Thanksgiving Day has a different date every year as it falls on the 4th Thursday of November in the Gregorian calendar. In addition to the United States and Canada, there are other countries in the world such as Egypt and Greece that have their own unique Thanksgiving Day, but European countries such as the United Kingdom and France are insulated from Thanksgiving Day. Some scholars have also advocated the establishment of a "Chinese Thanksgiving Day" to promote traditional culture.
The origin of Thanksgiving Day
The origin of Thanksgiving Day can be traced back to the beginning of American history, originating from the early settlers in Plymouth, Massachusetts. These immigrants were known as Puritans while on British soil.
Because of their dissatisfaction with the incomplete Reformation of the Church of England, as well as political repression and religious persecution by the King of England and the Church of England, these Puritans broke away from the Church of England and traveled as far away as Holland, and later decided to relocate to the uninhabited land on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean in the hopes of being able to be religious and free to live their lives as they wished.
In 1620, the famous Mayflower, a ship full of 102 Puritans who couldn't stand the religious persecution in England, arrived in America. That winter, they encountered unimaginable difficulties and were starving. The Indians brought the settlers the necessities of life and taught them to hunt, fish and grow corn.
With the help of the Indians, the immigrants finally got a good harvest, and on the day of celebrating the harvest, according to the religious tradition and custom, the immigrants set a day to thank God and decided to invite the Indians to celebrate the festival with them in order to thank them for their sincere help.
Social significance of Thanksgiving Day
Thanksgiving Day, as far as its significance and the way in which it is celebrated is concerned, has changed little since 1621. On this day, churches of all denominations are open to give thanks to God for his generous gifts. Thanksgiving is a family holiday, and all over the country, husbands and wives, children and old people, from city to town, from town to township, from township to village, return to their old homes*** to spend the holiday. Those who can't go home also make long-distance phone calls to talk to their parents and family members and share what they are thankful for. The Thanksgiving meal is practically the same throughout the country. The table is always filled with a variety of delicious foods. Naturally the main thing is the turkey. Pumpkin pie was eaten to remind everyone that the Indians had given such a gift to the first settlers back in the day. In most families, traditional games are played after the meal. Thanksgiving is an enjoyable celebration, a day of family reunion and a time to renew friendships. On that day, even singles are always invited to other people's homes to share the joy of thanksgiving and to give thanks for God's goodness. That's what Thanksgiving is all about.
What are some Thanksgiving activities
Cranberry races
Thanksgiving feasts were often followed by traditional games in some homes. On the first Thanksgiving, there were dances, contests, and many other entertainments, some of which have been passed down to this day. One game was called the Cranberry Race, which involved placing a large bowl with cranberries on the floor, with 4-10 contestants sitting around it, and each person was given a piece of needle and thread.
At the beginning of the game, they first put on the needle and thread, and then strung up the cranberries one by one, and when three minutes were up; whoever strung up the cranberries the longest won the prize. As for the person who strung the slowest, the group jokingly gave him a prize for being the worst.
Corn game
There is also a corn game that is very old. It is said to have been passed down in honor of the time when each immigrant was given five pieces of corn when food was scarce. When the game was played. People hide five corn in the house, and it is up to everyone to split up to find it, and the five people who find the corn take part in the game while the others watch from the sidelines. The game began, the five people will quickly peel the corn kernels in a bowl, who first peeled who won the prize, and then by the people who did not participate in the game around the bowl next to guess how many kernels of corn inside, guess the number of closest to the prize to a large bag of corn flowers.
Pumpkin Race
A favorite game is the pumpkin race. The contestants use a small spoon to push the pumpkin to run, the rule is that you can never touch the pumpkin with your hands, and the first one to reach the finish line wins the prize. The smaller the spoon, the more fun the game.
In addition to these activities, some families spend the holiday driving out into the countryside or taking a plane trip, especially to Plymouth Harbor, where immigrants made their homes. There, you can see the Mayflower replica and Plymouth Rock, and spend a few hours touring the village. The village is modeled after what it was like back in the day. During the tour, there are also special people dressed up as members of the church to talk to visitors, giving people the feeling of being there.