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| Credit to Baptist and Reflector |
Thanksgiving is one of the most beloved holidays in the United States, but its meaning, history, and traditions go far beyond just a turkey dinner. For many people, Thanksgiving is a time to gather with family, show appreciation, share food, and reflect on blessings throughout the year.
Although Thanksgiving is often associated with American culture, many countries around the world also have their own unique celebrations of gratitude and harvest. Understanding its origins and traditions helps us see why Thanksgiving continues to be meaningful today.
WHAT IS THANKSGIVING?
||Thanksgiving is a national holiday in the United States, celebrated every fourth Thursday of November. The holiday is centered around gratitude, sharing meals, and spending time with family and friends.
Although many people associate Thanksgiving with turkey, pie, and parades, at its core, Thanksgiving is about expressing appreciation — for food, family, health, safety, and life’s blessings.
THE ORIGIN OF THANKSGIVING
||The story of Thanksgiving didn't begin as a national holiday and certainly didn’t start with turkey and pumpkin pie. Its roots go back to the early 1600s, to a time marked by hardship, survival, and unlikely cooperation between two different peoples: the English Pilgrims and the Indigenous Wampanoag Nation.
THE JOURNEY OF THE PILGRIMS
In 1620, a group of English settlers later known as the Pilgrims sailed across the Atlantic aboard the Mayflower. Their journey took more than two months, filled with storms, sickness, and fear. When they finally arrived at what is now Massachusetts, winter had already begun. They were unprepared for the harsh weather, lacked sufficient food, and struggled to survive in a land unfamiliar to them.
By the end of that first winter, almost half of the Pilgrims had died. Those who remained relied heavily on hope and determination. But survival truly became possible thanks to the Wampanoag people.
THE ROLE OF THE WAMPANOAG
The Wampanoag had lived on the land for thousands of years. Their leader, Massasoit, formed an agreement of mutual protection with the Pilgrims. Members of the tribe, including a man named Tisquantum (better known as Squanto), taught the settlers how to plant corn, fish in local waters, and survive using the land’s natural resources.
Without the knowledge and aid of the Wampanoag, the Pilgrims likely would not have made it through the year.
THE 1621 HARVEST FEAST — THE EVENT THAT INSPIRED THANKSGIVING
When autumn arrived in 1621, the Pilgrims finally experienced their first successful harvest. This was not just a celebration — it was a moment of relief, gratitude, and hope for a future where survival no longer seemed impossible.
The Pilgrims invited Massasoit and about 90 Wampanoag men to join them in a feast that lasted three days. This gathering wasn’t called “Thanksgiving” at the time, nor did it resemble the modern holiday. It was simply a harvest celebration — a way to give thanks for food and for the alliance that had kept them alive.
Historical records suggest the meal included:
- Deer brought by the Wampanoag
- Wild birds such as duck or goose
- Shellfish, fish, and eels
- Cornmeal mush and boiled pumpkin
What it definitely did not include: mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, or pumpkin pie — those recipes had not yet been created.
HOW THANKSGIVING EVOLVED THROUGH TIME
The 1621 feast was not repeated annually by the Pilgrims. Over time, different colonies and states held their own days of thanksgiving, often declared by governors to celebrate victories, harvests, or survival after difficult seasons.
During the American Revolution, leaders such as George Washington proclaimed days of thanks. But it was not until the 1800s that the idea of a national Thanksgiving began to take shape.
SARAH JOSEPHA HALE — THE WOMAN WHO MADE THANKSGIVING A HOLIDAY
A writer and magazine editor named Sarah Josepha Hale spent more than 30 years campaigning for Thanksgiving to become a national holiday. She believed a shared day of gratitude would unite the country, especially during times of division.
In 1863, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln adopted her idea and declared the last Thursday of November as a national day of Thanksgiving. He hoped it would bring comfort and unity to a nation torn apart by conflict.
Since then, Thanksgiving has been celebrated every year — a tradition that continues to grow, evolve, and carry meaning for each new generation.
WHY THANKSGIVING IS STILL CELEBRATED TODAY
||Today, Thanksgiving remains important because it represents:
- gratitude — taking time to appreciate life’s blessings
- togetherness — a rare time when families gather
- tradition — recipes, rituals, and annual events
- reflection — looking back on the year
Even in modern times, Thanksgiving provides something people still need: a moment to pause, share food, and connect.
WHY DO WE EAT TURKEY AND ALL THOSE FOODS?
||Thanksgiving foods may seem random at first, but each dish has a historical or cultural origin. Here’s why these meals became part of the Thanksgiving tradition:
TURKEY
Wild turkeys were abundant in early America, large enough to feed a family, and easier to hunt than deer. By the 1800s, authors and recipe books popularized turkey as the “centerpiece” of Thanksgiving.
STUFFING
Stuffing comes from European traditions where bread and herbs were used to fill poultry. It stretched small amounts of meat into a bigger feast.
MASHED POTATOES
Potatoes became a popular comfort food by the 1800s. They are cheap, filling, and perfect for large gatherings.
CRANBERRY SAUCE
Cranberries are native to North America and used by Indigenous tribes. By the 1800s, cranberry sauce became a New England Thanksgiving staple.
PUMPKIN PIE
Pumpkins were a key Native American crop. Colonists made early pumpkin recipes, and by the 1800s, pumpkin pie symbolized fall and harvest.
CORN
Corn was the most important crop taught to the Pilgrims by the Wampanoag. Its presence at Thanksgiving honors Indigenous contributions.
WHICH COUNTRIES CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING?
||While Thanksgiving is most famously celebrated in the U.S., several countries have their own harvest festivals or gratitude celebrations. Here is a deeper look at how Thanksgiving differs around the world:
CANADA
Canada also celebrates Thanksgiving, but on the second Monday of October. Its origins trace back to explorer Martin Frobisher in 1578, who celebrated surviving dangerous voyages. Canadian Thanksgiving focuses more on harvest than Pilgrims, and meals often include turkey, mashed potatoes, and butter tarts.
GERMANY – ERNTEDANKFEST
Germany’s “Erntedankfest” is a religious harvest festival held in late September or early October. It features church ceremonies, harvest parades, music, and community feasts. The focus is spiritual gratitude for crops.
JAPAN – LABOR THANKSGIVING DAY
Japan celebrates “Kinrō Kansha no Hi” on November 23. It evolved from ancient rice harvest ceremonies and today honors workers, labor, and community service. Children often thank workers like police officers, firefighters, and hospital staff.
SOUTH KOREA – CHUSEOK
Chuseok is one of Korea’s biggest holidays. It combines harvest gratitude with ancestor rituals. Families visit ancestral graves, perform memorial services, and enjoy traditional rice cakes called songpyeon.
LIBERIA
Liberia’s Thanksgiving was introduced by freed American slaves. Celebrations include church services, family gatherings, and West African dishes like spicy chicken and jollof rice.
PHILIPPINES
Thanksgiving was introduced during American colonial rule. Although not a national holiday, many Filipino families celebrate it with their own style — often with lechon, pancit, or lumpia instead of turkey.
GRENADA
Grenada celebrates Thanksgiving on October 25 to commemorate the restoration of order after the 1983 political crisis. Many locals prepare American-style dishes in appreciation of the support they received.
THE BEAUTY OF THANKSGIVING
||Whether in America, Canada, Asia, Africa, or Europe, the core idea of Thanksgiving remains the same: a moment to pause and appreciate life.
Different cultures express it in different ways — through food, rituals, ceremonies, or community service — but the heart of the celebration is universal: gratitude.
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