The Origin and Significance of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated in the United States, Canada, and some other countries as a day to give thanks for the blessing of the harvest of the preceding year. It is a time for family gatherings, feasting, and acknowledging gratitude. The most widely acknowledged first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Pilgrims after their first harvest in the New World in October 1621.
In the United States, Thanksgiving is observed on the fourth Thursday in November, while in Canada it takes place on the second Monday in October. The holiday has historical roots in religious and cultural traditions but has also become secular over time.
Thanksgiving in the United States
The American Thanksgiving is particularly rich in legend and symbolism. The story often begins with the 1621 harvest celebration by the Pilgrims of Plymouth and the Wampanoag people — an event widely regarded as America’s “first Thanksgiving”.
President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the first “official” Thanksgiving holiday in 1863, amidst the Civil War. He declared it as a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens,” to be celebrated on the last Thursday in November. However, it was not until President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s tenure in 1941 that Congress passed legislation setting the date of Thanksgiving on its current date.
Thanksgiving in Canada
Thanksgiving in Canada looks back to a 1578 voyage of explorer Martin Frobisher, who had been trying to find a northern passage to the Pacific Ocean. Frobisher’s Thanksgiving was not for a harvest but for having survived his arduous journey from Europe through harsh conditions. Over time, Canadian Thanksgiving came to reflect both European harvest festivals and the Indigenous peoples’ practices of celebrating their own harvests.
Canadian Parliament declared April 5th, 1872, as a day of Thanksgiving to celebrate the recovery of the Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) from a serious illness. Since November 6, 1879, Thanksgiving has been celebrated as a statutory holiday in Canada. Unlike the USA, which places Thanksgiving near the start of the pre-Christmas shopping season, Canadian Thanksgiving does not have an equally commercial role.
Traditions Associated with Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving brings certain traditions that many families uphold.
Family Gatherings and Feasting
The common image of Thanksgiving includes families gathered around a table overflowing with food, enjoying each other’s company. Traditional fare includes roast turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, sweet corn, various autumn vegetables, and pumpkin pie.
Football
Football on Thanksgiving is an American tradition as quintessential as the feast itself. Many families watch NFL games during their gatherings.
Parades
Famous examples include Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City and America’s Hometown Thanksgiving Parade in Plymouth. These parades often conclude with an appearance by Santa Claus to signify the beginning of the Christmas season.
Volunteering
Many individuals choose to give back to their communities on Thanksgiving by volunteering their time to provide meals for those less fortunate.
Black Friday
In recent years another tradition associated with American Thanksgiving is Black Friday; this is when retailers open very early or even on Thanksgiving at night, offering promotional sales to kick off the holiday shopping season.
Notes
*Image description:*
A colorful setting depicts a traditional Thanksgiving dinner. A large roasted turkey sits at the center of a table adorned with fall-themed decorations—orange leaves strewn about, small gourds and pumpkins, crafted centerpieces invoking harvest bounty. Plates piled high with various sides flank the bird: stuffing, cranberries gleaming like rubies, green bean casserole topped with crispy onions, and mounds of creamy mashed potatoes cresting like soft hills glazed with rich brown gravy. A platter of pumpkin pies awaits off to one side by a cornucopia filled with seasonal fruits and vegetables underlining this scene of abundance and gather.JsonProperty