This holiday is usually signified by a reunion of family, friends and relatives as they share a Thanksgiving feast together. The day is mostly spent relaxing, cooking, eating and simply enjoying each other’s company. A typical Thanksgiving feast includes a roasted turkey, accompanied by stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, cranberries, sweet potatoes, a variety of other vegetables, followed by pumpkin, apple and pecan pies for dessert. Just before the feast is served, it is tradition for everyone to go around the table and state what they are thankful for. This day also marks the unofficial beginning of the winter holiday season.
The First Thanksgiving was celebrated to give thanks to God and the Native Americans for teaching the pilgrims how to harvest food and survive harsh winters. However, the concept of Thanksgiving can be traced back to the Ancient Hebrews and Greeks. Ancient Hebrews held a special eight day feast to celebrate their harvest season, while in ancient Greece a nine day harvest festival was dedicated to Demeter, the Goddess of Agriculture. Similarly, pre-Christian times also marked a good harvest with a large feast before the crops were gathered and stored for the winter season.
|