National Thanksgiving Day
National Thanksgiving Day
Celebrated annually on the fourth Thursday of November, the National Thanksgiving Day celebrates the harvest and other blessings of the past year in countries like Canada and the United States. The American holiday is particularly rich in legend and symbolism, and the traditional fare of the Thanksgiving meal typically includes turkey, bread stuffing, potatoes, cranberries, and pumpkin pie. Concerning vehicular travel, the holiday is often the busiest of the year, as family members gather with one another.
Year | Date | Day | Where |
2020 | 26th November | Thursday | United States |
2021 | 25th November | Thursday | United States |
2022 | 24th November | Thursday | United States |
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Why National Thanksgiving Day?
National Thanksgiving Day is an opportunity to give thanks for the blessings of the harvest and that of the preceding year.
In the U.S, the celebration is often recognized as an event that took place when English colonists held a feast to thank Native Americans for helping them start new lives in the U.S.
Thanksgiving is regarded as being the beginning of the fall-winter holiday season, along with Christmas and the New Year, in American culture. The event that Americans commonly call the “First Thanksgiving” was celebrated by the Pilgrims after their first harvest in the New World in October 1621.
Historians have suggested that many of the dishes were likely prepared using traditional Native American spices and cooking methods. Because the Pilgrims had no oven and the Mayflower’s sugar supply had dwindled by the fall of 1621, the meal did not feature pies, cakes or other desserts, which have become a hallmark of contemporary celebrations.
Thanksgiving became a time to gather together, As the country became more urban and family members began to live farther apart.
Days of thanksgiving in Canada also originated in the colonial period, arising from the same European traditions, in gratitude for safe journeys, peace, and bountiful harvests. In 1879 Parliament established a national Thanksgiving Day on November 6; the date has varied over the years. Since 1957 Thanksgiving Day has been celebrated in Canada on the second Monday in October.
The holiday was annually proclaimed by every president thereafter, and the date was chosen, with few exceptions, was the last Thursday in November.
In 1863, President Lincoln made a proclamation marking Thursday, November 26, 1863, as Thanksgiving. Lincoln’s proclamation harkened back to Washington’s, as he was also giving thanks to God following a bloody military confrontation. In this case, Lincoln was expressing gratitude to God and thanks to the Army for emerging successfully from the Battle of Gettysburg.
How Can We Observe National Thanksgiving Day?
- Learn more about Thanksgiving History
Since we all have easy access to the Internet, take a moment and search about the amazing history of Canada and the U.S, The fantastic culture of these two countries or just visit a library the best way to observe and learn about this day. You may not like reading, therefore, you can visit museums and you can as well share your thoughts on social media using hashtag #NationalThanksgivingDay and #ThanksgivingDay
- Visit the sites and places
If it’s possible to visit the U.S or Canada or you happen to be in any of these countries take a day to celebrate the day by going to historical places and sites to learn more about the culture or find an American family that will be open to celebrate the day with you.
- Explore the culture of Thanksgiving Day
Americans celebrate the Day with cooking and gather around the family, so take time to find how they do it and try out the delicious food and the things they do on this day, find out the delicacies and the signature dishes of American and Canadian people.
- Watch the National sports
As we know the national Sport of the U.S is American football and Canadian people love ice hockey, find ur favorite team and cheer for it and enjoy your day.
Interesting Facts About National Thanksgiving Day:
Here some interesting facts about this day!
- The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621 over a three-day harvest festival. It included 50 Pilgrims, 90 Wampanoag Indians, and lasted three days. It is believed by historians that only five women were present.
- Turkey wasn’t on the menu at the first Thanksgiving. Venison, duck, goose, oysters, lobster, eel, and fish were likely served, alongside pumpkins and cranberries (but no pumpkin pie or cranberry sauce!).
- There are four towns in the United States named “Turkey.” They can be found in Arizona, Texas, Louisiana, and North Carolina.
- The average number of calories consumed on Thanksgiving is 4,500.
- Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday on October 3, 1863. Sarah Josepha Hale, the woman who wrote “Mary Had A Little Lamb,” convinced Lincoln to make Thanksgiving a national holiday after writing letters for 17 years.
History Of National Thanksgiving Day:
The annual feast is in honor of the “first” Thanksgiving in America, in 1619 in Virginia, and in 1621, when colonists in Plymouth, Massachusetts, later known as the Pilgrims, shared a meal with the Wampanoag Indians, who were native to the land.