Thanksgiving Day is a time to give thanks. This holiday is celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday of November. Families and friends gather together to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving feast. This meal typically includes turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie.
Thanksgiving is also a time to reflect on the things we are grateful for. Many people take this opportunity to express their gratitude for family, friends, good health, and other blessings.
Here are 15 secrets you should know about Thanksgiving Day:
1. The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621 by the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians.
2. The Pilgrims journeyed to America on the Mayflower ship. They arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts in December 1620.
3. The Pilgrims faced many challenges during their first winter in America. Half of them died from disease or malnutrition.
4. Squanto, a member of the Wampanoag tribe, taught the Pilgrims how to grow crops in the new world. He also helped them negotiate a peace treaty with the Narragansett Indians.
5. The first Thanksgiving feast lasted three days. It included wild game, vegetables, and fruits.
6. Turkey became a traditional Thanksgiving food in the early 1800s.
7. President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863.
8. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is a popular annual event that features giant balloons, floats, and marching bands.
9. “The First Thanksgiving” by Henry A. Beecher is a popular poem about the first Thanksgiving feast.
10. The Pilgrims’ story is often taught in elementary schools across America during the month of November.
11. Many Americans watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on television.
12. The National Turkey Federation presents the President of the United States with a live turkey every year. The bird is usually pardoned and sent to a farm where it will live out its natural life.
13. Pumpkin pie is a traditional dessert served on Thanksgiving Day.
14. Black Friday is the busiest shopping day of the year in the United States. It typically falls on the day after Thanksgiving.
15. Giving thanks is a central theme of Thanksgiving Day. Families and friends often take turns expressing what they are thankful for during the holiday meal.
Thanksgiving is a cherished American holiday. By learning more about its history and traditions, we can all enjoy this special day even more.