This November 23 is a holiday in the United States! Thanksgiving is highly symbolic and brings families together for a day. What exactly are we celebrating on this day? Here is the essential thing to know about this festival.
In November, a very popular party is celebrated on the American continent in particular, but also in other countries: it is about Thanksgiving. It has even become the most important dinner of the year, more than Christmas, for many Americans. For these families, it is also an opportunity to come together around a good meal prepared with turkey. But why does this day unite Americans so much? Here is its origin and its meaning to better understand the Thanksgiving holiday.
When is Thanksgiving in 2023?
This year, Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 23, 2023. This national and family celebration is usually held on last Thursday of November in the United States. A date set by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. This day has also been a public holiday in the United States since 1941. And just after this spiritual celebration, another very commercial high mass takes place the next day: Black Friday.
What is the story behind Thanksgiving? Origin
If we go back in time, this festival was born in 1620 when the Pilgrim Fathers docked aboard the Mayflower in Plymouth, in what is now Massachusetts in the United States. Part of the crew had been ravaged by a disease, scurvy, and so the sailors were weak when they disembarked. Fortunately, they were able to count on the help of some Amerindians who taught them hunting, farming and fishing techniques and who offered them turkeys wild. Note that one of these Natives spoke English, because he had been taken captive to be a slave in London, but had managed to escape to return to his lands. William Bradford, then governor of these first settlers, organized a banquet to thank God for their harvests, but also the Native Americans for their precious help. This is the origin of Thanksgiving.
What do we celebrate on Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving is a day meant to “give thanks.” Its literary translation is “thanks for the donations”. The motto during Thanksgiving is to celebrate and thank, as a family, everything that has been “received” during the year. The state of mind during this day is dedicated to feelings of gratitude and appreciation.
What are the traditions of the Thanksgiving holiday?
Thanksgiving is a marathon day for Americans. That morning, most will follow live on television the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade as it parades through the streets of New York, then the pardon of the presidential turkey. A last-minute shopping session follows for the evening meal. Some also watch American football matches, at least until midnight. traditional dinner and turkey preparation. More than a celebration, it is also a tradition to which Americans are very attached.
The turkey, which had such an impact on sailors in the 17th century, is the star food of Thanksgiving. It is stuffed and roasted in the oven and traditionally accompanied by mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes, and cranberry sauce. This is the main dish. For dessert, pumpkin pie often ends the meal. A turkey is also traditionally always pardoned for Thanksgiving by the President of the United States.
If you know people who celebrate this holiday, you can send them a verbal Happy Thanksgiving, which simply translates into English as “happy thanksgiving“. Tradition dictates that people send a whole bunch of wishes for success, accomplishment and happiness to their loved ones. Others also send the famous SMS “Happy Thanksgiving Day.”
Do we celebrate Thanksgiving in France and other countries?
In France, it is not customary to celebrate Thanksgiving, but nothing stops families from taking advantage of this festive day to share a good meal. In any case, Americans are not the only ones to celebrate Thanksgiving. Canadians also celebrate this holiday most often on the third Monday of October.. The inhabitants of some Caribbean Islands and Liberia also celebrate Thanksgiving.
What is the big difference between Thanksgiving and Christmas?
Thanksgiving and Christmas are two very different traditional holidays. The main difference lies in their origin. Thanksgiving is not strictly speaking a religious holiday, which honors the birth or death of a saint or deity. Thanksgiving was initiated by an American statesman who wanted to include a day of thanksgiving in the calendar, to be shared with as many people as possible.
Christmas, unlike Thanksgiving, is a holiday which is part of the Christian religion to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. It is a blessed day, but also a day of grace, where for many, it is a question of doing good around you. Since then, this tradition has gradually been introduced into popular culture and customs. Christmas is celebrated like Thanksgiving with the family, but another difference is that the guests have the custom of exchanging gifts, in principle to symbolize the gifts that the Three Wise Men gave to Jesus.