It’s time to be grateful this Thanksgiving 2025 – Written by Fatima, GiGi’s NYC Participant

There are a lot of holidays to celebrate in November 2025, such as Daylight Saving Time, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, World Kindness Day, National Nachos Day, National French Toast Day, Election Day,  National Gingerbread Cookie Day, National Vanilla Cupcake Day, and a lot more holidays to celebrate in November.

Daylight Saving Time is celebrated on Sunday,  November 2, 2025 and most people celebrate the holiday in many ways.  People can manually or automatically changing your clocks back one hour on Sunday, November 2nd, at 2 a.m. local time. The time will jump back to 1 a.m., giving you an extra hour of sleep. It’s best to do this on the night of Saturday, November 1st, to ensure your devices are accurate for the next morning.  Set your clocks back at 2 a.m. on November 2nd, or before you go to sleep on November 1st, change your clocks to the previous hour. Update manual clocks: While most digital devices like phones and computers do this automatically, you will need to manually change analog clocks, ovens, and car clocks. Take advantage of the extra hour: Use the extra hour to catch up on sleep or for other activities. Prepare your home: It’s a good reminder to check the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors at the same time.  

Veterans Day is celebrated on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. People celebrate the holiday in many different ways including attending local parades and ceremonies, expressing your gratitude to veterans you know, or participating in community events. Other ways to honor veterans include sending a card, volunteering for a veteran support organization, or donating to charities that help veterans. Many businesses also offer special discounts or free meals to veterans on this day. Attend local events: Look for parades, ceremonies, and other events organized by your local community, schools, or the VA. A national ceremony is also held at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. 
Express gratitude: Thank a veteran in your life with a personal conversation, a card, or a small gift. Support local businesses: Many restaurants and stores offer special discounts or free meals for veterans on Veterans Day. Check with businesses in your area for their specific offers.  Fly the flag: Displaying the American flag is a simple way to show respect and solidarity. Volunteer: Offer your time at a local veterans’ organization or hospital. Donate: Contribute to nonprofits that provide services and support for veterans’ health and well-being. Support veteran-owned businesses: Choose to support businesses that are owned and operated by veterans. In schools: Students can write letters, create posters, or have veterans speak in class. Some schools also organize breakfasts or ceremonies for staff and community members who are veterans. Learn and share: Research the history of Veterans Day and share facts about the contributions of veterans. Virtual options: If you cannot attend in person, many ceremonies are livestreamed online. You can also find virtual events, webinars, and tribute videos. 

Thanksgiving is celebrated on Thursday, November 27, 2025 and a lot of people celebrate the occasion in a lot different ways.  Some include gathering with family and friends for a large meal featuring turkey, stuffing, and other dishes. Celebrations also include watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and football, and many Americans have a four-day weekend from work and school. Family and friends: The holiday is a time for people to get together with family and friends. Feast: A traditional large meal is the centerpiece of the celebration, with roasted turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie being common foods. Parades and sports: Watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a popular activity for many. Football games on television are also a common tradition. Long weekend: Many offices and schools close, allowing for a four-day weekend that often includes the day after Thanksgiving. 
Activities: After the meal, families may go for walks, play games, or participate in activities like a “Turkey Trot” race. Giving thanks: The holiday is a time to give thanks for the year’s harvest and achievements. Family and friends gather for a meal and other celebrations on Thanksgiving.  On this Thanksgiving, I am grateful for a lot of things in my life, including my fiancé, Peter Colombos. We have been together for 12 years since we met at GiGi’s Playhouse, in Harlem. I’m also thankful for my grandparents, Pop Pop and Maureen, my first real grandmother, Katherine Supon, and my parents Leo and Denise.  I’m also grateful that I am healthy.  I love being a part of Dream Street Theater, and that I am a former ambassador of Gigi’s Playhouse NYC. I’m thankful for my longtime friends from Canada, Aldo, Dolores, Christina, Daniella, and Annalisa, my brother Harris, and my helper Misha who is working with me 5 days of the week.

World Kindness Day is celebrated on Thursday, November 13, 2025 and most people celebrate the occasion in a lot of different ways.  This includes performing random acts of kindness, volunteering with a local organization, donating to a charity, or spreading positivity online and with friends and family. Simple actions like leaving encouraging notes, offering help to a neighbor, or giving compliments can have a big impact. 

National Nachos Day is celebrated on Thursday, November 6, 2025 and a lot of people celebrate the occasion in a lot of different ways.  Some ways include making or eating nachos with friends, hosting a nacho-themed party with a nacho bar, or trying a new nacho recipe. You can also go to a restaurant, visit the original birthplace of nachos in Piedras Negras, Mexico, or share your nacho creations on social media using #NationalNachosDay. Set up a nacho bar: Provide tortilla chips and a variety of toppings like different cheeses, sour cream, guacamole, salsa, black olives, and jalapeños. Decorate: Embrace the theme with south-of-the-border decorations like piñatas. Have guests dress up: Encourage guests to wear Mexican-themed costumes like sombreros or serapes. Go out: Visit your favorite Mexican or Tex-Mex restaurant or a sports bar that serves nachos. Make your own: Create your own nacho masterpieces at home with your favorite toppings, from classic beef and chicken to more unique additions like pulled pork or pineapple. 
Try new recipes: Experiment with different types of nachos, such as sweet dessert nachos with chocolate and fruit, breakfast nachos, or “Irish” nachos made with potato wedges. 

National French Toast Day is celebrated on Friday, November 28, 2025 and a lot of people celebrate the occasion in a lot of ways. This includes making and eating French toast at any meal, trying creative sweet or savory toppings, or enjoying it at a local cafe. You can also share your experience by posting on social media using #NationalFrenchToastDay. I am planning on making French toast for breakfast after Thanksgiving.

Election Day is celebrated on Tuesday, November 4, 2025 and people celebrate the day by voting. Vote: The most direct way to celebrate is to cast your ballot. Make sure you are registered to vote and find your polling place ahead of time. Many states also offer early voting or mail-in options. Encourage others to vote: Motivate friends, family, and colleagues to participate. If they need a ride to the polls, offer to drive them. Volunteer as a poll worker: Help ensure the day runs smoothly by signing up to assist at a polling place. It is a vital service that helps make voting accessible for everyone. Help voters with information: Organizations like NYC Votes host virtual text banks and in-person events to help inform the public about elections.  Host an election party: For the election results, consider hosting a watch party with red, white, and blue decorations and patriotic snacks. Themed cocktails and appetizers can also add a fun touch. Organize a “Party at the Polls”: Some nonpartisan organizations, such as When We All Vote, promote celebratory events at polling sites to create a positive, community atmosphere around voting. Learn about voting history: Educate yourself and others on the history of voting rights in the U.S. Learning about past struggles can help underscore the importance of civic participation today. Tie your event to a cause: If your organization has a mission, help people understand the connection between voting and the services you provide to give your community a reason to go to the polls. Support “Election Hero Day”: On November 3, the day before the election, you can recognize the contributions of election officials and poll workers. Show your appreciation for their efforts in ensuring a safe and secure voting experience. Attend local events: Look for community markets, celebrations, or special events organized by local government offices or non-profits around Election Day. Explore your ballot: Many states and counties publish sample ballots or voter guides before Election Day, listing all candidates and ballot measures. Use these resources to research what you will be voting on.

National Gingerbread Cookie Day is celebrated on Friday, November 21, 2025 and a people celebrate the occasion in many ways such as baking and decorating your own cookies, hosting a gingerbread-themed party, or reading gingerbread stories. Other ideas include trying different gingerbread recipes, buying treats from a local bakery, or making a gingerbread house.   At home you can bake and decorate.  Try to get the whole family involved in baking and decorating cookies with icing, sprinkles, and other candies. Host a party: Plan a gingerbread-themed party with various gingerbread treats like cookies, cupcakes, or even a gingerbread house. You could even have a decorating contest with fun awards for categories like “Most Original” or “Neatest Icing”. Try new recipes: Experiment with different recipes, such as adding a pinch of cayenne pepper for a kick, a lemon glaze, or even chocolate-dipped cookies. Make it a learning experience: Read classic stories like “The Gingerbread Man” or have older children write their own gingerbread-themed tales or solve math problems using gingerbread-related scenarios. On this day, I am planning on making gingerbread cookies to have at home as a snack.

National Vanilla Cupcakes is celebrated on Monday, November 10, 2025 and a lot of people celebrate the occasion in many ways like baking vanilla cupcakes, host a decorating contest, sharing them with friends and family, or getting creative by inventing a new recipe. You can also support local bakeries, deliver cupcakes to organizations, or make a special batch for a fundraiser.   I am planning on baking some vanilla cupcakes to have snacks at home in between between busy schedules. Vanilla cupcake is one of my favorite flavors besides chocolate. Also, I am looking forward to seeing everyone at Gigi’s Playhouse Halloween party at the Cooke School.  I’m also looking forward to celebrating my 25th birthday with everybody from Gigi’s Playhouse. It’s going to be a fun time during the Halloween season. The Cooke School is located at 1713 Madison Avenue New York NY 10029 United States.

Wishing you all a very Happy Thanksgiving day with your loved ones!  Before starting the December blog post, I recommend Forno Siciliano for the people who are Italian or if you just love Italian food. My favorite Italian dishes are Penne Siciliano, Gnocchi Siciliano, Fettuccini Alfredo, Margarita Pizza, Black Linquini with seafood and Octopus etc.

With a lot of love and happiness,

Fatima