Thanksgiving Day is one of the America’s most important family holidays. It is a day when families gather to spend time with their loved ones and “give thanks” for all of the good things in their lives. It is also a holiday that that emphasizes traditional American food.
Thanksgiving celebrates the meeting of the Pilgrims and the Native Americans in Massachusetts the year of 1621. The Pilgrims, who were immigrants from England, had many problems adapting to life in America. They had trouble hunting and finding food to eat. In a gesture of friendship, the local Native American tribes helped the Pilgrims to grow crops and hunt animals, such as deer and turkey. At the beginning of winter, the Pilgrims and the Native Americans came together to celebrate their friendship and give thanks to their gods.
Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. While the exact date changes each year, the most import traditions stay the same: families meet at a relative’s house and eat a large meal together. The meal consists of traditional American food, such as turkey and stuffing, cornbread, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie. Some families take a few minutes before dinner to explain what they are “thankful” for in their life. Football is also very popular on Thanksgiving and family members might play football at a local park or most likely watch a game on television. Another popular Thanksgiving television event is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which takes place on New York City on the morning of Thanksgiving.
