Thursday
November 24, 2022
Hello everyone
It’s Thanksgiving Day.
So, rather than talk about the market, the economy and the next Fed move, I thought I would give all the Aussies a few insights into this special American day, as it is not something we are familiar with.
What is Thanksgiving?
It is an American holiday that they celebrate annually on the fourth Thursday of November.
Why do Americans celebrate Thanksgiving?
It is commonly known as a way to commemorate the colonial Pilgrims’ harvest meal that they shared with Wampanoag Indians in 1621 (although there is controversy about whether or not the meal was originally intended to be shared). The Wampanoag Indians were key to the survival of the colonists during the first year they arrived in 1620.
When was Thanksgiving first celebrated?
Besides the original meal shared in 1621, Pilgrims held their second Thanksgiving in 1623 to celebrate the end of a long drought. Additional feasts of giving thanks for various reasons were given in subsequent years as well. However, technically, the first official designated Thanksgiving was celebrated much later – in 1789. According to the National Archives, Congress asked President George Washington for a National Day of Thanksgiving. Thursday, November 26, 1789, was, therefore, declared the “Day of Public Thanksgiving.”
What is Thanksgiving all about?
Thanksgiving is all about reflecting on blessings and acknowledging gratitude.
How did Thanksgiving become an annual national holiday?
Americans can thank writer and editor Sarah Josepha Hale, for her successful efforts in establishing Thanksgiving as an annual national holiday. She lobbied officials at both the state and federal levels to create a fixed National Day of Thanks on the last Thursday of November.
When did Thanksgiving become an annual national holiday?
President Lincoln declared on October 3, 1863 that Thanksgiving would be an annual national holiday. He explained that “in the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, the American people should take some time for gratitude.”
Why do Americans eat turkey on Thanksgiving?
There are a few explanations for this. Historical letters indicated that turkeys were part of the original meal that was shared between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag Indians. Letters from William Bradford, the governor of Plymouth in 1621, detailed this event.
Turkeys were plentiful which made them a convenient main course.
In her 1827 novel entitled Northwood, Hale explained a New England Thanksgiving in detail, including the description of a roasted turkey “placed at the head of the table.”
Do Indigenous Americans celebrate Thanksgiving?
Native Americans were having harvest feasts long before Pilgrims arrived. Some tribes, like the Sioux, will gather and give thanks for food and life, but others steer clear of marking this specific day as a time of celebration. This is not a surprise as only 16 years after the shared meal between the Native Americans and Pilgrims, over 500 Wampanoags were massacred in a brutal act of retaliation for the murder of one of the settlers who the other settlers believed was killed by the Wampanoags. And the violence did not stop there.
According to History.com, after many raids, land theft, and wars against Native Americans by the “late 19th century, fewer than 238,000 indigenous people remained, a sharp decline from the estimated 5 million to 15 million living in North America when Columbus arrived in 1492.” Facts like this help shed light on why many indigenous Americans observe a different holiday on the exact same day as Thanksgiving – the National Day of Mourning.
What is the National Day of Mourning?
According to NationalToday.com “Every year on the National Day of Mourning, Native American people in New England gather to protest. To them, Thanksgiving serves as a reminder of the unjust treatment that Native Americans have received since the 1620 Plymouth landing.” This observance (sponsored by the United American Indians of New England and attended by many non-native allies) has been happening in Plymouth, Massachusetts, since 1970. During the day, “Native speakers are invited to give these speeches about the past, as well as current obstacles their people have overcome.”
America and Australia have a lot in common in relation to their indigenous populations.
So, now you know all about Thanksgiving. It is a holiday centred around being grateful for your loved ones, appreciating good fortune and creating special memories with your family/friends, being thankful for the food you eat, watching football, and making a Black Friday gameplan (a bit like people plan for the Boxing Day sales).
Finally, let’s enjoy some quotes about Thanksgiving.
"Food is the only universal thing that has the power to bring everyone together." - Guy Fieri
"After a good dinner, one can forgive anybody, even one’s own relations." - Oscar Wilde
"The more we express thanks, the more gratitude we feel. The more gratitude we feel, the more we express thanks. It’s circular, and it leads to a happier life." - Steve Goodier
"A moment of gratitude makes a difference in your attitude." - Bruce Wilkinson
"Be thankful for what you have. Your life is someone else’s fairy tale." - Wale Ayeni.
"We must find the time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives." - John F. Kennedy.
"I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual." - Henry David Thoreau.
Wishing you all a wonderful weekend.
We’re into December next week, the final month of the year.
All the best and take care.
Cheers,
Jacque
