What Is Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is an annual holiday in the United States and Canada commemorating the harvest and other blessings of the past year. Thanksgiving is celebrated in many countries around the world, but it is a particular cultural icon in the U.S. and Canada. This federal holiday is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States, and the second Monday in October in Canada. It’s a time when friends and family get together to eating, drinking, and being merry.

History of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has its origins in the harvest festival traditions of various cultural groups. The earliest known harvest festival in what is now the USA was held by the Pilgrims, a group of English Puritans, to celebrate the successful 1621 harvest and to thank God for the people’s good fortune. Since then, Thanksgiving has evolved into its modern incarnation — a feast shared by family and friends to express gratitude and appreciation for one another.

Celebrating Thanksgiving

In the United States, Thanksgiving celebrations include gatherings of family and friends and a large traditional meal. Starting in the mid-1800s, these feasts often included the symbolic “turkey” as the centerpiece of the meal, along with plenty of stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and a variety of fruit pies for dessert. Most families also choose to pause for a moment before their meal for a prayer of thanks. Of course, the celebration does not stop there as many take advantage of the long weekend for outdoor activities such as hikes, sports, fall foliage sightseeing, and more.

Thanksgiving is a special holiday that helps remind us of what we’re thankful for. It is a day to express gratitude to those we love and appreciate, while at the same time taking time to reflect on what we are truly thankful for. While it’s easy to take some things for granted sometimes, Thanksgiving is the perfect opportunity to express thanks and show appreciation.