Thanksgiving is a national holiday and well-known festival celebrated in the United States and Canada with great enthusiasm. Thanksgiving is also known as the ‘harvest festival’. On this day, the people offer their prayers and appreciation to God for the great harvest and all the blessings. Family and friends have a traditional meal including turkey. It is always held on the fourth Thursday of November every year. It’s a very special holiday when everybody comes together as a family to cook, enjoy, and bless the food and enjoy each other.
History:
On September 16, 1620, a group of people called Pilgrims left England because King James 1 did not permit religious freedom. He forced everyone to belong to the Church of England. The Pilgrims boarded a ship called the Mayflower and set sail for America. They sailed for 66 days over choppy waters and through stormy weather. In November, they reached America. They landed at Plymouth Rock in Plymouth Massachusetts.
The First Winter:
There were about 100 Pilgrims, as the winter was very cold and hard. Many of them were sick and did not have enough food to eat. Half of them died from pneumonia and typhus, then they met a friendly Native American Tribe called the Wampanoag Tribe. They helped the Pilgrims how to live in this situation. They taught how to hunt the fish and gave them corn seeds to grow crops for food.
The First Thanksgiving Day:
In the fall, the Pilgrims harvested their crops. They were very grateful to Native Americans for guiding them on how to survive off the land. The Pilgrims and the Native Americans had a feast to give thanks for their food, friendship, played skill games and it lasted for three days. Americans continue this appealing tradition today by gathering together with family and friends. It’s the busiest travel day of the year in the United States.
At the first Thanksgiving feast, people ate lobster, seal, swan, and deer meat. In modern times, serve turkey dinners, have family gatherings, and watch football games. Many also donate food to neighbors who don’t have enough to eat.
Settler and Native American Relations:
Unfortunately, the positive relationship between settlers and Native Americans did not last very long. In the modern age, Thanksgiving is a reminder of betrayal and bloodshed.
Thanksgiving Dinner:
Typical thanksgiving dinner usually consists of enchanting numerous dishes of roast turkey, gravy, stuffing, and appetizers including deviled eggs, shrimp cocktail, fruit plates. Vegetables include corn, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, nuts mashed potatoes, and desserts like pumpkin pie and apple crisps.
Giving Thanks:
Before eating Thanksgiving dinner, many families give thanks for the good things in life. Usually, each member shares what he or she is grateful for.
*This year; I am thankful for my good health
*This year; I am thankful to be living back at home.
Difference between Canadian and American Day:
The most obvious is the date when the holiday is celebrated. Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving on the second Monday of every October, and Americans celebrate the holiday on the fourth Thursday in November.
The only reason for the difference is the weather. Canada’s day is to observe the harvest and blessings, just like the US, but harvest comes much earlier in Canada due to the significantly colder weather. Canadians love to gather for family feasts and enjoy each other’s company.
Thanksgiving Games and Fun:
Thanksgiving Day would not be completed without the traditional meal, which consisted of various dishes.
On Thanksgiving Day people watch football games with their families and enjoy it a lot.
The day after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday. It is a day that is especially famous for shopping. On that day, everything in the stores is at a huge discount. Departmental Stores open at 4 am and people go crazy and they stand in line for hours early in the morning to get great discounts and start their Christmas shopping.
The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is one of the most famous holiday traditions in the United States. In New York City, thousands of people line the streets of Manhattan to watch. This parade is known for its giant inflatable balloons that float high above the onlookers between the skyscrapers
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