It is generally accepted that Thanksgiving is a holiday of gratitude for the harvest. In addition, this is the day when you can thank all your loved ones for their warmth, love, and support.
Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the last Thursday of November. In 2022, it was the 24th. It is a great occasion to gather the whole family at a table with delicious food, express gratitude, and forget old grievances.
History of Thanksgiving Day
The modern Thanksgiving has been known since 1691. It was then that the pilgrims arrived in America and held a celebration with the Wampanoag tribe. The feast lasted for three entire days. People celebrated the completion of the harvest and thanked the land for generous gifts.
Such joy was justified by the fact that the pilgrims would not have survived the cold season without the harvest. When people were already in despair, they were helped by Indian tribes. With their help, the pilgrims began cultivating the land, learned helpful skills, and adapted to new conditions.
The good harvest of that year raised morale and strengthened relations with the inhabitants of the tribe. It was the turning point, after which the McFlower Pilgrims founded the first New England colony.
The holiday became part of America with the advent of George Washington. He stated that November 26, 1789, would be the date to celebrate the gratitude of the new nation. Thanksgiving became a family holiday with the arrival of Abraham Lincoln. He announced the celebration last Thursday of November without a specific date.
Macy's Parade
Parades are a traditional part of Thanksgiving Day. In 1942, Macy's employees started this tradition. They first took to the streets in costumes to honor the memory of their ancestors, and thank them for the harvest. Musicians and animals took part in the parade. But all the attention was taken by giant balloons. It is this element that has become a mandatory attribute of Thanksgiving parades.
Since then, festive processions have become an obligatory part of the holiday. They were canceled only during the Second World War. After its completion, the parades became even grander.
Every year, processions are held in all cities. They are shown on television, as mentioned in films. The parade is an indispensable element of modern Thanksgiving.
How to celebrate this holiday?
The celebration of Thanksgiving has a massive number of traditions and customs. The primary practice of this day is to spend time with family and loved ones. You can follow some rules. It is essential to spend the holiday with those you love.
Menu and traditions
Before you start eating, you need to thank everyone around you for the past year. It says there's no Thanksgiving without it.
The second important tradition is pardoning the turkey. It is a playful custom in which the president officially explains two birds, and they are not eaten. Amazingly, people choose the idea.
Despite this custom, there must be a baked turkey on the table. Moreover, it is best served with cranberry sauce. There should also be pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes. Dishes of their seasonal vegetables and fruits perfectly symbolize this holiday. Apple cider is an indispensable drink on the festive table.
It is these products that express gratitude to pilgrims and Indian tribes.
Movies
Watching a movie together is a great way to spend Thanksgiving. A lot of people are starting to re-watch classic Christmas movies. It can be all parts of “Home Alone” or “Christmas stories”. Children are delighted with their favorite cartoons and TV shows.
Families often select sports broadcasts. Watching your favorite team play together brings you closer than you think.
Activities for children
Toddlers only sometimes like to sit at home and watch TV. Even if they broadcast their favorite cartoons, walking will be a great decision on this day.
In honor of Thanksgiving Day, various parades and fairs are held. You can join the celebration with the whole family and plunge into this atmosphere. So that the child is not lost in the crowd, it is worth buying him a GPS watch. So you will always know the geolocation of your baby and can safely let him go for a walk with friends. Special applications on the phone are a great solution. The watch can fly off the hand, but the phone is always with you.
There are also classes for those who want to stay in the house for the whole day. You can cook pumpkin treats with your children and bake a turkey. Board games will be great entertainment, help strengthen friendships and have fun.
Shopping
Thanksgiving is considered the beginning of the Christmas holidays. It is during this period that stores offer huge discounts on all goods. Joint shopping is a great option to spend this day.
It is worth visiting all your favorite stores and pleasing your loved ones with pleasant gifts. Thanksgiving discounts will definitely help with this.
Thanksgiving Day is a great occasion to spend time with your family!
Thanksgiving Day is a beautiful occasion to bring the full family together at the same table. Create your own traditions, and invent entertainment. It will help to become closer to all family members.
