Celebrate Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Recipes
Kids Holiday "Hand" Decorations
 

The Pilgrims were a Puritan sect of the English Separatist Church that had originally left England and sailed to The Netherlands to escape religious persecution. Feeling the Dutch lifestyle was ungodly, they eventually approached a London stock company to finance a pilgrimage to America. The Mayflower set sail for America with mostly non-Separatists hired to protect the company's interest and what became the first colonists.

On December 11, 1620, the 102 Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, just in time to experience their first winter. They lost 46 of the original Pilgrims but persevered in their new homes. The Indians helped the Pilgrims survive the first year and in 1621, the Pilgrims and the Indians, held a traditional English harvest festival for three days to celebrate a successful harvest season.

The feast may not have included turkey as "turkey" was a term then used to designate any fowl, but it did include venison. Their supplies had long since run out, so pumpkin pie, bread or pastries would not have been included either. However, they did eat boiled pumpkin and produced a sort of fried bread from corn. There was also no milk, cider, potatoes or butter. The meal most likely included fish, lobster, dried fruit, clams and plums.

In 1623 a severe drought prompted the Pilgrims to hold a prayer service to pray for rain. The next day brought a long steady day of rain and Governor Bradford proclaimed the day a "day of thanksgiving", and invited the Indian friends for another celebration. The next Thanksgiving was held in June of 1676. 

In Charlestown, Massachusetts, a meeting was held on June 20, 1676 by the governing council to find a way to express thanks. It was then that Edward Rawson, the clerk, was directed to proclaim June 29 as a day of Thanksgiving. In 1777 all the 13 colonies joined in a thanksgiving celebration. 

In 1789 George Washington proclaimed a national holiday of Thanksgiving, even though some of the colonies did not feel a national day was warranted. Later Thomas Jefferson, as President, scoffed at the idea of Thanksgiving. 

A magazine editor named Sarah Josepha Hale wrote article after article eventually led to the Thanksgiving celebration as we know it today. In the Boston Ladies' Magazine and in Godey's Lady's Book Hale wrote pro-Thanksgiving editorials followed by letter after letter to governors and presidents. Finally, President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving. It has been proclaimed by every president since then, although the date has been moved a couple of times.

President Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving to create a longer Christmas shopping season and because of public disapproval, moved it back to it's original date two years later. In 1941 Thanksgiving was sanctioned by Congress as a legal holiday as the fourth Thursday in November.

In Brazil - A special public day of thanksgiving and prayer has been designated for the fourth Thursday of November every year since 1949.

In the British Isles - The harvest thanksgiving is observed in Protestant and Catholic churches with special altar decorations

In Canada- Canada celebrates Thanksgiving on the second Monday in October. They celebrate with good food and families. It is celebrated in much the same way as the United States.

In Ireland - In Belfast, Northern Ireland, a piece of land has been set away to create a Thanksgiving Square which will include people of all faiths.