A time for delicious food, good will and family - you'd be forgiven for thinking this blog was about Christmas with an introduction like that! In fact, we're talking about that most American of traditions, the extravaganza that is Thanksgiving day, held on the fourth Thursday of November.
Thanksgiving itself was first celebrated back in 1621. After a treacherous crossing across the Atlantic, a ship called the Mayflower, full of migrants from England, sailed along the bay of Massachusetts and set up a village which they named Plymouth. Upon arrival, they suffered a terrible winter, beset by ferocious cold and destructive diseases which killed nearly half of all the ship's passengers. The remaining half hunkered down and survived and by March, they made contact with a Native American from the Abenaki tribe. In turn, they were introduced to another tribe, the Pawtuxet tribe who lived up near Rhode Island.
What followed was a year of peaceful habitation, seeing Native Americans of both the Pawtuxet and the Wampanoag tribes teach the settlers how to survive and live on the American continent. It was a result of this friendship that the first Thanksgiving was had, when members of the Plymouth Colony who had crossed over to American sat down to a magnificent 3-day feast with members of the Wampanoag Native American tribe. This tradition quickly spread across the country, with many new settlements and colonies taking on the festivities. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln declared the day a national holiday to be known by its current name of Thanksgiving.
So in honour of our friends across the pond, let us give you a quick break down of the customs surrounding the big day itself:
The Turkey
In a nod to the origins of Thanksgiving, the turkey has been a
longstanding centrepiece to the Thanksgiving day. Found on tables
across America and beyond, the presence of the turkey for
Thanksgiving goes all the way back to that original meal between
the passengers of the Mayflower and the Wampanoag tribe. While the
turkey may not have been the main star of that particular feast, it
was noted by early accounts that several different fowl were
brought and eaten by both the Native Americans and the pilgrims. It
has also been speculated that the turkey's inclusion may well
simply be on the table because this flightless bird, as a native of
America, is truly the all-american bird. So much so, that American
hero Benjamin Franklin declared the turkey to be the national bird
of the newly formed United States, a declaration which would not
last long in the face of the rather more imposing Bald Eagle.
Charity
With the very nature of Thanksgiving being one of humanitarian
mission, American's up and down the country reach into their
pockets to provide for those in need. Various charity organisations
from all walks of life organise food runs, dinners and fundraising
events to provide food, drink, clothes other items to homeless
people and those with desperate need. Similarly, as Thanksgiving
has strong religious overtones, many members of religious
communities come together to give thanks to their relative gods,
attending religious ceremonies and often offering up a prayer
before tucking into the food.
American Football
With Thanksgiving being as it is, an American festival, it comes
as little surprise that the true American pastime of American is a
major tradition. Dating back to the 19th century, many American's
gather around the television or take to the fields to either play
or catch a game of American football. The national governing body
for American football, the NFL, put on three games each year on
this day with one traditionally played between the Detroit Lions
and the Dallas Cowboys. With many families gathering for the day,
Thanksgiving can also include individual family matches, adding
that competitive touch to any Thanksgiving get together.
Macy's Thanksgiving Parade
The world's largest parade, packed full of all manner of
delightful floats featuring children's figures from across the
globe, Macy's Thanksgiving Parade is a glorious extravaganza put on
by department store Macy's. Marching down the streets of New York,
this parade has played host to Charles Schulz's Charlie Brown, the
Flintstones and Pokémon throughout the years, and people across the
city are treated to the surreal site of enormous balloon children's
characters navigate the glittering skyscrapers. Attended by tens of
thousands every year since 1931, where the leading balloon was
shaped like Felix the Cat, this celebration has become a true
Thanksgiving tradition, watched by Americans around the world.
So those are just some of the wild and wonderful traditions happening in the United States on the fourth Thursday of November. Let us know some of your own, if you have any, in the comments below!
