Thanksgiving Day is a public holiday in the United States, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. In 2012 it falls on November 22. This is one of the most popular holidays in the country.
The very idea of celebrating autumn and the end of the harvest dates back to ancient times. However, for Americans, the holiday dates back to the first settlers who arrived from England to America at the end of 1620 after a two-month voyage on the ship Mayflower. The passengers, a group of English pilgrims fleeing religious persecution in their homeland, embarked on such a dangerous journey in the hope of founding a colony in the New World, where they could finally find the freedom they longed for.
The first year in a new place turned out to be very harsh. The settlers had to endure hunger, cold, hardship and disease. After a harsh winter, during which about half of the settlers died, they, with the help of their Indian neighbors, learned to grow corn and other crops adapted to local conditions, distinguish edible plants from poisonous ones, find springs with drinking water, hunting trails and fishing spots. In the fall of 1621, the colonists reaped a good harvest, for which they decided to thank the Lord by organizing a festive meal. The Indians who helped the colonists were invited to the holiday, which lasted three days.
It was the first Thanksgiving. It is believed that this holiday originated from the European tradition of celebrating Harvest Day. In subsequent years, the colonists held a celebration only when there was a good harvest, and then only from time to time. Over time, the holiday lost its religious significance.
In different states, the holiday was celebrated on different days, and then began to coincide with military victories.
For a long time, the holiday was unofficial in New England. The first official Thanksgiving Day was declared in 1777 by the Continental Congress, which established December 18, 1777 as Thanksgiving Day.
In 1789, the first US President George Washington proclaimed this holiday a national event and, at the request of Congress, set the date as November 26, Thursday. But Thanksgiving became a fully national holiday in 1863, during the Civil War, when President Abraham Lincoln declared that henceforth the last Thursday of November would be celebrated as Thanksgiving Day. True, already in 1865 the holiday was celebrated on the first Thursday of November - as proclaimed by US President Andrew Johnson. In 1869, President Ulysses Grant chose the third Thursday for Thanksgiving. In other years, Thanksgiving Day was celebrated on the last Thursday of November.
In 1939-1941, to expand the Christmas shopping season, President Franklin Roosevelt moved the holiday to the second to last Thursday in November. But the postponement caused a split among the states - 23 states celebrated Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November, the other 23 states on the penultimate Thursday. Other states declared both Thursdays as holidays. After two years of confusion and complaints, on December 26, 1941, US President Roosevelt signed a law establishing Thanksgiving Day on the fourth Thursday in November. The holiday is still celebrated today.
Over the years of its existence, the holiday has developed a number of traditions that Americans sacredly preserve and observe. Thanksgiving Day is usually celebrated in the house of the elder of the family with relatives. Relatives and friends come from all over the country to sit at a common table laden with traditional treats. This is certainly turkey (in various versions of its preparation), sweet potato yams with whipped flower sauce, cranberry sauce, stuffing from cracker cubes with spices, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie and gravy - what, according to historians, was on the tables of the colonists in the distant past XVII century.
The house is decorated with autumn attributes - bouquets of orange, gold, brown chrysanthemums and branches with berries, which are identified with this year's rich harvest.
Before starting a meal, whether with family or among friends, it is customary to express gratitude for these gifts, including the joy of meeting on the occasion of the holiday. If someone is left without a festive dinner, then charitable organizations will invite him. On this day, the President himself helps feed the homeless, the poor and the elderly, putting generous portions on their plates. The head of state must show the country an example of charity.
Another holiday tradition is the solemn ceremony, which is held at the White House on the eve of the holiday. In accordance with this tradition, at least one turkey must avoid the fate of ending up on the holiday table.
The tradition of honoring the Thanksgiving turkey, according to the most common version, began in 1947, when the National Turkey Federation first presented the bird to US President Harry Truman. However, until 1989, presidential turkeys were sent to the festive table of the head of state, and only in 1963, President John Kennedy broke tradition and kept the bird he received as a gift alive.
The first official ceremony to pardon a turkey was held by George HW Bush in 1989. Every year since then, the turkey and its “stand-in” (the stand-in is chosen in case something suddenly happens to the first bird before the ceremony) get rid of the prospect of being roasted and go to one of the children's parks.
Another attribute of the holiday are parades, most of them costumed - in 17th-century clothes and Indian costumes. The most famous parade is held annually in New York. It has been organized by the world's largest chain of department stores, Macy's, since the 1920s. The main attraction of the parade are huge inflatable toys (characters of cartoons, fairy tales and television shows), which are carried from Central Park to the entrance to the department store (between Seventh Avenue and Broadway. The parade is broadcast on television. In the evening, fireworks are displayed over the East River, which separates New York from Brooklyn.
There is also a tradition of writing songs for Thanksgiving. One of the relatively new Thanksgiving traditions is watching a National Football League (NFL) game.
After Thanksgiving, traditional pre-Christmas sales begin across America.
The material was prepared based on information from RIA Novosti and open sources
Almost in every culture in the world there is a celebration of thanks for rich harvest. The American Thanksgiving began as a feast of thanksgiving almost four hundred years ago.
In 1620, a religious community sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to settle in the New World. They settled in what is now known as the state of Massachusetts.
Their first winter in America was difficult. They arrived too late to grow a rich harvest. Moreover, half the colony died from disease. The following spring the Iroquois Indians taught them how to grow corn. Indians showed them also how to grow other crops and how to hunt and fish.
In the autumn of 1621 they got a beautiful harvest of corn, barley, beans and pumpkins. The colonists had much to be thankful for, so they planned a feast. Local Indian chief and ninety Indians were present. The colonists learned from Indians how to cook cranberries and dishes of corn and pumpkins.
In the following years many of the colonists celebrated the harvest with a feast of thanks. After the United States gained independence, Congress recommended one yearly day of thanksgiving for the whole country.
Later, George Washington suggested the date November 26 as Thanksgiving Day. Then, after the Civil war, Abraham Lincoln suggested the last Thursday in November to be the day of thanksgiving.
On Thanksgiving Day, family members gather at the house of an older relative, even if they live far away. All give thanks for everything good they have. Charitable organizations offer traditional meal to the homeless.
Foods, eaten at the first thanksgiving, have become traditional. The traditional thanksgiving meal consists of roast turkey stuffed with herb-flavoured bread, cranberry jelly, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie. Other dishes may vary as to region: ham, sweet potatoes, creamed corn.
Translation:
Almost every culture in the world has a holiday of gratitude for a bountiful harvest. American Thanksgiving began as a holiday of gratitude almost four hundred years ago.
In 1620, a religious community crossed the Atlantic Ocean to settle in the New World. She settled in what is now Massachusetts.
The first winter in America was full of difficulties for the settlers. They arrived too late to produce a rich harvest. Moreover, half the colony died from disease. The following spring, the Iroquois Indians taught them how to grow corn. The Indians also showed them how to grow other vegetables and how to hunt and fish.
In the fall of 1621, they reaped a bountiful harvest of corn, barley, beans, and pumpkins. The colonists had many reasons to be grateful, so a celebration was planned. It was attended by the local chief and ninety Indians. The colonists learned from the Indians how to prepare dishes from cranberries, corn, and pumpkins.
In subsequent years, many colonists celebrated the harvest with a thanksgiving festival. After the United States gained independence, Congress recommended one day a year as Thanksgiving Day for the entire country.
George Washington later proposed celebrating Thanksgiving on November 26th. Then, after the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln proposed celebrating Thanksgiving on the last Thursday of November.
On Thanksgiving Day, family members gather at the home of an older relative, even if they live far away. Everyone expresses gratitude for all the good things they have. Charities offer traditional meals to homeless people.
The dishes that were featured at the first Thanksgiving holiday have become traditional. A traditional Thanksgiving dinner consists of roast turkey stuffed with herb bread, cranberry jelly, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie. Other items may be added depending on region: ham, sweet potatoes, creamed corn.
Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States and on the second Monday of October in Canada. This is not just a public holiday, but also one of the most beloved and popular celebrations among Americans: according to tradition, on this day several generations of a family gather at one table for a festive dinner. In addition, Thanksgiving in the United States kicks off the winter holiday season, which includes Christmas and New Year.
history of the holiday
Thanksgiving Day is one of the oldest American holidays; its origins are associated with the first settlers from England who arrived in the New World on the Mayflower. After months of arduous sailing, the settlers reached America in November 1620 and immediately faced a harsh winter.
During the first winter on the new continent, more than half of the settlers died from cold, hunger and disease. The survivors founded Plymouth Colony, the oldest English settlement in America, and began farming the land with the help of local Indians. The reward for these labors was an unexpectedly bountiful harvest - and the first Governor William Bradford decided to hold a Thanksgiving Day in the fall of 1621 for the harvest and the help of the Indians.
The elders of the colony also invited local Indians from the Wampanoag tribe to the festive table, who helped the settlers survive. The Indians brought with them four strange birds, later called turkeys - this meal became the first Thanksgiving.
"The First Thanksgiving in Plymouth" (1621) by Jennie A. Brownscombe. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org
The first settlers were Puritans, deeply religious Christians. They saw a deep meaning in this holiday, an opportunity to thank the Almighty for his mercies. However, later in the USA and Canada this holiday largely lost its religious significance and became a nationwide civil celebration.
After gaining independence, the young country needed its own holidays and traditions, and first president George Washington In 1789, he signed a decree to celebrate Thanksgiving Day as a national holiday annually on November 26th. In 1864, after the end of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday of November of each year as Thanksgiving Day, and in 1941 a bill was passed in the United States that legislatively approved this date of celebration.
Celebration traditions
The main tradition of Thanksgiving is a festive dinner, for which several generations of the same family gather in the home of the elders. Before him, many Americans attend church services with their entire families. Often this holiday is the only event of the year that allows all relatives to get together. During the festive meal, everyone says words of thanksgiving for all the good things that have happened in his life this year.
Festive table on Thanksgiving Day. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org
The second tradition is the holiday table - on this day, Americans eat the same thing that their ancestors ate back in 1621 at the first Thanksgiving dinner. The main dishes are stuffed turkey and pumpkin pie, which have become culinary synonyms for the holiday.
Festive parades, usually in the costumes of the first 17th century settlers and Indians, are another constant attribute of Thanksgiving. The largest parade takes place in New York; its main attraction is huge inflatable toys. Hosted since 1927 by major department store Macy's, this holiday parade runs from Central Park to the department store entrance near Herald Square. At the end of the holiday, fireworks are displayed over the East River.
Macy's parade in 1979. Photo: Commons.wikimedia.org
Also, on the eve of Thanksgiving, it is customary to engage in charity work to feed and bring joy to those in need: charities distribute gifts and organize free meals for the homeless. Even subway stations have tables where you can place your donations for the poor and homeless.
The day after the holiday, the season of pre-Christmas sales opens in stores and on the Internet - this day is called “Black Friday.”
Thanksgiving Day is a public holiday in the United States, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. In 2018 it falls on November 22. This is one of the most popular holidays in the country.
Traditionally, on this day, Americans praised God for a rich harvest; now the holiday has lost its religious roots and turned into a family celebration.
The idea of celebrating the end of the harvest dates back to ancient times. In North America, this holiday was transformed into thanksgiving prayers for a rich harvest, accompanied by abundant food. According to some reports, the first thanksgiving services for European settlers took place in 1607 in Jamestown, as well as in the colony of Maine. However, in most cases, the history of the holiday is associated with settlers who arrived in America from England at the end of 1620. In the fall of 1621, the governor of the Plymouth colony they formed, William Bradford, invited the neighboring Indians to celebrate with the settlers a three-day holiday in honor of the first harvest harvested after the hungry winter in the New World, which the colonists survived largely thanks to the help of the natives.
This was the first Thanksgiving, but the colonists not only did not call it that, but also did not plan to make it a tradition - there was no holiday the following year, it was held again only in 1623, after the settlers, worried about the drought, prayed for rain for a long time - and got it.
For a long time the holiday was unofficial. European settlers held local fall harvest celebrations. Each state itself determined the date of celebration.
The first official Thanksgiving Day was declared in 1777 by the Continental Congress and took place on December 18, 1777.
In 1789, the first US President George Washington declared the holiday a national event. The date of the “Day of Thanksgiving and Public Prayer” ( A day of public thanksgiving and prayer) became November 26, Thursday. However, in subsequent years, Thanksgiving continued to be celebrated irregularly. It became a national holiday only in 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln announced that from now on the last Thursday of November would be celebrated as Thanksgiving Day. True, already in 1865 the holiday was celebrated on the first Thursday of November - as proclaimed by US President Andrew Johnson. In 1869, President Ulysses Grant chose the third Thursday for Thanksgiving. In other years, Thanksgiving Day was celebrated on the last Thursday of November.
In 1939-1941, to expand the Christmas shopping season, US President Franklin Roosevelt moved the holiday to the penultimate Thursday of November. The transfer caused a split among the states - 16 states refused to change the tradition and continued to celebrate the holiday in the old way. After two years of confusion and complaints, on December 26, 1941, Roosevelt signed a law establishing Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday in November.
Over the years, the holiday has developed a number of traditions that Americans carefully observe. Thanksgiving Day is usually celebrated in the house of the elder of the family with relatives. Relatives and friends come from all over the country to sit around a common table laden with traditional food.
An obligatory attribute of the feast is turkey (in various versions of its preparation), sweet potatoes, yams, cranberry sauce, stuffing with cracker cubes with spices, sweet potatoes, pumpkin pie - what, according to historians, was on the tables of the colonists back in the 17th century.
The traditional holiday drink is apple cider. It is served hot and seasoned with spices.
Another holiday tradition is the turkey pardoning ceremony, which is held at the White House on the eve of the holiday. In accordance with this tradition, at least one turkey must avoid the fate of ending up on the holiday table.
President Donald Trump pardoned the turkey in 2018. Screenshot video
The tradition of honoring the Thanksgiving turkey, according to the most common version, began in 1947, when the National Turkey Federation ( National Turkey Federation) first gave the bird to US President Harry Truman. However, it was not until 1963 that President John Kennedy allowed the bird he had received as a gift to live.
The first official ceremony to pardon a turkey was held by US President George HW Bush in 1989. Every year since then, the turkey and its “stand-in” (the stand-in is chosen in case something suddenly happens to the first bird before the ceremony) are spared the prospect of being roasted.
Another attribute of the holiday are traditional costume parades. The first such parade took place in 1924 in Detroit. The most famous parade is held annually in New York. It is organized by the largest chain of department stores Macy's ( Macy's). The main attraction of the parade are huge inflatable toys (characters of cartoons, fairy tales and television shows), which are carried from Central Park to the entrance to the department store (between Seventh Avenue and Broadway). Since 1952, the parade has been broadcast on television.
After Thanksgiving, traditional pre-Christmas sales open in all stores across the country; since the 1960s, this day has also been known as Black Friday.
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