What does Thanksgiving Day mean – What is Thanksgiving Day 2022 –

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 why it is celebrated, so in Overstory we want to explain it in detail what does Thanksgiving mean – What is Thanksgiving Day 2021.

What does Thanksgiving mean – What is Thanksgiving Day 2021

Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Day is a traditional holiday of the United States that is celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday of the month of November.

We know that it is a family celebration, with a lot of food, and a dinner in which one gives thanks for what one has, but what is the reason for this celebration?

To know its origin we have to go back to the history of the first settlers who arrived in the United States from England and until nearly 400 years ago.

Thanksgiving and its origin

The origin of Thanksgiving is to give thanks for the harvest, something that not only began to be done in the United States, but we can say that at some point, all cultures have held thanksgiving celebrations to their corresponding divinities for the blessing of a bountiful 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 endured to this day although as I say, now thanks are given for many more things than a bountiful harvest.

The origin of Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving

As we have explained, the Thanksgiving that we know in 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, vine 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 of the Anglican church and in the end had to cross the ocean to escape the gallows.

The pilgrims settled in what is now the current state of Massachusetts, specifically in the historic colony of Plymouth Rock.

The story of the settlers

His first winter in the American New World was harsh since they barely had knowledge of how to survive.

In fact they were 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 plant corn, a plant that they had not known until then. The Indians also taught them to grow other foods, to hunt and to fish.

The first Thanksgiving in 1621

In the fall of 1621 were collected bountiful harvests of grain, barley, beans and squashs and for this reason the settlers made a great celebration and as a sign 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 from his Wampanoag tribe. The Indians brought deer meat to be roasted and turkeys, while the settlers had learned how to cook cranberries and prepared the different kinds of grain on dishes unknown to the Indians.

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 holiday established in the United States

George Washington proposed the date November 26 as Thanksgiving Day. But in 1863 when, at the end of a long and bloody civil war, Abraham Lincoln suggested to all Americans to celebrate the last Thursday of November like a day of “thanksgiving”, that is to say like Thanksgiving Day.

In this proclamation, the figure of Sarah Josepha Halea pilgrim who was the one who really convinced Lincoln to establish a “thanksgiving” day to restore the country from the devastating war.

Thanksgiving as a holiday from the 20th century

Then the party ain’t set right official by congress until 1941, year in which the president Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaims Thanksgiving as a holidayso that in the background a party would be held in honor of the told story but also, to advance the Christmas purchases, although the black friday.

On the other hand, Thanksgiving is not just a party for settlers, since for the indigenous peoples of North America, Thanksgiving Day is also a special and marked date, although they celebrate the so-called Native’s American’s National Day of Mourning.

How Thanksgiving-Thanksgiving Day 2021 is celebrated

The celebration of Thanksgiving has evolved although the foundation of sharing blessings and good wishes with family and loved ones remains.

Although during the year they may be apart, when Thanksgiving comes all members of the family gather for a dinner at the home of the oldest relative, the oldest, usually the grandparents.

The traditional thing is to give thanks for all the good things they have and ask for blessings together for their loved ones. In this spirit of sharing, civic groups and charitable organizations offer a traditional meal to those most in need in their community, particularly the homeless. On tables across America many of the foods that were served in that first Thanksgiving of settlers are served and indigenous people and therefore they eat turkey, corn, pumpkins, and cranberry sauce.

Typical Thanksgiving Day Traditions

  • Family dinner: as we mentioned before, the whole family gets together to try the delicious turkey with the sweet potato garnishes, cranberry sauce or the turkey stuffing. Pumpkin pie, carrot cake or cream of vegetables to take first are also typical.
  • Soccer game: In the United States it is typical to get together to watch the football game before Thanksgiving dinner, they even prepare it.
  • Macy’s Parade: On Thanksgiving, it is also typical to see, live or on television, the Macy’s department store parade, which has been held since 1927. In the parade we can see giant balloon animals and children’s favorite television characters , in huge and beautiful floats.
  • centerpieces: Another of the traditions of the thanksgiving table is that a beautiful, handmade centerpiece be prepared. Many times, children prepare it at school for this special occasion.

When is Thanksgiving 2021

Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving It is always celebrated at the end of the month of novemberexactly the fourth Thursday of the month, so we can say that the November 24, 2022.

For many this date indicates that there is nothing left to Christmasit also has many things in common, for example a table with a lot of food, where the protagonist is a turkey and all the loved ones who gather at the table give thanks for everything they have in life.

At first, this celebration was to give thanks for good harvests, now it is done to give thanks for what you have, especially family and friends.

Curious facts of Thanksgiving-Thanksgiving

Why do you eat turkey?

Few of you will know facts as curious as How many turkeys are eaten on Thanksgiving? Only in the US that day are consumed about 45 million turkeys. The reason comes from the year 1621 when they were invited to thank them for their hospitality… but did not eat turkey but fish, duck and venison. So why do you eat turkey?

The main reason why the turkey has become the main dish compared to other birds is probably due to its large size, thus facilitating a single piece to feed a large family.

The Turkey Pardoning Ceremony

As the fact of 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 Thanksgiving dinner, the president of the United States (Obama in recent years), celebrates the ceremony of «turkey pardon” in which he spares the life of one of two turkeys, the one who must die is the one served at his presidential table on Thanksgiving night.

The ceremony dates back to 1963, when President John F. Kennedy was the first to organize an event to spare the life of a turkey.. Then it fell into disuse and although Richard Nixon once did it, it was Ronald Reagan who in 1987 instituted pardoning the turkey as a custom and has been maintained ever since.

You already know everything about Thanksgiving and its tradition. If you celebrate this party, we hope you enjoy it.

Article of interest:

If you want to know more about Thanksgiving, We have this other post that will undoubtedly be of interest to you: