What is Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is an annual holiday centered on gratitude and family togetherness. In the United States, it is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. On this day, families and friends come together to share a special meal and to give thanks for the good things in their lives. The tradition dates back to 1621, when early American settlers (the Pilgrims) in Plymouth, Massachusetts held a harvest feast with the local Wampanoag people to celebrate a successful harvest. Over time, Thanksgiving has become one of the most important and beloved American holidays, centered on the idea of sharing food and expressing gratitude for life’s blessings.

Is Thanksgiving an American Holiday?

Thanksgiving is often seen as a uniquely American holiday because of its roots in American history and culture. It did indeed start in the United States and is most strongly associated with American traditions each November. However, it is not celebrated only in the U.S. – Canada, for example, has its own Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October every year. Canadians also gather for a feast and give thanks for the harvest, much like Americans do. Outside of North America, there is no widespread national Thanksgiving Day, though many other countries have their own harvest festivals or days of gratitude. Overall, Thanksgiving is primarily a North American holiday (especially in the U.S. and Canada), but its spirit of thankfulness is universal.

What Are the Rituals?

Thanksgiving Day is full of cherished rituals and traditions. It often begins with people traveling to visit family – in fact, Thanksgiving is one of the busiest travel times of the year. Once everyone is together, a special feast is prepared. Traditional Thanksgiving foods include a roast turkey (often the centerpiece of the meal), stuffing or dressing, gravy, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie for dessert. Family members usually share what they are thankful for before digging in, making the meal not just about food but also about appreciation and togetherness.

Beyond the big meal, other popular Thanksgiving rituals involve fun and community. In the morning, many families watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV, which features marching bands, floats, and giant helium balloons floating through New York City. Watching football is another common tradition – several NFL games are played on Thanksgiving Day, and some families even play their own friendly football game in the yard. Some households include a playful custom of breaking the turkey’s wishbone: two people pull apart the dried wishbone and whoever gets the bigger piece is said to have their wish granted. Thanksgiving is also a time for helping others; many people volunteer at soup kitchens or donate food to those in need during this holiday, embracing the spirit of giving.

Fun Facts

• First Thanksgiving Feast: The very first Thanksgiving in 1621 was actually a three-day harvest festival. It was attended by about 50 Pilgrims and 90 Wampanoag Native Americans, who feasted together for three days:contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}. They ate deer, seafood, and local vegetables – possibly no turkey at that first celebration!
• Official Holiday: Thanksgiving became an official U.S. national holiday during the Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day in 1863, after years of campaigning by Sarah Josepha Hale (the woman who wrote “Mary Had a Little Lamb”):contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}.
• Presidential Turkey Pardon: Every year, the President of the United States “pardons” a live turkey, sparing it from being eaten. This light-hearted tradition became formalized in 1989 when President George H. W. Bush held the first official turkey pardon ceremony:contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}.
• Turkey on the Table: Americans love their turkey – an estimated 46 million turkeys are eaten in the United States each Thanksgiving:contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}! That’s a lot of turkey dinners across the country on one day.
• Turkey Towns: There are actually four towns in the United States named “Turkey”:contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}. You can find Turkey, Texas; Turkey, North Carolina; Turkey, Arizona; and Turkey, Louisiana on the map.

Thanksgiving is a day of gratitude, food, family, and community. Whether one is enjoying a delicious slice of pumpkin pie or watching a parade on TV, the holiday is ultimately about appreciating the blessings we have and sharing goodwill with others. Happy Thanksgiving!