It has been November for about two weeks now, and with Halloween in our rearview mirror, Thanksgiving is now coming up. Thanksgiving is a day in which we celebrate the harvest and things we are grateful for, such as friends or family. However, it is a holiday that is overlooked. It is celebrated every fourth Thursday of November, which means this year, it’s on the 23rd. Let's look into the origins of this underrated holiday:
In October 1619, 38 British settlers landed on the shores of Cape Cod to start a new life. It was said that the settlers landed on a rock when they landed. However, this legend is not true since there is no technical evidence of this phenomenon happening. The settlers were struggling to survive the first winter. About 50 of the people died because of the harsh conditions. The native people taught the settlers how to tend to the land and because of this, they made peace together, and in October of 1621, the Pilgrims, and the Natives had a harvest feast, known as Thanksgiving. Surprisingly, the Native Americans joined the pilgrims during their celebration after seeing them and decided to bring some deer, even though they weren't formally invited. The festivities lasted for three days, and it formed a meaningful bond between the two unexpected allies. Some things that were on the menu back then feature corn, deer, roasted meat, and shellfish. It is also astonishing how the turkey was not eaten during the first Thanksgiving, even though it is now known as a Thanksgiving staple.
On October 3, 1863, Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving to be a national holiday. This declaration also started the tradition of football on this holiday. It started in 1876 with a game between Yale and Princeton, and the first official NFL game on Thanksgiving in 1876. Ever since then, football has been played almost every single Thanksgiving. The football industry was taking over Thanksgiving!
To conclude, Thanksgiving has more to it than it seems. From the unique history of this holiday, we can now see the truth behind this underrated celebration. Keep in mind, that Thanksgiving is not just about the food and the two days you get off from school. It is to be grateful for everything you have. Something that you could do to show that you are grateful is to just say thanks. Thanking your teacher for giving you the proper education, thanking your parents for giving you many opportunities, and your friends for being there when you need them. These examples might seem insignificant, but there are also many people out there who are less fortunate. It is important to be thankful and to not take things for granted. What are some things that you are grateful for?