Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day is Thursday, November 27 this year. It's an American holiday that I really enjoy celebrating because it doesn’t involve buying presents, sending cards, or decorating anything. It’s as simple as its name: a day to be thankful for our blessings. More than any other holiday, it's a celebration of family, friends, and home and a day for expressing thanks for the good things in your life. It is always celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November.

The history of Thanksgiving begins with the Pilgrims, a religious group who fled oppression in England and sailed to America in 1620. Their first months in America were difficult where about half of them died during their first winter.

When spring came, the Pilgrims began planting crops. A Native American Indian named Squanto befriended them and acted as their interpreter and adviser on planting and fishing. The Pilgrims decided to hold a celebration to give thanks for their harvest, inviting members of a nearby Indian tribe to join them. That Thanksgiving celebration lasted three days. What a party!

Turkey is the star of the show and the Thanksgiving meal almost always includes turkey meat. Other traditional foods are sweet potatoes, cranberries, and pumpkin pie. Stores sell more food at Thanksgiving than at any other time of the year, and many people eat more food on Thanksgiving than at any other time of the year. That’s easy to do because the tradional Thanksgiving meal is heavenly delicious.