It’s Thanksgiving Day Today!

The story of Thanksgiving starts on the 6^th September 1620, when a small ship called the Mayflower left Plymouth, England. It carried 102 passengers who were eager to start a brand new life in the New World, America.

The journey was treacherous and uncomfortable and many pilgrims died. The crossing lasted 66 days until the survivors reached the tip of Cape Cod, searching for another month to find somewhere to land on what is now known as New Plymouth. There they met a Native American called Squanto who taught the Pilgrims how to cultivate corn, extract sap from maple trees, catch fish in the rivers and avoid poisonous plants.

In November 1621, after the Pilgrims’ first corn harvest proved successful, a celebratory feast was organised between the pilgrims and the Native Americans.  The festival lasted 3 days and is remembered as American’s “first Thanksgiving”.

On Oct 6^th 1941 US Congress passed a joint resolution fixing Thanksgiving Day to the last Thursday of November. In many American households, the Thanksgiving celebration centres on cooking and sharing a bountiful meal with family and friends. Turkey is on the menu of most thanksgiving meals and other traditional foods include stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, sweet corn and pumpkin pie.

Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday in America and carries as much importance as Christmas Day.

Parades have become an integral part of Thanksgiving in cities and towns across America. New York City’s Thanksgiving Day parade, sponsored by Macy’s department store since 1924, is the largest and most famous.

Between 2 to 3 million spectators each year line the 2.5-mile route. It typically includes marching bands, performers, elaborate floats and giant balloons shaped like cartoon characters.

How far today’s Thanksgiving celebrations have come from the early Pilgrim Fathers!

Whatever your plans for today, we wish you a super Thanksgiving!!

Originally written 26 November 2015