In the United States, Thanksgiving is an unmissable holiday that unites beyond religious affiliations since its creation. During this day, people are grateful for what they have. But who invented Thanksgiving? What is the date in 2023? And what is the difference with Christmas?
In November, in the United States, a popular festival, if not the most important, takes place. It is Thanksgiving. It is the most celebrated day and perhaps also the most important dinner of the year. As its name suggests, it is a jday intended to “give thanks” what we have in life. For the occasion, whole families get together. Some do not hesitate to make thousands of miles (kilometres, editor’s note) to spend the day with their loved ones and create memories. Thanksgiving is also a marathon day for Americans. That same morning, most will follow live on television the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade which parades through the streets of New York and then the pardon of the presidential turkey. A last-minute shopping session follows, for the evening meal. Some also watch American football games, at least until it’s time for the famous dinner and the preparation of the turkey. Here are all the other details you need to know about the Thanksgiving holiday:
When is Thanksgiving in 2023?
This national and family holiday 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 holiday in the United States since 1941. More than a holiday, it is also a tradition to which Americans are very attached. In 2023, Thanksgiving will fall on Thursday, November 23. And just after this spiritual celebration, the next day another high mass, completely commercial this time: Black Friday.
What is Thanksgiving Day?
Thanksgiving is both a religious and cultural holiday that means “thank you for the gifts”. It allows you to celebrate and thank, as a family, all that has been “received” during the year. The state of mind during this day is dedicated to feelings of gratitude and appreciation.
What’s the story behind Thanksgiving? Origins
If we go back in time, this festival was born in 1620 when the Pilgrim Fathers, the Pilgrim Fathers, docked aboard the Mayflower at Plymouth, in what is now Massachusetts in the United States. Part of the crew had been ravaged by a disease, scurvy, and the sailors were therefore weak when they disembarked. Fortunately, they were able to count on the help of a few 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 find his lands. William Bradford, then governor of these first settlers, organized a banquet to thank God for their harvests but also the Amerindians for their precious help. This is the origin of Thanksgiving.
Why is Thanksgiving important to Americans?
This holiday is one of the strong symbols of American origins. It has become almost as important as Christmas and above all it is an opportunity for Americans to get together with family or friends over a good meal. Some stars also take the opportunity to share these moments of conviviality on social networks.
If you know people who celebrate this holiday, you can send them verbally a happy Thanksgiving, simply translated into English as “happy thanksgiving”. Some people also send the famous SMS “Happy Thanksgiving Day”. You can also send them a longer message, saying for example “Have a great Thanksgiving, surrounded by your family and loved ones”.
On Thanksgiving Day, tradition also wants people to send a whole bunch of wishes for success, fulfillment and happiness to their loved ones. You can write to them saying: “Sometimes I forgot to thank you for being there for me. I take this day to tell you how special you are and how awesome my life has become because of you. Happy Thanksgiving!” ; “You are one of my reasons for being grateful, not just on Thanksgiving but every day of the year. Thank you for being you!”
The turkey that so marked 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 a cranberry. It’s the main course. For dessert, a pumpkin pie often ends the meal. A turkey is also traditionally always pardoned for Thanksgiving by the President of the United States.
Which countries celebrate Thanksgiving?
Around the world, Americans aren’t the only ones celebrating 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 do we celebrate the day after Thanksgiving?
The day after Thanksgiving another purely material holiday follows: Black Friday. During this day of promotions, most shops and e-commerce sites offer multiple discounts on products. This day of good plans was also born there in the United States in the 70s before arriving in France in 2010. Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving. Next year, Black Friday will take place on Friday, November 24, 2023.
Why does Black Friday come the day after Thanksgiving?
The origin of this sequence is not proven, but it is said that to celebrate Thanksgiving, employees and workers posed on Friday to take advantage of a long four-day weekend. And annoyed bosses wondered how to manage these absences, especially since in the 60s, it was the day of special promotions just before Christmas. And from there was born the term Black Friday, also referring to the account books of merchants who went from red (deficit) to black (profit) on this occasion. Building on the success of this special promotional operation, Black Friday has since 2004 been followed by Cyber Monday. The concept is the same, but dedicated only to e-commerce, in order to also benefit sellers who only have a web presence.
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 pays homage to the birth or death of a saint or a 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 that 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 oneself. Since then, this tradition has been gradually introduced into popular culture and mores. 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 Magi offered to Jesus.