7 Reasons We Love Thanksgiving
7 Reasons We Love Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is a truly American holiday. The first was celebrated in 1621 in Plymouth Colony which would later become Massachusetts. The Pilgrim settlers held a feast as an expression of gratitude to god for a successful harvest and the survival of their community. It was also a celebration of appreciation to the incredible generosity and fullness of spirit shown them by the indigenous Wampanoag people. Without the supply of food the tribe shared with the refugees from across the ocean, the colony would not have survived that first extremely difficult winter. For those Native American people to display such compassion and kindness to people so different still shines like a beacon of light for almost 400 years! As we celebrate and share the bounty of our table and our lives with family and friends this Thanksgiving, I hope we all silently remember that act of humanity that is still remarkable after four centuries.
Thanksgiving did not become an annual celebration until much later. It was not until 1863 that Abraham Lincoln declared the last Thursday of November a national holiday. As Thanksgiving became more popular, it has evolved through the years to be synonymous for modern Americans with parades, football, turkey, and visits to grandma’s house. I recommend taking a few minutes to watch this great ...
