Thanksgiving Day: Check out why the national holiday is celebrated

Many American families wait for November to arrive. Then, some start preparing a special menu as Thanksgiving Day, one of America's significant cultural celebrations takes place every November.

How is the day spent?

The day is spent with family or friends to remember each one's contribution and celebrate a feeling of thankfulness. Like in most festivals, food takes centerstage, and various delicacies fill the dinner table. However, the event does not have any religious significance. Instead, it is considered a cultural festival where family and food (and football, for some) are the mainstays of celebrating the festival day.

Thanksgiving Day History

The first Thanksgiving happened in America in 1619 in Virginia, when the pilgrims, or the colonist visitors as they were called, shared food with the original natives of the land, the Wampanoag Indians. It became an annual feast subsequently in honour of the support the natives gave to the colonists in the cultivation of crops. US Presidents of the time supported the event. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln decided to have a national Thanksgiving Day to be celebrated across America in November.

FAQs:

1. Is there a special Thanksgiving dinner?
   Like in most countries, Americans also celebrate significant occasions with exceptional food. For example, Thanksgiving Day dinners include a turkey item in most households. Pumpkin pie and marshmallow-topped yams are other traditional favorites.
2. Is Thanksgiving an event celebrated only in America?
   Neighbouring country Canada also has a Thanksgiving Day, but unlike in the US, the Day comes in October (second Monday). Liberia is also known to celebrate Thanksgiving.