Happy Thanksgiving!

About Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a cherished holiday in the United States, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. It originated as a harvest festival in 1621, when the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people shared a feast to give thanks for a successful harvest. Today, it represents a time of gratitude, family gatherings, and delicious food.

The very first Thanksgiving lasted three days and included not only the Pilgrims but also around 90 members of the Wampanoag tribe. The meal was not the same as the traditional feast we enjoy today, but it featured foods that were locally available at the time—such as venison, fish, corn, beans, and squash. This gathering symbolized cooperation and mutual respect between two very different cultures, even though future decades would bring conflict and hardship.

In the centuries that followed, various colonies and states held their own days of thanksgiving to mark events like bountiful harvests, military victories, or the end of droughts. However, these observances were not unified or celebrated nationwide. Each state decided when and how to give thanks, which meant the tradition was scattered and inconsistent across the growing nation.

A turning point came in the 19th century, thanks to the persistent efforts of Sarah Josepha Hale, an influential writer and editor who tirelessly campaigned for a national day of Thanksgiving. For decades, she wrote letters to politicians, presidents, and governors, advocating for a single holiday that would bring the country together in gratitude.

Finally, in 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln heeded Hale’s call. Seeking to unite a divided nation, Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be celebrated each year in November. His declaration marked the beginning of Thanksgiving as an annual, nationwide holiday—one that continues to serve as a reminder of unity, gratitude, and reflection even during difficult times.