A happy fire crackles in the fireplace. The family, from grandparents to grandchildren, sit together at the table, hands clasped in prayer, and before them is the centerpiece of every Thanksgiving meal: turkey. This is probably how some non-Americans imagine the average American family’s dinner on the fourth Thursday of November. Because on this day Thanksgiving traditionally takes place. This year it falls on November 25.
What is Thanksgiving?
As the name suggests, Thanksgiving is a day of thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is usually said by the head of the family. Then everyone present reveals what they want to thank for, what they have in mind this year, and their wishes for the future.
But gratitude is not just expressed within the family. Each year, the incumbent President treats the holiday as an opportunity to reflect on important past events and thank the nation for its support.
Turkey
Turkey. It should not be missing at any Thanksgiving celebration worthy of its name. It’s usually stuffed with cranberries, sweet potatoes, and vegetables. Desserts are usually sweets like pumpkin or pecan pie.
The bird not only plays an important role in the culinary accompaniment of the festival. It even got into White House traditions. Since Harry S. Truman sat in the Oval Office, turkeys have been accepted into the chair every year. George Bush Sr. He later expanded this tradition by forgiving certain animals. This ritual is still celebrated today. It will be run by President Trump this year.
But the importance of turkey at the end of November is not only evident in culinary or presidential traditions. The city of New York, for example, dedicates its own parade each year to him. For many families, watching them on TV is part of the celebration.
Where did Thanksgiving come from?
While it’s not entirely clear how and when the festival began historically, most Americans assume it happened in 1621. Legend has it that the Pilgrim Fathers celebrated a three-day harvest festival on Plymouth Rock with the native Wampanoag Indians. It’s to thank them, because without their help they probably wouldn’t have survived the winter. The festival has been a national holiday since 1941.
How do Indians think about it?
With the invasion of white settlers, the Wampanoag were decimated by imported diseases and wars, driven from their homeland and locked in reservations. During the spread of Europeans to America, entire tribes of Indians were exterminated, and the rest were forced to live in reservations. As a result, most grandchildren don’t see Thanksgiving as a reason to celebrate.
For this reason, some Americans chose a “National Day of Mourning” and abandoned the festivities.
How do you switch calories from Thursday to Black Friday to Cyber Monday?
The US economy benefits from Thanksgiving. Many Americans take Friday off and make Thanksgiving a long weekend. Additional free time is mostly used for Christmas shopping. Friday, also known as Black Friday, became the unofficial shopping day. The result is enormous traffic jams and crowds in major cities.
Retail trade is reacting with a discount war that has already reached other countries, including Switzerland. According to the Süddeutsche Zeitung, in 2018, approximately 165 million people in the US shopped between Thursday and Monday, and each person spent an average of $313. In the days of so-called “Cyber Monday,” the discount war then moves to the internet, and online shopping platforms drive lower prices even further.