About Turkeys and Pilgrim Fathers: Why Do Americans Celebrate Thanksgiving?

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The fire crackles happily in the fireplace. The family, from grandmother to grandchild, sit at the table with their hands in prayer, and in front of them lies the centerpiece of every Thanksgiving feast: the turkey. Many non-Americans probably imagine the dinner the average American family eats on the fourth Thursday in November. Thanksgiving is traditionally celebrated on this day. This year it falls on November 23.

What is Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is – as the name suggests – a day of thanksgiving. The prayer of thanks is usually read by the head of the family. Everyone present then explains what they want to thank, what has kept them busy this year, and what their wishes are for the future.

However, thanks and wishes are not expressed only within the family. Each year, the incumbent president uses the holiday as an opportunity to talk about important events of the past and thank the nation for its support.

Türkiye

Türkiye. It shouldn’t be missing at any Thanksgiving celebration. It is usually filled with cranberries, sweet potatoes and vegetables. Dessert usually includes sweet dishes like pumpkin or pecan pie.

But the bird plays an important role not only in the culinary accompaniment of the festival. It has even entered the traditions of the White House. The presidential residence has been accepting turkeys every year since Harry S. Truman sat in the Oval Office. George Bush Sr. He later expanded this tradition and pardoned some animals. This ritual is still celebrated today. This year it will be held by President Trump.

But it’s not just culinary or presidential traditions that show how important Turkey has become at the end of November. For example, New York City dedicates its own parade to him every year. For many families, watching the celebration on television is part of the celebration.

Where does Thanksgiving come from?

Although it is not exactly clear historically how and when the festival originated, most Americans assume it was in 1621. Legend has it that the Pilgrim Fathers celebrated a three-day harvest festival with the native Wampanoag Indians at Plymouth Rock. I say this to thank them because without their help we probably wouldn’t have made it through the winter. The festival has been a national holiday since 1941.

What do Indians think about this?

When white settlers invaded, the Wampanoag were decimated by imported diseases and wars, removed from their homelands and locked on reservations. As Europeans expanded into the Americas, entire Native American tribes were wiped out and those who remained were forced to live on reservations. That’s why most of his descendants don’t see Thanksgiving as a reason to celebrate.

That’s why some Americans have decided on a “National Day of Mourning” and are foregoing the festivities.

How do you go from calorie-packed Thursday to Black Friday to Cyber ​​Monday?

The US economy benefits from Thanksgiving. Many Americans turn Thanksgiving into a long weekend by taking Friday off. Additional free time is often used for Christmas shopping. Friday, also known as Black Friday, has become the unofficial shopping day. The result is enormous traffic jams and crowds of people in major cities.

Retailers are reacting with a discount war that has reached other countries, including Switzerland. According to Süddeutsche Zeitung, approximately 165 million people went shopping in the United States between Thursday and Monday in 2018, spending an average of $313 per person. On the day called “Cyber ​​Monday”, the discount war moves online and online shopping platforms reduce low prices even further.

Source : Blick