Fashion

Why I’m Not Celebrating Thanksgiving This Year

As an Indigenous person, I’ve long questioned what it meant for me to celebrate Thanksgiving. This year I decided to do something about it….

I have a confession to make—a dirty little secret that I can no longer keep a secret. I’m Indigenous and I’ve always celebrated Thanksgiving. There, I said it! If you’re wondering why this is such a big deal, know that Indigenous people have a very fraught relationship with Thanksgiving. Why? It’s no secret that Native American people long predated European settlers in North America, and the so-called “peaceful” dinner between the pilgrims and the Natives is one that has been greatly exaggerated. For many in the Indigenous community, the annual holiday actually serves as a harmful reminder of how their land was stolen from them during colonization, how many of their people were killed, and how their culture was almost entirely stripped from them. One can understand why Native people today don’t want to break bread and eat turkey: What, in fact, is there to be thankful for?

This year, however, I’m finally choosing not to be thankful, too.

Growing up on Nipissing First Nation—my traditional territory in northern Ontario, Canada—my family always celebrated Thanksgiving. My mom is one of 18 siblings, and our annual tradition would be to gather as a big, crazy, Ojibwe family for a Thanksgiving meal at our grandmother Leda’s house, which served as the meeting spot for the whole motley crew. Given the sheer volume of people, I remember often eating Thanksgiving dinner on the ground, sitting cross-legged among my many cousins (seats at the table are reserved for the elders, obviously—they also got first pass at the food). On the menu would be all the traditional Thanksgiving dishes: turkey, mashed potatoes, turnip, boiled carrots, huge pots of gravy. One year, my dad even cooked a 40-pound turkey for the entire family, a record. But there would always be some Indigenous flavor on tap, too: instead of dinner rolls, we had my auntie Joanie’s epic bannock. Moose meat pies were also omnipresent, though I never partook in that dish. (I’m a Native who doesn’t enjoy wild meat—a sin!).

Because Thanksgiving was something that our family always registered, I never thought twice about how ironic it was: a bunch of Indigenous people basically celebrating the history of their own suffering. Doubly ironic: When I grew older and moved to the U.S., my family, who followed the Canadian calendar and had celebrated the Thanksgiving in October, often had to re-do it for me when I came home in November. When I finally learned about the problematic history of Thanksgiving, the holiday had become so routine in our family that I didn’t bother to question it. Even after my grandmother Leda passed on, and our family stopped having these gigantic feasts—at some point, they just became impossible to organize—my parents, my sister, and I still continued celebrating it. It became a pattern, something we just did. It was mostly always about the food, because who doesn’t want to induce a Tryptophan coma? I still drool at the thought.

This year, however, I approached the holiday differently. For one, my family is in Canada while I’m in New York, so celebrating it with them would mean flying across the country—which no one should do this year. But COVID restrictions aside, something also changed in me this year: I realized that I actively don’t want to celebrate Thanksgiving. I’ve spent far too long being passive about things that I don’t feel right about.

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Air Jordan 3 “Paris” Reportedly Trades Elephant Print for Damask

Jordan Brand may be preparing to drop a special Air Jordan 3 dedicated to one of the world’s most recognizable cities. Landing in June 2027, the Air Jordan 3 “Paris” comes with a unique design that ditches the usual elephant print. Instead, the rumored edition is said to feature damask detailing, special Paris-inspired branding, and a limited drop focused on the French capital.

The first word comes from @zSneakerHeadz, but Jordan Brand has not confirmed the sneaker yet. A mockup is currently circulating, so the final look may differ. That said, the described design is an interesting direction for the Air Jordan 3, especially for fans used to seeing elephant print as one of the silhouettes hallmark visual elements.

The shoe is said to feature a white tumbled leather upper with a navy rubber outsole. The most noticeable change is replacing the traditional elephant print with a damask print. The pattern is reportedly on the toe and heel, with another section next to the Jumpman logo on the tongue. The treatment gives the sneaker a different visual character without straying from the Air Jordan 3’s recognizable structure.

More branding is expected to tie the release closely to its namesake city. The mudguard is said to have the wording “Jordan Paris Family 91, 92, 93, 94,” while the heel is said to have “NIKE PRS.” The details give the shoe a more specific identity than a simple colorway, with the reported inscriptions presenting it as a tribute to Paris and its role in the Jordan Brand story.

The sneaker is expected to be released in men’s sizing and will carry the style code JJ3727-100. It retails for $230 and will be available in select Jordan Brand stores in Paris. If the release details are accurate, the limited distribution may make the pair tough for sneaker fans outside the city to get their hands on. But the brand has not confirmed the information that has been reported, and the image shown is a mockup and not an official product reveal.

The Air Jordan 3 “Paris” is also expected to join a growing list of regional releases such as the Air Jordan 3 “Middle East.” These projects give Jordan Brand the chance to attack the same silhouette through various regional themes, not just the usual retro colorways. The damask pattern with city-specific branding would, in this case, make the Paris edition clearly distinct.

This classic Air Jordan 3 shape combined with a strange pattern is bound to appeal to collectors. The expected Paris-only distribution adds another layer of exclusivity, although the final release details have yet to be confirmed. If the June 2027 launch comes to fruition as described, the Air Jordan 3 “Paris” could be one of the more unique regional editions on Jordan Brand’s calendar.

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Nike LeBron 24 “Christmas” – Holiday Collection Gets Grinchy Green Look

Nike Basketball’s holiday collection is starting to take shape, and LeBron James’ latest signature shoe is bringing a particularly loud look to the seasonal crop. First-look images of the Nike LeBron 24 “Christmas” have surfaced, showcasing a black and electric green colorway with metallic silver accents. The rumored Grinch-inspired direction of the upcoming release is shaping up to be one of the more unique additions to Nike’s Christmas footwear collection.

The shoe will be dropped on December 4 for $200. Its most striking feature is the electric green colorway, which gives the design a strong visual identity. Black is used on the upper for contrast, and metallic silver is seen on the Swoosh near the heel. Another contrasting touch comes from a red logo on the tongue, offering a subtle nod to holiday colors within the overall aesthetic. The shoe continues the theme with a green rubber outsole below.

Aside from the looks, the LeBron 24 “Christmas” also features performance elements associated with the broader LeBron 24 line. The outsole has a Zoom Turbo unit that is said to keep the shoe light and quick. That bit gives the holiday edition purpose beyond just its seasonal styling, keeping it tied to the basketball performance direction of the signature series.

The Grinch concept is part of a larger “naughty list” theme that also includes the Sabrina 4 and Book 2. Rather than treating the LeBron 24 as a standalone holiday release, Nike seems to be building a connected seasonal collection around the idea. The electric green colorway fits that direction, making the shoe pop while giving the broader theme a recognizable visual thread.

The first glimpse of the sneaker came via a 360-degree video Nike shared. The audience got a first look at the color blocking and design details as the shoe was presented from various angles. A handful of basketball creators also got a sneak peek at the pair earlier on a trip to Nike headquarters, helping build the early hype around the release.

The style code is IO8205-300 and the shoe is expected to drop in men’s sizing through Nike and select retailers. The December 4 date and $200 price point give us a sense of what to expect, but the information provided doesn’t list every retailer that will sell the sneaker.

The Nike LeBron 24 ‘Christmas’ is holiday-themed and performance-inspired for LeBron’s signature line, featuring a bright green colorway with silver details, red tongue branding, and an outsole with Zoom Turbo cushioning. Its Grinch-inspired theme also fits clearly into Nike Basketball’s broader seasonal plans. If you’re a fan of the brand’s Christmas releases, this pair is already making a strong first impression.

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