Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Day is it is
known in certain parts is basically a
harvest festival. It is traditionally a
festival where families get together and
give thanks for the harvest of the previous
year and express gratitude for there well
being in general. It is mostly a holiday
which over time has become a secular
national holiday celebrated throughout parts
of northamerica.
The history behind the festival has been
under debate for almost the entirety of its
existence. The actual dates and origins are
still considered contentious issues. Though
the general consensus is that, the earliest
known celebrations were held on the 8th
of September 1565. These by all accounts
were held in Saint Augustine Florida, the
site of the venerated Plymouth plantation in
1621. In present day thanksgiving is
celebrated across North America on various
dates. In Canada it is celebrated on the
second Monday of October and in the United
States on the last Thursday of the month of
November. The traditional thanksgiving
dinner is held on these days with a
gathering of families and loved ones.
According to the traditions the meal is
generally the similar kinds as the ones had
in 1621. This facet continues to recent
times. This includes the traditional turkey.
The entire mythology was actually crated
around 1890 and early 1900 after the civil
wars to create a sense of national identity
and provide a psychological boost to the new
immigrants coming into the country.
Traditional foods include roasted or grilled
turkey, mashed potatoes are served along
with gravy, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie and
other autumn vegetables are served.
Vegetarians eat a tofu based turkey. Another
traditional part of thanksgiving is to feed
the needy and lower rungs of society with
food. Most states and communities have food
programs and canned and preserved foods are
given around to the needy. It is also
traditional for American families to begin
the traditional dinner by saying a small
prayer or thanksgiving grace. This is
basically to express gratitude and
appreciation to god for giving them the food
and luxuries, as well as asking for
blessings.
Vacationing also forms an integral part of
thanksgiving tradition. Many families along
with friends tend to travel being that this
is generally a long four day weekend. It
also happens to be one of the busiest travel
times in the United States. As people from
all over the country try and get back home
to spend thanks giving with there families.
In America the Friday after thanksgiving is
also generally a paid holiday and is known
as black Friday as it traditionally
coincides with the first day for Christmas
shopping in the states. Parades and other
cultural events form part and parcel of this
American tradition.
This is all in all a historically
significant and traditionally one of the
most important American holidays. It is a
time of forgiveness and thanks. As well as
being a time of togetherness love and
harmony.
