Thanksgiving is an important American holiday during which families organize feasts and dinners. However, modern celebrations do look and taste quite like what the pilgrims ate centuries ago .
The History of Thanksgiving
This feast was initially created to show appreciation for a blessed rich harvest and the previous year. When they first came in America, Englishmen brought some of their customs such as religious and spiritual ceremonies held right after harvests season.
Back in 1536, people were required to go to church, attend religious masses, and even say a Thanksgiving prayer. In the United States, the first documentation of this feasting celebration is dated from 1621. Emigrants from England and Europe carried this custom of showing appreciation, which was initially named “Days of Feasting”. However, it did not become an annual public event until the year 1660.
Thanksgiving in the Bible is described or represented by 15 amazing Thanksgiving quotes. There are five sayings in the religious approach when it comes to this celebration. Firstly, the holiday is Trinitarian, meaning it refers to prayers addressed to God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit.
Secondly, this can be an occasion to wash our sins and become more grateful for what we have. Last, but not least, Thanksgiving is about God’s creation. All men should behave with all God’s creatures in an appreciative way. Therefore, a Thanksgiving definition could refer to a state of behavior and habit that all people should adopt.
When Is Thanksgiving Celebrated?
If you were wondering what day is Thanksgiving, let me tell you that it is celebrated on the last Thursday of November, of every year. The pilgrims tried to correlate this date with the end of the harvesting period. However, throughout the years, this holiday was held on various dates, depending on the state in which was organized.
Abraham Lincoln was the one who proclaimed that this celebration should be held on the same day in all the American states. This was decided around the year 1863. Moreover, in 1941, president Roosevelt changed the date from the last Thursday to the fourth Thursday of every November. He motivated his decision with the fact that this will boost the country’s economy, by being an earlier celebration.
Nowadays, Americans consider Thanksgiving as the beginning of the holiday season.
Interesting Facts About Thanksgiving Day
- During the first Thanksgiving, the feast celebrations lasted for three whole days.
- Did you know that there is a Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah? It is a complex themed site that included a garden, a farm, and a museum. The museum has different exhibits from Ancient Life to more modern ways of lifestyles.
- Corn and turkey are two types of traditional dishes for this occasion. However, some of the initial Thanksgivings included also barley, venison and much more.
- Sarah Josepha Hale, the author who write “Mary Had a Little Lamb”, played a crucial role in making this holiday a national-recognized celebration.
- Turkey became the main focus of the holiday’s dinner because there are documents that mention a turkey hunt held before the first Thanksgiving celebration.
- Thomas Jefferson did not think that proclaiming Thanksgiving as a federal holiday would be such a great idea.
- The subject of the pilgrims dining along with Indians, is highly controversial, especially due to the fact that in those times, there were a lot of tensions between these two parts of the American population.
- Nowadays, people eat domestic turkeys, while back in the days, the pilgrims were eating wild turkeys that they hunted themselves before the feast.
- During every Thanksgiving Day, Native Americans celebrate a totally different holiday. They commemorate the National Day of Mourning, being thankful for surviving after the Europeans’ colonization.
- There is no exact date in which the first pilgrims ever to celebrate this holiday organized the initial Thanksgiving. It seems they held it between 21st of September and 1st of November.
Thanksgiving Recipes and Traditional Dishes
The most important moment of this holiday is the Thanksgiving dinner, where all the family and relatives get together and spend some quality time.
There are many traditional, classic or more modern, dishes that Americans make on Thanksgiving Day. Even though the stuffed turkey is the main attraction of such a feast, there are also some other dishes that will delight your whole family.
The turkey steak goes perfectly with sweet potatoes made in the oven and enriches with the flavor of bacon. A good turkey becomes perfect when you use cornbread dressing. In the case in which you want to choose a lighter option, you can go for a roasted vegetable salad seasoned with an apple cider vinaigrette.
Creamed corn puddings are delicious treats that everybody loves. Therefore, they are a good choice when it comes to this specific celebration dinner. Beside these recipes, there are also other popular and tasty dishes such as stuffed mushrooms and pumpkin pies. No matter what you choose, you will surprise you guests with these foods.
All in all, Thanksgiving is a proper time to get together with your family, relatives, and close friends, and be appreciative for every good thing that you have going on in your life. Happy Thanksgiving Day!
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