and complain than to take note of all the good things taking place around us. Thanksgiving teaches us to celebrate the full half of the glass – as should be done in the remaining 364 days of the year.
A quick Google search can show you that living an appreciative life has numerous benefits. For example, it was found that people who are thankful tend to perform better in school, have fewer mental health problems, sleep better, and build stronger relationships. Of course, one could argue that these are reversible causations and instead say that people who perform better in school, experience good mental health, sleep well, and have close friends tend to be more thankful in life. It would be difficult to disagree.
So for the more skeptical readers, consider the following examples. The first is a study on gratitude conducted by Emmons and McCullough, who asked groups of participants to write a few sentences each week. One group wrote about things they were grateful for, a second group wrote about daily irritations or things that had upset them, and the third group simply wrote about events that had affected them (in a neutral tone). After ten weeks, those who wrote about gratitude were more optimistic and felt better about their lives. They also exercised more and had fewer visits to physicians than those who focused on sources of aggravation. Another study showed that managers who remember to say "thank you" to workers tend to have more motivated employees. Researchers at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania randomly divided university fundraisers into two groups. One group made phone calls to solicit alumni donations in their usual way. The second group received a pep talk from the director of annual giving, who expressed her gratitude for their efforts. During the following week, the university employees who heard her message of gratitude made 50% more fundraising calls than those who did not.
Although neither of these studies necessarily points to cause and effect, they certainly show an association between thankfulness (whether to oneself or to others) and positive outcomes. Thus, I encourage you to make thankfulness a greater part of your daily life. Whether you say ‘thank you’ explicitly, think appreciative thoughts or write them down, pray, or practice mindfulness or meditation – it all counts.
Tips to keep your etiquette worries at bay during potentially awkward Thanksgiving dinners.
@whatthekins
Brianna Buziak
The Silhouette
This Thanksgiving, you may find yourself at a get-together with friends or family. And if it’s been a while since your last family reunion, get prepared for the constant “I can’t believe how grown up you are,” or “I remember when you were only this tall.” Regardless of whether you have seen these party attendees two weeks ago or two years ago, a get-together calls for you looking your best.
Girls
No matter what, you can’t go wrong with a denim shirt (unless it’s paired with matching jeans). We’ve paired a light denim button down with a textured cranberry skirt. The colour of the skirt fits in with autumn beautifully and should you happen to spill some cranberry sauce on yourself in the middle of dinner, it may just go unnoticed.
Tuck the shirt into the skirt and roll up the cuffs of the sleeves a few times for a more relaxed look.
For when the night gets a little chillier, add this knitted shawl cardigan for a warm and cozy look.
This statement necklace inspired by autumn leaves compliments the outfit by incorporating the cranberry colour from the skirt into another element of the outfit. Since the meat and potatoes of this outfit are basic, have fun playing with the accessories. Patterned tights are always a great go-to accessory to add extra style and warmth once the temperatures start to drop. Perfect for an autumn evening.
The final touch to any outfit is the shoes. Nothing says fall quite like a pair of lace up oxfords. Keep the heel small so you can mingle around the room and aren’t glued to the couch because your feet hurt. Enjoy the season of fashion and socializing.
Payless: $30
Forever 21: $9.80
Dynamite: $39.90
Aeropostale: $30
Boys
Girls aren’t the only ones who get to play with fashion these days. Our handsome boys have more options than ever before when deciding what to wear. For the gentlemen, we have a pair of navy trousers, a great neutral to carry through to every season. Look for these in a slim cut to maintain a put-together look. The only natural option for fall is to channel your inner lumberjack and rock a plaid flannel button down. They come in a wide variety of colour schemes so choose your favourite.
To, literally, top it off, we’ve added a light fleece sweater in light grey. Wear the sweater so the collar and a small portion of the neck of the flannel are showing. Cuff the sleeves of the flannel over the sweater to tie it all together.
Add a pair of faux fur lined moccasins to keep the outfit comfy and casual.
Aero: $22.25
H&M: $29.95
Old Navy: $15
Payless: $25
Thanksgiving dinner is predictable. You’ve got your roasted turkey, tin can-shaped cranberry sauce, and squishy JELLO-like pumpkin pie. It’s all very delicious, but a change can be too.
Mac Farm Stand offers a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables that can easily be incorporated into your standard Thanksgiving meal to jazz it up and inject new flavours. Here are two easy recipes that can be thrown together with the help of Farm Stand ingredients.
Golden Delicious Baked Apples
A great dessert on its own, or served alongside a healthy sliver of pumpkin pie
Ingredients:
- 4 large apples (Farm Stand)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp. cinnamon
- ¼ cup chopped pecans (optional)
- 1 tbsp. butter
- ¾ cup boiling water
- Honey (Farm Stand)
Yield: 4 servings
Instructions:
1) Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. While your oven is heating up, core your apples, making sure you remove all seeds. Leave about 2.5 cm of apple at the bottom of the fruit, and gauge the cored centres to be around 3 cm in diameter.
2) In a bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon and pecans. Place your apples in a baking pan and stuff each fruit with this newly created mixture. Top each apple core off with a pat of butter.
3) Add the boiling water to the bottom of the pan and bake for around 30-40 minutes, or until apples are tender (read: not mushy, that’s dutty). Remove your apples from the oven and baste with the juices from the bottom of the pan. Drizzle a small amount of honey over each apple.
Farm Fresh Raspberry Sauce
A tasty alternative to pre-packaged cranberry sauce.
Ingredients:
- ¼ of an onion, finely chopped (Farm Stand)
- 60 mL red wine
- 1 chicken bouillon cube or small chicken stock pot
- ½ cup water
- 30 mL honey (Farm Stand)
- 5 mL corn flour mixed with water
- 45 mL raspberries, mashed or gently pureed (Farm Stand)
Yield: 4 servings
Instructions:
1) Sautee onions in a pan on medium heat until tender. Add red wine and allow to cook for a minute or two.
2) Mix in chicken stock, water and honey.
3) Let simmer for 5 minutes. Reduce heat and stir in flour paste and raspberries. Let simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened.
By Ryan Schneider
“What are you thankful for?” I am asked across a table decorated with warm representatives from every corner of the food pyramid - witty remarks about having the choice between white and dark meat and a sailorless boat of gravy float out of my peripheral thoughts as I delve deeper into what will be considered a serious question and not just the flavour text of this holiday.
I am thankful that I was born healthy, and in a part of the world where there is enough time in between our wars to stuff ourselves and not see battle-hardened faces in the reflections of our cheap silver cutlery. I am thankful for living in the age of information and convenience. My 3G phone allows Google to assist me in answering even the most obscure of trivia, anywhere from the dinner table to the wilderness. I am thankful, and it’s actually pretty hard to show. I am very spoiled compared to much of the world.
One thing that we all have in common is that we didn’t choose what we have. I happen to be the culmination of a privileged sperm courting a privileged egg. Sufficient medical care was taken during delivery that I got to continue with life. I am thankful that despite being far from orthodox, my parents’ methods of raising children has apparently worked, because I know that far from everyone has that luxury.
It’s at this roadblock where evolution will stop helping us. Any fertile person can parent a child. It’s pretty disgusting that teenage pregnancy has become the televised phenomenon that people occupy their time with. But the human reproductive system was not designed to be active upon being capable of providing offspring. Quite the opposite is found, where those without the access to - or education how to use - any of the many forms of birth control end up being the ones with several children. Is reproduction a right? If it is, it’s one of the least fairly distributed rights I can think of.
People can lose their chance to pass on their genes - naturally, at least - through many different injuries, diseases, and good old age. Unfortunately, some pregnancies are not planned. This causes parenting arrangements to be improvised to varying degrees of success.
Does a person’s right to create life supersede the life-in-question’s right to a decent upbringing? It’s true that nobody asks to be born; it is a circumstance metaphorically thrust upon us by the more literal thrusting of our father (sorry for that image). The world is a tough place to deal with as it is, and there is nothing less fair than starting it under the care of people who cannot provide the basic necessities of life and a role-model level of morality for you.
Just as not every person has the qualities in them to be a fighter jet pilot or sumo-wrestling reporter, we are not all destined to be parents. A child is not your possession. He or she is going to be deeply engraved with the lessons you taught, and will someday join society as a reflection of that - often with your last name attached.
So, take ten minutes out of your week and thank your parents for the good job raising you - they probably did something right if you ended up here - and be sure to make condoms available at your next party.
By: Erin Rooney
As an international exchange student at Mac, I didn’t really know what to expect from my first Canadian Thanksgiving. I knew there would be turkey, and I knew pumpkin pie would be involved at some point (a pie I was highly suspicious of, despite normally welcoming all desserts, equally and indiscriminately), but that was the extent of my knowledge.
By Monday night I felt more than a little jealous of all of you who get to have this event every year… and not just because it means you get two Christmas dinners.
At both the Thanksgiving meals I went to (I took full advantage of all turkey offers), I was struck by how welcoming and generous-spirited the people I met were. The ‘more the merrier’ logic really did seem to apply. It seems like Thanksgiving is another great chance, like Christmas, to bring the family together but without all the stress and commercialism that so often overtakes December.
Plus, as a student at this time of the year when supplies are running low and pasta becomes a repeat offender, getting to have a huge home-cooked meal is a serious blessing.
So what did I learn over the long weekend to make me a Thanksgiving pro? Well, number one, going out on the Friday of Thanksgiving probably wasn’t the best idea. ‘A lot of people must to go home for the weekend’ was the first thought that crossed my mind as we entered an empty club. I’m almost certain there was some tumbleweed rolling in front of the DJ booth. But hey, at least our group got discounted entry because the bouncer felt sorry for us dancing in the ghost-town. Lesson number two: fullness is just a state of mind. There is always, always room for more turkey if you are determined enough. And finally number three: despite reservations, I discovered pumpkin pie is delicious. I take back every doubt I once had, and replace them with second and third helpings.
Having now experienced my first weekend of Thanksgiving fun, it’s safe to say that I’ve been converted into a die-hard fan!
