Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday celebrated primarily in
the United States and Canada. Several
other places around the world observe similar celebrations. It is celebrated on
the fourth Thursday of November in the United
States and on the second Monday of October in Canada. Thanksgiving
has its historical roots in religious traditions, but today is celebrated in a
more secular manner.
Thanksgiving Day is traditionally a day for
families and friends to get together for a special meal. The meal often
includes a turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy, pumpkin pie, and
vegetables. Thanksgiving Day is a time for many people to give thanks for what
they have.
Most government offices, businesses, schools
and other organizations are closed on Thanksgiving. It is one of the busiest
periods for travel in the USA.
This can cause congestion and overcrowding. Seasonal parades and busy football
games can cause disruption to local traffic.
Thanksgiving Day has been an annual holiday in the United States since 1863. Not everyone sees Thanksgiving Day as a cause for celebration. Each year since 1970, a group of Native Americans and their supporters have staged a protest for a National Day of Mourning at Plymouth Rock in Plymouth, Massachusetts on Thanksgiving Day. American Indian Heritage Day is also observed at this time of the year.
ReplyDeleteThere are claims that the first Thanksgiving Day was held in the city of El Paso, Texas in 1598. Another early event was held in 1619 in the Virginia Colony. Many people trace the origins of the modern Thanksgiving Day to the harvest celebration that the Pilgrims held in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621. However, their first true thanksgiving was in 1623, when they gave thanks for rain that ended a drought. These early thanksgivings took the form of a special church service, rather than a feast.
In the second half of the 1600s, thanksgivings after the harvest became more common and started to become annual events. However, it was celebrated on different days in different communities and in some places there were more than one thanksgiving each year. George Washington, the first president of the United States, proclaimed the first national Thanksgiving Day in 1789.
Time for celebrating Traditional Harvest
ReplyDeleteThanksgiving Day is a time of festivity, family meals and reunions in America. Carved turkeys, Pumpkin Pie, Corns, Cranberry Sauce are the traditional dishes adorning the dinner tables in almost every house. A time for feasting, Thanksgiving Day epitomizes the holiday mood of people.
Tradition of Gifting
Thanksgiving is a time for gifting your family and friends. The day is a time to show your gratitude and respect to your elders, friends, your siblings and also your colleagues. Popular gifts include thanksgiving flowers, jewellery, baked cookie hampers, chocolate gift baskets, candy-wreaths, wine etc.
Poul William Anderson (November 25, 1926 – July 31, 2001) was an American science fiction author who began his career during one of the Golden Ages of the genre and continued to write and remain popular into the 21st century. Anderson also authored several works of fantasy, historical novels, and a prodigious number of short stories. He received numerous awards for his writing, including seven Hugo Awards and three Nebula Awards.
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