Thanksgiving is undoubtedly one of the most important traditions among those celebrated in the United States.You may have seen it on television or in movies exactly what it is or because it is celebrated so that in Overhistory we want to explain you with detail What does Thanksgiving Day mean-What is Thanksgiving Day 2019.
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What does Thanksgiving Day mean-What is Thanksgiving Day 2019
Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Day is a traditional own holiday of the United States that is celebrated every year the fourth Thursday of the month of November.
We know that it is a family celebration, with much lunch, and a dinner where you give thanks for what you have but what is this celebration for?
To know its origin we have to go back to history of the first settlers arrived in the United States from England and until almost 400 years ago.
Thanksgiving and its origin
The origin of Thanksgiving is to give thanks for the harvest, something not It only began to be done in Undiso States, but we can say that at some point, all cultures have celebrated thanksgiving to their corresponding deities for the blessing of an abundant harvest.
The American colonies also performed this act of giving thanks for the harvest, but in their case it developed as a tradition that has lasted until today Although as I say, now thanks for many more things than an abundant harvest.
The origin of Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving
As we have explained, the Thanksgiving we know of the United States was born as a" harvest festival " "That is, a simple harvest festival.
That is why many of the symbols of the celebration have to do with the world of crops and fields in general, such as pumpkins , grape leaves, or scarecrows.
The arrival of the Mayflower
The origin of Thanksgiving dates back to the year 1620 with the arrival of the Mayflower, a ship with more than 100 English settlers than the Atlantic to settle in the New World.
This group of settlers had strong religious convictions, although they opposed the beliefs from the Anglican church and in the end he had to undertake the crossing of the ocean to escape the gallows.
The pilgrims settled in what is now the current state of Massachusetts, specifically in the historic Plymouth Rock colony.
The history of the settlers
Their first winter in the American New World was hard as they barely knew how to survive.
In fact they went hungry and cold and more than half of the settlers lost their lives .In the following spring, the Wampanoag Indians offered to help them so from them they learned to sow corn, a plant that until then they ignored.The Indians also taught them to grow other food, to hunt and fish.
The first Thanksgiving in 1621
In the fall of 1621 abundant crops of grain, barley, beans and squash s were collected and for that reason the colonists made a great celebration and as a show of religious gratitude they organized a feast, which the Americans historically named as The America's First Thanksgiving.
At this party the settlers invited the Great Chief and 90 Indians of their Wampanoag tribe .The Indians brought deer meat to be roasted and turkeys, while the settlers had learned how to cook blueberries and prepared the different kinds of grain on dishes unknown to the natives.
The tradition was established and when the United States achieved independence, the Congress (Council) marked the date on the calendar as a holiday.
Thanksgiving as a party established in the United States
George Washington proposed the date on November 26 as Thanksgiving Day (Thanksgiving day) But in 1863 when, at the end of a long and bloody civil war,
Abraham Lincoln suggested that all Americans celebrate the last Thursday of November like a "thanksgiving" day, that is to say like Thanksgiving Day.
In this proclamation there was also much to do with the figure of Sarah Josepha Hal e, a Pilgrim who really convinced Lincoln to establish a "Thanksgiving" day g> to restore the country from the devastating war.
Thanksgiving as a party from the 20th century
Then the party is not established in an official way by the congress until 1941, year in which President Franklin D.Roosevelt proclaims the Thanksgiving Day as a holiday , so that a party in honor of the story told will be held but also, to advance Christmas shopping, if biens is also established on Black Friday.
On the other hand, Thanksgiving is not just a settlers party, since for the indigenous peoples of North America , Thanksgiving is also a special and signed date although they celebrate the so-called Native's American National Day of Mourning .
How Thanksgiving-Thanksgiving Day 2019 is celebrated
The Thanksgiving celebration has evolved although the origin of sharing blessings and good wishes with family and closest beings remains.
Although during the year they may be separated, when the Thanksgiving party arrives s all family members gather for a dinner at the home of the oldest relative, The most veteran, usually grandparents.
The traditional thing is to give thanks for all the good things they have and ask for blessings together for their own.In this spirit of sharing, civic groups and charitable organizations offer a traditional meal to the most needy in your community, in particular, to the homeless.Many of the food served in that first Thanksgiving of settlers and indigenous people are served at tables across the United States and therefore eats, turkey, corn, pumpkins, and aranda sauce no.
Typical traditions of Thanksgiving Day
- Family dinner : as we told you before, the whole family gets together to try the delicious turkey next to the side dishes of sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce or the stuffing of the turkey.Also typical is the pumpkin pie, the carrot cake or the vegetable cream to drink first.
- Football match : In the United States it is typical to meet to watch the football game before Thanksgiving dinner, even prepare it.
- Macy's parade : Thanksgiving it is also typical to see, live or on television, the parade of the Macy's department store, which has been held since 1927.In the parade we can see the giant balloon animals and the favorite television characters of the children, in a huge and beautiful floats.
- Centerpieces : another of the traditions of the Thanksgiving table is that and prepare a beautiful centerpiece, handmade.Many times, children prepare it at school for this special occasion.
When is Thanksgiving 2019
Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving is always celebrated at the end of the month of November , exactly the fourth Thursday of the month, so we can say that the 24 of November 2019 .
For many this date indicates that there is nothing left for Christmas , it also has many things in common such as a table with a lot food, where the protagonist is a turkey and all the loved ones who meet at the table give thanks for everything they have in life.
At the beginning, this celebration was to thank for the good crops, now it is done to give thanks for what you have, especially family and friends.
Thanksgiving Thanksgiving Facts
Why do you eat turkey?
Few data as curious as do you know how many turkeys are eaten at Thanksgiving in the United States? in the US alone that day they consume about 45 million turkeys .Eat turkey vi In 1620 they were invited by the native Indians by the pilgrims to thank them for their hospitality, but the most striking thing is that they did not eat turkey but fish, duck and deer.Why do you eat turkey?
Although there is no confirmation that tells us that turkey was cooked at the first Thanksgiving dinner, it seems that it was, specifically turkey "wild".
Over the years, the turkey has ceased to be wild to become a poultry that feeds during the year and then kill him and be the great protagonist of the Thanksgiving table.
The turkey pardon ceremony
Since eating turkey is so important and traditional in the United States, along with cornbread and vegetables, there is a tradition that marks the beginning of the party.
Every year, hours before it is celebrated Thanksgiving dinner, the president of the United States (these last years Obama), celebrates the ceremony of " pardon of the turkey" in which I saw her Give one of two turkeys, The one who must die is the one who serves at his presidential table on Thanksgiving night.
The ceremony dates back to 1963, when the president John F.Kennedy was the first to organize an event to forgive the life of a turkey .Then he became obsolete and although Richard Nixon once did it, it was Ronald Reagan who in 1987 instituted the forgiveness of the turkey as a custom and since then it remains.
You already know everything about Thanksgiving and its tradition.If you celebrate this party, we hope you enjoy it.
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