72 things you’re thankful for and 50 Thanksgiving items you’re eating today
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.

charlotte-thanksgiving-agenda
On Monday, we asked the Agenda readership to anonymously send us what they’re thankful for this Thanksgiving. Here’s what you wrote.
(1) Good health, my boyfriend, family and a great job. My world is complete and full of joy thanks to the combination of those!
(2) Leatherman’s driving range automatically teeing up your golf ball. Why would I bend over when a machine can do it for me? Duh. And my Dad.
(3) I am thankful and grateful for my family’s good health, a home, good jobs, & living in Charlotte.
(4) For the people in the life that choose to stay there no matter the circumstances. I’m thankful for a wife that gives me balance while filling my life with positivity. She is also extremely humble and has no idea how impactful she truly is to the ones around her.
(5) Family, friends, health and opportunity.
(6) Buds on my camellia bush, my husband’s belly laugh, my daughter’s giggle that grabs my heart, and my soon-to-be-born granddaughter.
(7) The City of Atlanta. Without the general vibe/layout of their city, as well as their football team, the Falcons, I wouldn’t realize how good I have it here in Charlotte with both our city and our football team. Thanks ATL!
(8) The birth of my twins. And the sleepless nights.
(9) The health and safety of my family.
(10) After years of illness, I received a heart transplant last year at Duke. So thankful to my donor and her family, as well as my family who were with me every step of my recovery.
(11) I’m no more grateful on Thanksgiving than any other day. I learned long ago to live a life of meaning means having gratitude more often. So on Thanksgiving I’m grateful for the things I’m grateful for every day. A little family that truly loves me. A roof over our heads. My ability to tell right from wrong. Good friends. There’s other stuff too, but that’s the core of it.
(12) Ballantyne Resort for not monitoring the free WiFi in their lobby. They also have comfy leather chairs and the water than dispenses from one of those glass bowls with fruit.
(13) My son.
(14) Two years ago one of my sons died due to someone’s neglect. Everyday I look at his older brother thankful he is healthy and happy. The holidays intensify that feeling.
(15) For the first time in four years, a job that doesn’t make me want to throw up from anxiety every morning.
(16) Healthy family and good friends.
(17) My health and the health of my family.
(18) I am thankful for my family, friends, my cat who keeps me company all day while I work from my home office, my church and the many blessings that God provides me each and every day.
(19) My husband. Our twins. Our dog. The health of my family. Parents that will occasionally babysit (see twins). A unexpectedly awesome new place to live (Charlotte). Freedom.
(20) I’m thankful for my awesome kid, Zak. I haven’t seen him since this past January – work moved him out to Colorado last year. He’s coming home for the holiday and I cannot wait for one of his amazing hugs! I’m so lucky to have been blessed with him in my life!
(21) Every day that I wake up because it’s another opportunity to experience and contribute.
(22) My healthy mother.
(23) My husband, our two labs and my family coming to Charlotte for the holiday.
(24) We are grateful to Charlotte Animal Control for taking this little guy off the streets in the middle of winter; the Greater Charlotte SPCA for pulling him from the pound to give him a better chance at adoption; and, foster mom Lorena Lenhart for giving him a temporary family until he joined ours. We spoil him and in return he loves us unconditionally…what a bargain!
/2024/01/06/1704518139318.jpg)
(25) My family, our health, great friends & having a job.
(26) 2015 was a tough year for me personally but I am thankful for the love and support from my family, friends and community. All 3 of those combined eventually got me to a happy place with myself and I am go grateful to live in a great community, surrounded by great people.
(27) Thankful for new days to get things right.
(28) My health! And my family’s health!
(29) Family & Friends – don’t know where I would be without them, they make life fun!
(30) I am thankful for the new addition to my family, MY daughter. We have been trying for sometime and we were blessed with our beautiful, intelligent, and strong girl. Also for my son and husband. They are awesome!
(31) My friends’ supportive families to be there with them during difficult times when I can’t.
(32) Bob Peters and his punch.
(33) I am thankful for pain because it is a teacher with infinite patience. It teaches life’s greatest lessons. Paired with assistant teacher “time”, pain nourishes character deficiencies like humility, tolerance, trust and love.
(34) My husband and two little ones, primarily. I am also thankful for the rest of our extended family, and I’m thankful that they all have Turkey day plans that can involve FaceTiming with us. On that note, I’m thankful we don’t have to cook and host for the entire extended family. I am thankful for friends, and friendsgiving (because friends are just as important as family) and I am thankful to get to watch our ten month old taste turkey and stuffing for the first time – and thankful that her three year old brother will be there to guide her through the delicious treats on the Thanksgiving table (even though he will only eat the rolls and pie).
(35) I’m thankful for a life full of love, support, peace, and happiness in a world that could use more of all those things.
(36) I will be welcoming my first grandchild spring 2016!
(37) My 11 month-old daughter. After 2 years of trying and through a miscarriage since having her, she is our light and daily gift.
(38) A wonderful city to live in, extraordinary people in my life, and a job that supports me.
(39) My husband, son and a new baby on the way.
(40) The lady that sells the flowers for $10 on N Tryon. Small price to pay for a happy marriage.
(41) I am thankful for my Husband. He is the love of my life, and I am so grateful to be doing “life” with him. We wouldn’t have moved to Charlotte if it weren’t for his career, and without this move I wouldn’t know how awesome Charlotte is and how I truly believe we were meant to be here. We feel so connected to Charlotte.
(42) Jesus’s unwavering, unconditional love. Though His love seems controversial because some see it as divisive, in reality, He is the unifying puzzle piece, filling in the hole in all of us that longs for wholeness. Thankful He is what matters and He is present/constant in a busy, fast-paced world.
(43) My kids, family, friends, health, dog, house, food, car, sunshine, and living in Charlotte.
(44) Being able to spend Thanksgiving with my Charlotte family (fellow transplant friends). And also, that I can call these Charlotte friends my family in my home away from home.
(45) Life! Almost 2 years ago, I lost both kidneys. I have a living donor being evaluated right now. I am overwhelmingly thankful for this potential donor. Trust me, 99% of what you sweat over, is truly meaningless. Forget that stuff!
(46) I am thankful for my Mom, who keeps me grounded and laughs at my failed online dating stories. And with every laugh she reminds me, I am that much closer… Annnnd she makes the best Thanksgiving everything 🙂
(47) Bruce Moffett. He’s dreamy, just like the small plates from Good Food.
(48) Panthers.
(49) 3 things. To live in Charlotte, NC. #keeppounding. The Olde Mecklenburg Brewery for fresh beer. And great friends.
(50) My family’s love and support, especially Mr. Kitty for all the cuddles.
(51) My fiancee, the rock who keeps me balanced, and our new little family together. My parents who always have my back.
(52) Family! First T-giving with a baby.
(53) I’m thankful to be alive in a time of constant change and human evolution. We may not always progress in the right direction, but we’re not stagnating. Our culture is a virile and driven entity. I’m thrilled, excited, and a touch pensive.
(54) My husband because he loves me even when I act like a crazy person.
(55) I think about how thankful I am for my bed every night I slide in, and I think about how thankful I am for the ability to walk every time I step out of it. Very thankful for avocados as well.
(56) My Family: whether blood, friends, work or community. I’m thankful for every last person who makes my life and Charlotte awesome.
(57) My amazing boyfriend and his incredible daughter! This relationship is truly a blessing!!
(58) The way my husband dances to the Panthers touchdown music @ BofA stadium.
(59) In-laws who bought tickets for us to be able to travel and visit family.
(60) I’m thankful for friends who are our chosen family and make Charlotte feel like home.
(61) Family, health, love, and success.
(62) My brand new healthy nephew … and the Panthers all around badassness.
(63) A great job, a roof over my head, and my health. It has been a crappy year.
(64) Working in healthcare, I see how devastating illness can be. I am so very thankful for the good health of my family.
(65) 1 in 3 women will be victims of intimate partner violence in their lives – I’m thankful that help is out there for anyone who this statistic represents that no longer wants to live in fear.
(66) I am thankful that I live in a place where I can worship freely, a place where I do not have to live in fear, and I place where I can make a living (although a small one!) doing what I love.
(67) My son, my husband, my family. My body, which grew a person this year. Maternity leave, which has given me time to bond with and care for my newborn. And sleep, when I can get it.
(68) My family and friends for supporting me through my first year of the real world in Charlotte.
(69) On this Thanksgiving Day, I am thankful for time. Time to laugh, time to rest, time to worship. Time with friends and time with family. Time with my son and with older relatives hearing their wonderful stories. Time for pity- parties and time to spend in the sun. Time with a good book and time to cry. Time to remember and time to forgive & forget. Time to move forward and time to stand still and listen…
(70) I’m thankful for God’s tender mercies, his grace & forgiveness, but mostly for His never ending love. For the people He has placed in my life and for the amazing life He has given me. For my strengths, my weaknesses, my trials, my sorrows, my successes, my accomplishments. For the quieting of my mind to hear His whispers. I am thankful He’s a good listener, and calms my soul when I need it the most. I am thankful that He has a sense of humor, because he certainly needs it to deal with me from time to time. 😉
(71) My husband, family, and my awesome dog – and craft beer.
(72) The way my older daughter looks at her younger sister.
—–
We also asked you about the Thanksgiving item you’re most excited to eat today.
(1) Sweet potato casserole because marshmallows, duh.
(2) Cranberry sides-probably one of the few who love seeing the bags show up in the grocery!
(3) Chopped Liver. (Seriously).
(4) Mac and cheese. I know it’s not necessarily a Thanksgiving dish but it’s so delicious!
(5) Cranberry sauce.
(6) Dressing that takes me back to my grandmother’s kitchen and watching her gnarled, spotty hands as she prepared it.
(7) Corn pudding. Delicious.
(8) My mom’s dressing and gravy.
(9) Dressing, the best part is my husband cooks our Thanksgiving dinner❤️.
(10) Last year we tried breaking from tradition and had lasagne. So, turkey.
(11) Leftovers! The reward for all that work.
(12) Stuffing…with gravy of course.
(13) Stuffing!
(14) Turkey because I only roast a whole turkey once a year!
(15) Fried Turkey. So melt in your mouth tender and juicy. Mmmmmmmm
(16) My mom’s roasted veggies- amazing!!
(17) Stuffing because it’s something I only eat once a year.
(18) Stuffing because you can’t see how much gravy is actually on top of it.
(19) Orange-Cranberry Sauce😋.
(20) Deviled eggs!! Because I’m southern and they’re delicious.
(21) Deviled eggs because this year I am topping them with candied bacon.
(22) Canned cranberry sauce. It makes an awesome spread for leftover turkey sandwiches.
(23) Sweet potato casserole. Because you can’t put marshmallows on top unless it’s a holiday.
(24) Homemade Pumpkin Pie
(25) Pernil (Pork Shoulder) Its a staple for Dominican Thanksgiving more popular than Turkey 🙂
(26) Stuffing from INSIDE the turkey because it’s the BEST!
(27) Those little onions bathed in sauce that mom makes and all the other dishes without names and are only served once a year and a so delicious and give us things to be thankful for so we can write run-on sentences about foods we like at least once in a year in a form box that is too small.
(28) Sister Schuberts!
(29) Mashed potatoes. Always mashed potatoes.
(30) Green Bean Casserole because it’s delicious and I love the little fried onions on top!
(31) Pumpkin pancakes Thursday morning (while the dinner is cooking) (because of the maple syrup and pecans).
(32) My mom’s mom’s cornbread dressing. My husband wants me to say the turducken he’s making, but…
(33) Mashed Potatoes because my grandma’s recipe rocks.
(34) Sweet potato casserole: it’s dessert disguised as a vegetable.
(35) Pecan Pie- it is sinfully delicious.
(36) Leftovers – somehow everything tastes slightly better hours after the big lunch.
(37) EVERYTHING
(38) No food item. Just life itself.
(39) Mashed Potatoes because they are perfect.
(40) STUFFING – My mom’s is bomb and she only makes it for Thanksgiving.
Apple pie baby 🙂
(41) Stuffing. Because buying a box of Stove Top any other time of year just seems weird.
(42) TOFURKEY! (tofu turkey).
(43) I don’t like Thanksgiving food. There, I said it. Okay… maybe mac & cheese.
(44) TURKEY! because I’m a butterball. JK.
(45) Apple Cider Mimosas because liquid diets!
(46) Dressing!!
(47) Crockpot sausage stuffing because it’s easy to sneak bites before serving.
(48) Homemade cranberry sauce because it jazzes up all of the side dishes!
(49) Pie. All of the pie.
(50) Dessert because it’s the best part of the meal!
