Thanksgiving Day is a statutory holiday in the United States, observed annually on the fourth Thursday of November. Initially, this holiday was celebrated as a harvest festival, a period of giving thanks for the autumn harvest, until 1863, when it became an official holiday under the administration of Abraham Lincoln. Along with Christmas festivities and New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving Day falls under the broader fall-winter holiday season in the United States.
The tradition of giving thanks is among one of the oldest global practices that predate the dawn of civilization. However, the origin of Thanksgiving Day dates back to the 16th century, more specifically, 1621. Earlier, between 1607 and 1610, general thanksgiving services had become customary, where the practices of conveying gratitude, sharing, and charitable acts were an innate characteristic of numerous cultures and communities. Nonetheless, Thanksgiving celebrations observed in 1621 at the Plymouth Plantation mark the most historically important observation of this holiday. The history of this festival begins in 1620, when a group of Pilgrims settled in Plymouth, a land abandoned by Patuxet Indians after a plague epidemic killed all the inhabitants, apart from one (patuxet Squanto). After their settlement, the pilgrims experienced a difficult time in their new settlement and half of the group succumbed to the harsh winter weather. Luckily, the remaining survivor, the Patuxet Squanto, equipped the pilgrims with skills on how to catch an eel, grow corn and took the role of interpreter until the plague affected him also.
In 1621, the pilgrims held a three-day festival in celebration of their first harvest at Plymouth. Although the exact date for these celebrations remains a mystery, researchers such as James Baker in 1996, claimed that it took place between September 21st and November 11th in 1621. According to 17th century accounts, the Thanksgiving observance is not recognized because it followed the harvest and was observed by 50 people who were on the Mayflower and 90 Native Americans. In the following years, the pilgrims did not hold any Thanksgiving festival until 1623 after fasting and a 14-day rain period, which led to a more bountiful harvest. According to William DeLoss Love, the 1623 Thanksgiving celebrations occurred on July 30th, a day before the arrival of a supply ship and more colonists. The 1623 Thanksgiving is considered more historically significant because it was recognized by Governor Bradford, a civil authority, instead of a religious organization, thus making it the first public recognition of the holiday in New England. However, there is still much debate concerning where the first Thanksgiving celebration took place with several people promoting their own sides of the story. Numerous accounts that contributed to the establishment of this holiday have been published from 1820 to 1850, and only one version by Alexander Young identifies the 1621 feast as the first Thanksgiving.
In the era of the American Revolutionary War, Congress designated one or more thanksgiving days annually and recommended the executives of a variety of states to observe those days. The first national declaration of this holiday, set by the Continental Congress occurred in 1777 at York, Pennsylvania. George Washington, leader of the revolutionary forces in the American War, declared a Thanksgiving victory celebration to be held on December 1777 in honour of the downfall of the British at Saratoga. The Continental-Confederation Congress, the legislative body responsible for the administration of the U.S. between 1774 to 1789, issued numerous national days for Thanksgiving, a tradition that was sustained under Washington’s and Adams’ administrations as part of the Constitution.
In the following years, this holiday continued to manifest itself into the developed American celebration of Thanksgiving and the National Prayer Day it is today. On September 24th 1789, Congressman Elias Boudinot of New Jersey suggested the inclusion and proclamation of a day for thanksgiving. By October 3rd of the same year, George Washington made a presidential declaration, creating the first Thanksgiving Day institutionalized by the national government of the U.S. On January 1st, 1795, Washington issued a proclamation designating February 19th the official Thanksgiving Day. In 1798 and 1799, President John Adams continued with the tradition. However, during Thomas Jefferson’s presidency, the holiday stopped because of his deism beliefs. In 1814, during James Madison’s administration, Thanksgiving observations were renewed in response to Congress’ resolutions during the conclusion of the war in 1812.
Later, in 1863, Abraham Lincoln declared a national Thanksgiving Day to be observed on November 26th, the last Thursday of the month and since then this holiday has been celebrated annually on that date until 1939. In 1939, Franklin D. Roosevelt shifted the date from the last Thursday to the fourth Thursday because during this year, November had five Thursdays. Roosevelt’s idea was to create a holiday on the next-to-last Thursday in the month with the hope of alleviating the Great Depression by providing traders a more extended period to sell their products before Christmas. However, this change was widely criticized and on October 6th, 1941, a joint resolution from both houses of the U.S. Congress set the date of the holiday to be on the last Thursday of November, effective from 1942. On December 26th, 1941, President Roosevelt signed the bill making the date for Thanksgiving an issue of federal law and setting the date on the fourth Thursday of November (which is not always the last Thursday of the month).
Charity Drives
During the Thanksgiving period, communities organize food drives which gather non-perishable packaged and canned foods. Organizations promote charitable allocations of staple food and dinners. Additionally, the Salvation Army recruits helpers to serve Thanksgiving Dinners in various areas.
Thanksgiving Dinner
Traditionally, in the U.S., the holiday meals prepared on this day are somewhat similar to those prepared during the first observation of Thanksgiving Day in 1621 by the Wampanoag and the Pilgrims. The food of the season consists typically of turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, sweet corn, vegetables, pumpkin pie, and more.
Thanksgiving
One of the basic tenets of this holiday since its institutionalization is based on religion. During this day, members of the community are expected to come together and express their gratitude for several reasons. President Washington stated numerous reasons for a national Thanksgiving Day including “for God’s kind care and His providence, useful knowledge, the civil and religious liberty.” The practice of expressing gratitude to God continued in many different forms from attending religious services, saying a prayer before dinner, having worship services and events, and so on.
Parades
In New York City, an annual parade has been held on this day by Macy’s since 1924. The parade is broadcast nationally on NBC and features themed parade floats, performances, Tv personalities, marching bands, large cartoon-themed balloons, and many more. Other parades include the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade which was founded in 1920 and America’s Thanksgiving Parade which was founded the same year as Macy’s.
Sports
American football has formed a significant tradition in Thanksgiving celebrations sincethe 19th century. On Thanksgiving Day major professional football games including National Football Leagues, college football, high school football, college basketball, ice hockey, professional wrestling, among others are held.
Turkey pardoning
From 1947, the president of the U.S. is offered a live turkey and two dressed turkeys in a ritual dubbed as the National Thanksgiving Turkey Presentation. A tradition that dates back to John F Kennedy’s administration but was only made an annual tradition under George W. Bush’s administration.
Vacation
Being a 4-5 day holiday, Thanksgiving Day is considered to be among the busiest travel periods. Usually, on this day, families and friends meet for meals, meaning that if they are away from their families, they will need to travel back home.
Since the date for the Thanksgiving celebrations were fixed on the fourth Thursday of November in 1941, the date falls usually between November 22nd to November 28th in the U.S. However, in some cases the date may fall between November 22nd or 23rd, it’s not the last Thursday but rather a second last Thursday. Commonly, especially from the last decades of the 20th century, the day after Thanksgiving Day is observed as a holiday where most schools and companies are closed. This day is referred to as Black Friday, and it marks the start of the Christmas shopping season. Thanksgiving Day is also celebrated in Canada, the Philippines, Grenada, Saint Lucia, the Netherlands, and Liberia. However, in Canada, this holiday is observed on the second Monday of October.
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