Day, December 11, 1620 European pilgrims arrived to North America, fleeing poverty and extreme conditions which were in their land. Tradition says that the first winter was really tough for all travelers in the new land; however, with the passing of the months, the American Indians and the pilgrims came closer and together planted, which harvested a year later on Thanksgiving in America in 1621.
It is said that the pilgrims invited the Indians who had planted on their land, to a dinner in a celebration of good the harvest. It is rumored that the Europeans brought this tradition from their continent and that the Indians did something similar to thank the good harvest. It was until February 19, 1795 that the first president of the United States, George Washington, proclaimed this day as Thanksgiving Day. Abraham Lincoln moved the date to October 3rd years later, and in 1941, Theodore Roosevelt dictated that Thanksgiving would be held on the fourth Thursday of November each year.
Thanksgiving Day is one of the most important holidays of the year, along with Christmas and New Year’s Eve. A dinner is served on this day with special seasonal dishes, such as, oven roasted turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy, or gravy juice from the turkey. The turkey is stuffed with vegetable, cornbread, and sage. Dessert consists of traditional pumpkin pie, which is accompanied with drinks like hot apple cider. Now a days this dinner is a mere pretext for American families to get gather to thank for food, material possessions, wealth in the home, family health, and a good life in general.
Also associated with Thanksgiving is next Friday, also known as black Friday, is a day in which all stores in the United States have significant rebates and discounts. The shops open very early and the buyers take full advantage of these sales. However, the most important part of this holiday is that the Americans recognize that the pilgrims and Indians who, at the time, were able to join together and move forward through difficult times.
