Thanksgiving / Holiday Observances

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Thanksgiving Traditions

American football is often a major part of Thanksgiving celebrations in the United States. Professional games are traditionally played on Thanksgiving Day; until recently, these were the only games played during the week apart from Sunday or Monday night. The National Football League has played games on Thanksgiving every year since its creation; the tradition is referred to as the Thanksgiving Classic.

Observances in North America

Canada Main article: Thanksgiving in Canada

Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Day (Canadian French: Jour de l'Action de grâce), occurring on the second Monday in October, is an annual Canadian holiday to give thanks at the close of the harvest season. Although the original act of Parliament references God and the holiday is celebrated in churches, the holiday is mostly celebrated in a secular manner. Thanksgiving is a statutory holiday in all provinces in Canada, except for New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. While businesses may remain open in these provinces, the holiday is nonetheless, recognized and celebrated regardless of its status.

United States Main article: Thanksgiving in the United States

Thanksgiving or Thanksgiving Day, currently celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November by federal legislation in 1941, has been an annual tradition in the United States by presidential proclamation since 1863 and by state legislation since the Founding Fathers of the United States. Historically, Thanksgiving began as a tradition of celebrating the harvest of the year.

Other Observances known as Thanksgiving: See also: List of harvest festivals

Germany

In Germany, an early October festival is known as Erntedankfest, or the Harvest Thanksgiving Festival. The festival has a significant religious component to it but also, like its North American counterpart, includes large harvest dinners (consisting mostly of autumn crops) and parades. The Bavarian beer festival Oktoberfest generally takes place within the vicinity of Erntedankfest.

Grenada

In the West Indian island of Grenada, there is a national holiday known as Thanksgiving Day which is celebrated on October 25. Even though it bears the same name, and is celebrated at roughly the same time as the American and Canadian versions of Thanksgiving, this holiday is unrelated to either of those celebrations. Instead the holiday marks the anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of the island in 1983, in response to the deposition and execution of Grenadian Prime Minister Maurice Bishop.

Japan Main article: Labor Thanksgiving Day

Labor Thanksgiving Day (勤労感謝の日 Kinrō Kansha no Hi?) is a national holiday in Japan. It takes place annually on November 23. The law establishing the holiday, which was adopted during the American occupation after World War II, cites it as an occasion for commemorating labor and production and giving one another thanks. It has roots in an ancient harvest ceremony (Niiname-sai (新嘗祭?)) celebrating hard work.

Liberia

In the West African country of Liberia, which beginning in 1820, was colonized by free blacks from the United States (most of whom had been formerly enslaved), Thanksgiving is celebrated on the first Thursday of November.

The Netherlands

Many of the Pilgrims who migrated to the Plymouth Plantation had resided in the city of Leiden from 1609–1620, many of whom had recorded their birth, marriages and deaths at the Pieterskerk. To commemorate this, a non-denominational Thanksgiving Day service is held each year on the morning of the American Thanksgiving Day in the Pieterskerk, a Gothic church in Leiden, to commemorate the hospitality the Pilgrims received in Leiden on their way to the New World.

Norfolk Island

In the Australian external territory of Norfolk Island, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the last Wednesday of November, similar to the pre-World War II American observance on the last Thursday of the month. This means the Norfolk Island observance is the day before or six days after the United States' observance. The holiday was brought to the island by visiting American whaling ships.

Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving Day in America is a time for family and friends to gather together and give thanks for all that God has given us.

Thanksgiving was originally a religious observance for all the members of the community to give thanks to God for a common purpose. Historic reasons for community thanksgivings include the 1541 thanksgiving mass after the expedition of Coronado safely crossing part of Texas and finding game, and the 1777 thanksgiving after the victory in the revolutionary battle of Saratoga etc.

Thanksgiving Facts

The first proclaimed day of thanksgiving in the colony was not held until 1623.

After the American Revolution the first national Thanksgiving Day, proclaimed by President George Washington, was Nov. 26, 1789.

The Episcopal Church began celebrating an annual day of thanksgiving on the first Thursday in November.

President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a Thanksgiving Holiday in 1863, appointing as the date the last Thursday of November.

In 1941 Congress passed a joint resolution decreeing that Thanksgiving should fall on the fourth Thursday of November.

The customary turkey dinner is a reminder of the wildfowl served at the Pilgrims' celebration.

Canadians also celebrate a national Thanksgiving Day, on the second Monday in October; prior to 1957 it was on the last Monday of the month.

American Football is often a major part of Thanksgiving celebrations in the U.S. and likewise Canadian football in Canada. See American football on Thanksgiving

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parage is a tv tradition.

Pilgrim Facts

The Pilgrims set ground at Plymouth Rock on December 11, 1620.

At the beginning of the following fall, they had lost 46 of the original 102 who sailed on the Mayflower.

celebrate with a Thanksgiving feast -- 52 English colonists (pilgrims) and 91 Indians who had helped the Pilgrims survive their first yea; gathered for a 3 day harvest feast.

It is believed that the Pilgrims would not have made it through the year without the help of the native indians.

The First Thanksgiving Meal

History tells us that there is only one written account of what the first Thanksgiving meal was like and turkey was not even a mentioned meat for the table but is traditional for our Thanksgiving meals now in modern times. Wow! We do know that turkey was an available wild animal that was hunted and eaten in many areas but it was not a mentioned meat at the first Thanksgiving meal. Instead, the word turkey that the pilgrims was said to of said... referred to any type of fowl like duck or waterfowl.

• see The First Thanksgiving • Thanksgiving side dishes • Traditional Thanksgiving Food

Sinkie Day!

A Holiday that I bet you didn't even know existed!

When: Every year, the day after Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving leftovers provide a great excuse to partake in this national pastime of dineing over the kitchen sink. This unique Holiday has been reserved for the day after Thanksgiving when most kitchens are packed full of leftover foods and desserts. ____________________________________________________________________________

Resources: This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses some material from Wikipedia/article wfday / and other related pages. Top photo: homestead stock

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Related Categories:

November

Recipe Categories

Articles Significant for November

Thanksgiving

The First Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Traditions

Thanksgiving side dishes

Thanksgiving in the United States

Thanksgiving in Canada

Giving Thanks

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Top photo credit: homestead

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses some material from Wikipedia/article © / and other related pages.