Thanksgiving is the most important holiday after Christmas for the United States. And the date of this celebration is always floating. Every fourth Thursday of November, almost every American has a baked turkey, pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce on the table. And we decided to tell you a little more about this holiday.

Thanksgiving 2017: Holiday Story

The history of this holiday is quite interesting. It is believed that the first Thanksgiving was celebrated back in 1621, although the most important event happened a year before.
In 1620, a ship moored on the coast of North America, on which there were immigrants from England, who fled from persecution. Despite the fact that they managed to escape, there was a very difficult winter ahead, which survived no more than half of all the migrants.
But the next year, the Indians came to them, who taught to plant local cultures and find drinking water.

A year later, in 1621, the immigrants gathered a beautiful harvest and invited their savior, the Indians, to the feast. Then the words of thanksgiving sounded to higher powers. And that year, Americans celebrated their first Thanksgiving.

I must say that until 1941, the Thanksgiving day was inconsistent, but then the US Congress passed a bill according to which it was decided to arrange the holiday on the fourth Thursday of November.

Thanksgiving 2017: holiday traditions

Thanksgiving is without a doubt the most family holiday in the United States. By tradition, it is customary to gather at home with the oldest family members. Children and grandchildren usually come from all over the country. Sometimes they invite neighbors who have no one to celebrate with.

And, of course, the main tradition on Thanksgiving in the USA is a properly set table. Everyone should bake a turkey and make cranberry sauce for it. By the way, it is usually served with mashed potatoes. And from drinks it is customary to serve cider, or wine.

In our country, it has gained a foothold, some people also celebrate Groundhog Day as a joke, but with Thanksgiving in Russia everything is very bad. Well, what can you do if the Russian people cannot and do not want to understand - what is the point of this holiday. Let's try to figure it out.

Thanksgiving: A History of America

Thanksgiving appeared back in 1621 by English immigrants in North America. Winters were severe, snowless and very cold, so one could only dream of a future harvest. The inhabitants were threatened by hunger, then the local governor of Plymouth, to raise morale, decided to establish Thanksgiving.

The holiday was supported not only by settlers from the Old World, but also by local Indians, thanks to whom the colonists survived the winter.

Thanksgiving under George Washington gained the status of a public holiday in the USA.

Thanksgiving: Traditions in the USA

Since 1789, the traditions of celebrating the holiday, Thanksgiving in America, have remained unchanged.

On this day, you must definitely go to church, and after the festive service, gather the whole family at a large table and thank God for the gifts. Thanksgiving treats the poor, the homeless, in other words, all those who are not so lucky in life.

Special thanksgiving tables are set across all US cities. Anyone can come up and get a treat for free.

But the most important Thanksgiving table decoration is the permanent turkey. Why exactly a turkey, and not, say, a chicken, or a pig? The fact is that during the very first celebration, the British immigrants, together with the Indians, managed to get this wild bird for dinner. Hence the tradition that only a turkey should be on the Thanksgiving table.
And finally, another important component of Thanksgiving celebration in the USA is a solemn parade in which everyone is invited, but on one condition - a strict dress code must be executed according to which the costumes must correspond to the fashion of the 17th century. Now you have learned a little more about the main American Thanksgiving holiday. And not worth the gratitude.

When is Thanksgiving 2019 celebrated in the USA?

This 2019 Thanksgiving in America will come on November 28th, but this date is floating and changes every year, depending on what date is the fourth Thursday of November.

Thanksgiving is celebrated on November 23, 2017.on the fourth Thursday of the last month of autumn.

Thanksgiving tradition is associated with the arrival of the first immigrants to American soil in 1620. They settled in the territory of the present state of Massachusetts, laying the foundation of the Plymouth colony. The development of new territories was difficult, many died from hunger and disease. Friendly trade relations with the locals, the Squanto Indians, helped. They helped to master agriculture in the harsh northern conditions, suggested the features of agricultural technology in the cultivation of crops.

In the fall of 1621, the colonists gathered an unexpectedly rich crop. At the suggestion of the governor of the settlement, they decided to celebrate success, thanking the Lord for special mercy. Friends were invited to the celebration - Indians, who showed hospitality and supported migrants in a difficult situation. Subsequently, tradition took root, but the religious and agricultural background was a thing of the past. Americans thank heaven and loved ones for their well-being and good attitude.

How Thanksgiving Becomes a Public Holiday

When the United States became a single state and gained independence, the first President George Washington proposed making Thanksgiving a national holiday and celebrating it on November 26th. The later date was designated as the last Thursday of November, but the decree did not have a legal sip. Franklin Roosevelt moved the celebration to the penultimate Thursday of autumn. This decision caused a split in the states, some celebrated Thanksgiving in the old way, some in a new way, and the very cautious decided to celebrate two days so as not to offend anyone. For example, both options were accepted in Texas.

In 1941, the date was finally and irrevocably approved, according to a bill of the US Congress. The last Thursday of November was officially proclaimed a public holiday. The scheme is valid to this day.

Thanksgiving American style: a family holiday with a turkey in the interior

Traditionally, Thanksgiving is the custom to gather as a family at the festive table. Often these are several generations - from great-grandfathers to great-grandchildren. The same dishes flaunt on the table as those of distant migrant ancestors. The participants in the celebration say "thanks" to the higher powers, relatives and friends. It’s a good practice, because they say that in life it is given only to those who are satisfied and know how to be grateful. The main dish on the table is a turkey, which has become a real symbol of the holiday. They say that for the first dinner they shot and killed two pairs of these birds in the nearest forest. And so it was.

Thanksgiving turkey has a lot of fun things to do. As you know, this bird is large, weighs an average of 7-8 kg. Someone such a scale "too tough" because of the small number of eaters, and have to be limited to breast. Adherents of plant foods - vegetarians - were not deprived. Soy turkeys are sold especially for them. In the USA, for many years there has been a special hotline to inform citizens about the best way to cook turkey. At the other end of the wire, experts are gathering who will help not to turn the dish into coals, suggest recipes and provide moral support to doubters.

Thanksgiving Americans eat a huge amount of turkeys, but some still manage to escape their sad fate. According to tradition, the current head of state is brought a couple of individuals, and he chooses which turkey will end his life in the oven, and which will continue to enjoy the blue sky and green grass. The pardoned lucky girl lives peacefully in a park or on a farm. In any case, violent death does not threaten her.

The classic turkey for the festive table is stuffed and served with lingonberry sauce. The menu on this day is diversified by the generous gifts of autumn nature. Bright orange pumpkins, corn - the legacy of the Indians, fruits, assorted nuts and roasted chestnuts and grapes turn the feast into a real harvest festival. The table is decorated with floral arrangements of warm golden hues, which symbolize the richness and abundance of nature.

Do not forget about lovers of mass action. Everywhere thunder and sparkle paint processions, carnivals, street shows. The most famous and vibrant event is the parade from Macy’s largest department store in New York. Huge inflatable balloons floating in the streets in the form of fairy-tale characters and television stars.

Thanksgiving for Americans is a good reason to show generosity and breadth of soul. Tables with refreshments are displayed on the streets and even at metro stations. Anyone can taste the goodies, on this holiday everyone is equal - both the homeless and the millionaires. Thanksgiving is followed by "Black Friday" - the days of rampant Christmas shopping.

One of the most famous American holidays, famous throughout the world, is called Thanksgiving. We all at least once heard its name, but few know what kind of holiday it was and in honor of what events it was organized. To deal with all these issues will help our article.

When is Thanksgiving coming in 2017

It should be noted that Thanksgiving is mainly celebrated only in the USA and Canada, and on different days. Americans celebrate this holiday - on the fourth Thursday of November, and Canadians - on the second. According to the bill of 1941 established by the US Congress, Thanksgiving was officially celebrated in November, the fourth Thursday of this month. therefore in 2017 this holiday falls on November 23.

history of the holiday

The holiday originates from the origins of the history of the American state. The first immigrants who arrived on the shores of America on a ship called the "Mainflower" (translated as "hawthorn"), faced serious obstacles in the form of hunger and disease, which is why most of them simply did not survive even the first few months on new land. Those who were able to survive were helped by the local Indians. They taught the aliens to plow the land, grow crops, hunt in local forests and fish. Newly arrived people formed the Plymouth colony, which gave rise to the settlement of new lands.

In gratitude for your salvation immigrants arranged a feast to which the Indians and their leader were invited. Since the holiday falls at the end of seasonal field work, a little later Thanksgiving became associated with gratitude to heaven for the harvest. Now this holiday is no longer so religious in nature. In the modern world, it is customary to thank not only God, but also loved ones who help in a difficult situation, give advice and are simply present nearby when necessary. Because now, this day has become just a family holiday, which has a number of special features that are characteristic only of this holiday date.

Tradition of celebration

As we said earlier, this holiday is celebrated only in Canada and the USA, although the traditions of celebrating this day in these countries are slightly different, nevertheless, there are some similarities, for example, these countries are united by the fact that this holiday opens the New Year period: starting from Thanksgiving, Americans and Canadians are beginning to actively prepare for the New Year.

In the American tradition, Thanksgiving is celebrated in the family circle with the obligatory plentifully laid table. Most often the mistress cooks a whole baked turkey in cranberry sauce and a huge pumpkin pie. Canadians love to celebrate this holiday date - dumplings with turkey meat and apple pie.

Thanksgiving is an original American holiday associated with the life of settlers from Europe in the New World. The first time the holiday was celebrated in 1621, when the colonists and invited representatives of the indigenous Indian population met at the festive table.

Settlers arrived on this land a year ago, having survived a difficult journey across the ocean under the sails of the Mayflower. Passengers of the ship left their native England for various reasons. Someone wanted to enrich themselves on unknown shores, someone dreamed of religious freedom, there were those who were hiding from justice. But the new earth brought cruel trials to all. The settlers were not ready to survive in local conditions, starvation and illnesses of the first wintering claimed the lives of more than half of the colonists.

Only thanks to the help of the Indian tribes, the Plymouth colony was able to survive. The Indians taught the former British to hunt and protect themselves from predators, and most importantly they explained how to grow local cultures. Already the first harvest struck the settlers with its abundance, now they were not afraid of the coming winter. At the end of all agricultural work, it was decided to arrange a holiday where all the colonists together could thank God for the harvest and hope for prosperity.

In the future, the holiday became a tradition in the years of abundant harvest and did not have an exact date. According to tradition, everyone should visit the church on the morning of the holiday, after returning home, the families gathered at a large table, full of plentiful refreshments. According to established custom, Thanksgiving dishes include baked turkey, corn cobs, and pumpkin pies.

The need for a holiday with a specific number was needed when the United States as a single state. The initiator of a common date for all the United States was the first President George Washington, who decided to celebrate Thanksgiving annually on November 26. The years of the Civil War changed the attitude towards some American values, and President Abraham Lincoln abolished the exact old date, replacing it with the concept - the last Thursday of November.

This order existed before the reign of Roosevelt, who in 1939 decided that it would be more convenient to move the holiday to the penultimate Thursday of the last autumn month. This decision was repulsed in half of the US states, thanksgiving was still celebrated there on the last November Thursday. The most interesting way out of the twofold situation was found by representatives of the state of Texas, declaring both dates festive.

In 1941, the American government changed its mind and adopted a bill that clearly spelled out fourth of November each year as a Thanksgiving celebration for America.. This decision is valid for today.

In the USA, Thanksgiving is considered a family holiday, which begins a series of Christmas celebrations. A similar tradition exists in Canada, but on the second Monday of October. Festive events are held at the state and city levels. Informative thematic programs and films are shown on television. Schools organize holidays dedicated to the life of the pilgrim fathers from the Mayflower ship, hold exhibitions of children's crafts, where the most popular character is the turkey. In New York, the tradition of holding parades of giant inflatable toys, among which you can recognize your favorite characters from cartoons and games, has taken root. In the evening of the festive day, salutes thunder and shine throughout all megalopolises and towns of America.