Today, the Fourth Thursday of November is celebrated as Thanksgiving Day in the United States. Despite its historical roots in religious and cultural traditions, Thanksgiving has long been celebrated as a secular holiday. It is a significant part of the country’s culture and marks the beginning of the holiday season.
The first Thanksgiving, also known as the Thanksgiving of 1621, is nearly universally cited as the origin of Thanksgiving in the United States. The pilgrim Fathers, a group of European settlers from the Plymouth Colony, which is now a part of Massachusetts, commemorated it. The Pilgrims hosted a sumptuous three-day feast to commemorate their first harvest in the New World, and both Pilgrims and Native American took part. It is said that the Pilgrims were motivated by comparable customs they had seen in Europe to act in this way. Following this, other colonies designated certain days for praying and offering gratitude to God to their benefits. Thanksgiving became a national holiday in 1789 as a result of a proclamation by George Washington. Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a federal holiday on the fourth Thursday of November in 1863.
The Thanksgiving holiday is now mostly focused on eating a substantial feast, which nearly always includes turkey, in the United States. Thanksgiving is frequently referred to as “Turkey Day” since it is believed that between 85% and 91% of Americans consume turkey on that day. Other classic Thanksgiving fare includes cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie.
People spend Thanksgiving Day with their families or groups of friends and express their gratitude for the blessings they feel privileged to have in their life. This occasionally includes a religious component because many individuals go to religious services or pray before meals.
Local Thanksgiving Day parades are very popular events that many Americans attend, and they are frequently broadcast.
Erntedankfest, also known as “The Harvest Festival of Thanks”, takes place outside of North America in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. In contrast to American festivals, this one traditionally places a greater emphasis on religious ceremonies than on enormous feasts. One of the most remarkable aspects of these specific festivals, aside from religious ceremonies, is the production of food displays, which are frequently utilized to adorn churches and other structures.
Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrating thankfulness for the possessions you have in your life. It is a celebration of self-actualization and appreciation of what we have accomplished thus far that’s to our efforts and God’s favour.
Let's take a minute to express our gratitude to God, our families, and our friends for everything we have in life right now.
Thanksgiving greetings!
Compiled By: Rebika Bishokarma
Photos By: Jed Owen, Spencer Davis, Pro Church Media
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