The first Thanksgiving was
celebrated by the Pilgrims in 1621 to celebrate a successful
harvest in the new land. The celebration was based
on harvest traditions that the colonists brought with them from
England.
In 1863, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving as a national
holiday.
Thanksgiving Day is held on the 4th Thursday of November.
American families get together to watch football and eat a big feast
with turkey and grandma's apple pie. Beyond food and football,
Thanksgiving is also about friendship and partnership. Pilgrims and
Native Americans, who were once enemies, reaped a successful
harvest by working together. At the first Thanksgiving, they ate,
sang, and danced together for three days.
Since the first Thanksgiving, many
families from different parts of the world have settled in America. They
have adopted this American holiday of giving thanks as one of their
own. Like the Pilgrims, they have
also brought with them harvest traditions from their native countries.
Korean-Americans celebrate Chusok to thank their ancestors for providing
rice and fruits. The Kwanzaa celebration is based on African
harvest traditions. Succoth is the Jewish Harvest Festival and has
both religious and historical significance.
In the spirit of thanksgiving,
we wish you a wonderful holiday with friends and loved
ones. And please remember to give thanks for all that has given to you
and your family.
Thanksgiving
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