Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving appeared with the Pilgrims (british people who left britain in seek of religious freedom) who settled in Plymouth using the Mayflower to celebrate their harvest in 1621. The meal was organized by Governor William Bradford who also invited the local Indians. The word Thanksgiving appeared only in 1923 after rain ended a long drought.

It became official once G Washington proclaimed it as a national holiday in 1789 and popular once Abraham Lincoln set the date in 1863. Roosevelt was the one to make it also a federal holiday.

Thanksgiving first was known for giving thanks to God for the harvest. It is a religious holiday that evolved into giving thanks for all the good things given by God especially family.

This holiday is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November every year, except in Canada where they celebrate on the second Monday of October.

During this particular day, people often have the day off to be able to get together with friends and family by sharing a large meal. In the US, many people watch a NFL football game while the meal is being cooked as well as during the meal. They also often come to watch the parades from all the big cities, such as the Macy’s Parade in NYC that has existed since 1924. It is more than four km long.

The traditional meal includes turkey, cranberry sauce, potatoes, candied yam’s, casseroles, stuffing, vegetables, and pumpkin pies.

 Fun fact : each year the president in the US is presented a live turkey that is pardonned by the president and it gets to live out his life on a farm.

Every year over 46 million turkeys are eaten just on this day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AOj3JYSGzw0

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