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A Short History of Thanksgiving Book Read Aloud | Thanksgiving Books for Kids | Children's Books

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Thanksgiving Story for Kids - The First Thanksgiving Cartoon for Children | Kids Academy

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Thanksgiving | All About the Holidays | PBS LearningMedia

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Thanksgiving is a day for us to remember what we're thankful for. Uncover the history behind this holiday!

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Each year Americans in the United States celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday on the fourth Thursday of November. Most families follow traditions begun on the first Thanksgiving, but many have their own traditions that they follow each year. Here are some of the common traditions associated with Turkey Day.

TRAVEL

Most years, one of the best things about Thanksgiving is spending time with family. Many people live far from family members and travel long distances by car, train, or plane to be with their loved ones. Thanksgiving is often one of the busiest travel days of the year!

THE TURKEY PARDON

Each year at Thanksgiving, the president of the United States receives a gift of two live turkeys. At a White House ceremony, the president traditionally "pardons" the National Thanksgiving Turkeys so they can live on a farm.

THE FEAST

Traditional foods are a large part of Thanksgiving celebrations. Many families include the entire family in the food preparation. Traditional foods include turkey, stuffing, gravy, sweet potatoes, cornbread, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce. Many people serve pie for dessert at the end of the meal. Popular pie flavors are pumpkin, pecan, sweet potato, and apple.

Some families choose to serve vegetarian Thanksgiving dinners instead of a stuffed turkey. They might eat vegetarian turkey, which can be made out of tofu. Others eat squash, salads, or other fruit and vegetable dishes.

THE WISHBONE

Some families include breaking the turkey's wishbone as part of their celebration. The wishbone is found attached to the breast meat in the turkey's chest. After the meat has been removed and the wishbone has had a chance to become dry and brittle, two people each take one end of the bone, make a wish, and pull. Whoever ends up with the larger part of the bone gets their wish!

TV

Many families watch the New York City Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which includes marching bands, floats, songs and performances from Broadway musicals, and giant helium-filled balloons! People like to watch football games-maybe your family likes to play one outside!

HELPING OTHERS

Thanksgiving is a great time to help out people who might not be as lucky as you. Some people volunteer to serve food at homeless shelters; others donate to shelters or participate in canned food drives.

AFTER THE MEAL

The food is eaten, the dishes are washed ... now it's time to relax. Some families take bike rides, go on walks, or take naps. Others play board or card games together.

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Each year Americans in the United States celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday on the fourth Thursday of November. Most families follow traditions begun on the first Thanksgiving, but many have their own traditions that they follow each year. Here are some of the common traditions associated with Turkey Day.

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Festivals and celebrations are important part of every culture. It is very important for us to teach our kids the true spirits of these festivals. They need to be aware of the reasons for which the festival is celebrated. In this way we can pass these important cultural events to our up coming generations. Thanksgiving is one of the important festivals that we celebrate to be thankful for what we have. Here at Kidz Feed we have gathered complete set of Thanksgiving Facts For Kids that will provide you with all the Thanksgiving Information For Kids that you need to know. Learn all about Thanksgiving now, what it is actually, when it is celebrated, why it is celebrated, where it is celebrated, other name, meaning, importance, how to celebrate, Thanksgiving for kids, its origin, first celebrations, thanksgiving food, why do we eat turkey on thanksgiving and many other fun facts about Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Facts For Kids

Thanksgiving is a public holiday in the USA, Canada, Liberia, and some of the Caribbean islands.

It is celebrated as a "harvest festival" and for the blessings of the preceding year.

The historical roots of the thanksgiving festival are in the cultural and religious traditions. However, it has also been celebrated for a long time as a "secular holiday".

The dates and days of celebration are different in various countries.

Festival holidays of the same name are also celebrated in Germany and Japan.

2. When Is Thanksgiving Celebrated - When Is Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving festival is celebrated on different dates and days in various countries. For example:

On the 4th Thursday of November America

On the 2nd Monday of October in Canada

While in Liberia, it is celebrated on the first Thursday of November

3. What Month Is Thanksgiving

In the United States and Liberia, the Thanksgiving festival is celebrated in the month of November.

While in Canada, it is celebrated in the month of October.

4. What Day Is Thanksgiving Day

In the United States and Liberia, Thanksgiving day is Thursday while in Canada it is Monday.

5. Where Is Thanksgiving Celebrated

Thanksgiving is celebrated mainly in the USA, Canada, Liberia, and some of the Caribean islands.

Similar festivals are also celebrated in Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, Malaysia, India, and Sri Lanka.

6. Which Countries Celebrate Thanksgiving - Thanksgiving In Other Countries

In some other countries, a similar festival is held with other names and at different dates. Such as:

In the United Kingdom, Thanksgiving is celebrated as a harvest festival. There is no special official date for the festival. The festival is usually held on Sunday of the harvest moon or another day near the autumnal equinox.

In Japan, the Labor Thanksgiving Day is celebrated annually on November 23 as a national holiday.

In Germany and German-speaking countries, a similar festival known as "Erntedankfest" (harvest festival) is celebrated.

In China, people celebrate the "Mid-Autumn Festival". This festival is much different and too old from American Thanksgiving. However, the cause of both festiv als is the same. In the Mid-Autumn festival, the fall harvest is celebrated and gratitude is expressed to the changing season.

In Vietnam, an equivalent of the American Thanksgiving holiday is celebrated, which is almost similar to the Chinese Mid-Autumn festival.

In South Korea, a holiday known as " Chuseok Day" similar to Thanksgiving is celebrated in September.

A Harvest Thanksgiving Festival known as "Thai Pongal" is celebrated in India and its neighboring country Sri Lanka. Some people also celebrate it in Malaysia.

7. Why Is Thanksgiving Called Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is called Thanksgiving because on this day gratitude is expressed and thanks are given for a good year and good fortune.

8. Other Names For Thanksgiving

In some countries, the equivalents of Thanksgiving festival are known by the names:

9. What Does Thanksgiving Celebrate

The Thanksgiving festival mainly celebrates the fall harvest and other blessings of the preceding year.

10. Why Is Thanksgiving Celebrated - The Reason For Thanksgiving - Thanksgiving Reason

Thanksgiving is celebrated to honor and give thanks to God for the harvest and good fortune of the past year.

To give thanks for the harvest and other blessings was the major reason for the Thanksgiving celebration.

It is still the reason for the celebration of the holiday.

11. What Does Thanksgiving Mean - What Is Thanksgiving About

In the Bible, Thanksgiving means the expression of gratitude and the acknowledgment of favors and blessings to God.

In North America, Thanksgiving is a festival in which religious practices and a traditional meal is held. It is a commemoration of a harvest festival the Pilgrim Fathers celebrated in 1621.

Thanksgiving is celebrated each year as a national holiday in America and Canada.

It is a harvest festival and is also celebrated to give thanks for the blessings and good fortune of the past years.

The Thanksgiving holiday is a symbol of intercultural peace, the sanctity of family and home, and the commemoration of the opportunity in America for settlers.

12. Importance Of Thanksgiving - Significance Of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is important because:

It is one of the few holidays when all the members of scattered families come together. Thanksgiving strengthens family relationships and provides an opportunity for family members to join and engage in an intentional way.

The roots of Thanksgiving are in American history, so the holiday provides an opportunity to confront the ugly truths of history. The festival remembers that American history, which led to shaping the current society was not so peaceful.

Thanksgiving festival encourages thankfulness and provides hope amid darkness. It is a way of spirit to be always thankful to God for what we have and for all of his blessings.

13. How To Celebrate Thanksgiving

People celebrate Thanksgiving in many different ways.

Most of the families celebrate the festival with the traditions started on the first Thanksgiving, however, many families celebrate it in their own way.

Some of the common traditions associated with Thanksgiving day are:

Every year on Thanksgiving, the US President receives a gift of two living turkeys. The President pardons the turkeys traditionally at a ceremony in the White House.

The Thanksgiving Feast

Traditional foods are a key part of the Thanksgiving celebrations. Usually, the entire family becomes involved in food preparation. Turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, stuffing, gravy, and a type of pie are the famous traditional foods of Thanksgiving. All the family members gather for the meal and people also invite their friends to celebrate the holiday. People always pray before start eating.

At the festival of Thanksgiving, some people help others in the form of donations and providing food to the homeless and other needy people.

Family members usually went on a long drive on Thanksgiving day. That is why Thanksgiving is one of the year's busiest days for travel.

In many cities, special parades are held on Thanksgiving day. A lot of people attend the parade and is also widely televised. The Thanksgiving parade held in New York City is the most famous parade and is known as Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

14. What Is Thanksgiving For Kids

For kids, Thanksgiving is an amazing festival.

They are taught through stories about the origin, feast, and why the Thanksgiving festival is celebrated every November.

Kids enjoy many activities for the celebration of Thanksgiving, such as shopping, decorating the home, and most other activities.

In fact, Thanksgiving brings a lot of fun and enjoyment for kids.

15. Thanksgiving Ideas For Kids - Fun Thanksgiving Activities For Kids

The following are some of the Thanksgiving ideas for kids:

Thanksgiving Games For Kids

The following are some of the Thanksgiving games for kids:

Thanksgiving Songs For Kids

Some of the most famous Thanksgiving songs are:

16. Thanksgiving Quotes For Kids

The following are some of the famous Thanksgiving quotes:

"A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues." (Cicero) "All that we behold is full of blessings." (William Wordsworth)
"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them." (John Fitzgerald Kennedy)

"If a fellow isn't thankful for what he's got, he isn't likely to be thankful for what he's going to get." (Frank A. Clark)
"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, 'thank you,' that would suffice." (Meister Eckhart)

17. Fun Family Games For Thanksgiving

The following are some funny games families can enjoy on Thanksgiving:

18. What Is The Origin Of Thanksgiving - Thanksgiving Origin

Origin Of Thanksgiving In America

19. Who Invented Thanksgiving - How Did Thanksgiving Start

The Pilgrims invented Thanksgiving to give thanks to God for their first harvest.

Thanksgiving started when the Pilgrims who settled in Plymouth, Messucheusts, celebrated their first harvest.

Celebration a festival after the harvest was a custom in England.

In 1863, US President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving as a national holiday to reduce the panic of the American Civil War.

They celebrated it on November 26, 1863, the final Thursday.

20. Where Was The First Thanksgiving

The first Thanksgiving was in Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA.

21. Who Attended The First Thanksgiving

The remaining 50 Pilgrims (as many died in winter) and about 90 Native Americans of the Wampanoag tribe attended the first Thanksgiving.

22. When Was The First Thanksgiving - When Did Thanksgiving Begin

The first Thanksgiving was in 1621.

The exact time of the celebration is unknown, however, researchers describe it between September 21 and November 11.

23. The First Thanksgiving Facts - First Thanksgiving Facts For Kids

The Pilgrims, who were the English separatists, celebrated the first Thanksgiving to gave thanks to God for a good harvest.

The first Thanksgiving feast was organized by the Pilgrims leader Governor William Bradford.

The Wampanoag Native Americans were invited on the feast, as without their help the pilgrims had no way to survive.

A total of 140 people celebrated the first Thanksgiving; 50 pilgrims and about 90 Wampanoag Native Americans.

Turkey was not on the menu of the first Thanksgiving, instead, it was five deer, which the Wampanoag Indians killed and presented to Pilgrims as a gift.

24. Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Facts

How Long Has The Macy's Parade Been Around

25. What Do You Eat On Thanksgiving - Thanksgiving Foods

26. Why Is Thanksgiving Called Turkey Day

Calling Thanksgiving day as "Turkey Day" was just a failed attempt of some people to make it interesting and sound cute.

27. Why Do We Eat Turkey On Thanksgiving

The reason for eating turkey on Thanksgiving day is not that it was at the menu of pilgrims' first Thanksgiving feast.

It is uncertain how turkey became a special and major dish of Thanksgiving dinner.

However, historians proposed some theories, such as:

Records and letters of the early American settlers reveal that beef and fowl were at the menu of the first Thanksgiving feast. It is not sure that which type of fowl was served, however, the hunting trip for turkey before the feast is mentioned in a letter of settler Edward Winslow.

In another theory, the Thanksgiving turkey is attributed to the Queen of England. According to this theory, a fleet of Spanish ships was on their way to attack England in the 16th century but became submerged. The Queen was eating dinner when she was informed about the sinking of the fleet. She became so excited that she ordered for serving another turkey or goose. According to some historians, the Queen's action was an inspiration for early settlers and they roasted turkey (as wild turkeys were widely available in North America) instead of goose.

The wild turkey is a bird indigenous to North America. The former US President Benjamin Franklin wanted that Turkey would be a more suitable national bird for the USA rather than the bald eagle. Most Americans opposed him. Turkey did not become the national bird of the USA, however, it became the bird of Thanksgiving day.

American football (gridiron or football in the US and Canada) is Thanksgiving sport in American culture.

29. What Is The History Of Thanksgiving - Thanksgiving History For Kids

30. History Of Thanksgiving In America - Thanksgiving History USA

31. Thanksgiving History Native American - Thanksgiving Native American History

In American history, Thanksgiving was the start of a friendship between settlers and Native Americans.

They celebrated the first Thanksgiving together.

Native Americans also have a tradition of celebrating the fall harvest.

Today, Thanksgiving for Native Americans is the day of mourning.

It reminds them the brutal genocide of millions of their people, unceasing assault of their culture, and robbery of their lands.

In their National Day of Mourning, the participants honor the Native ancestors and their struggle for survival.

32. What Is Canadian Thanksgiving - Canadian Thanksgiving Facts

In Canada, Thanksgiving (also known as Canadian Thanksgiving) is a public holiday since 1857.

It is commonly celebrated on the 3rd Monday of October.

It is not a public holiday in the four Atlantic provinces of Canada; Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.

Like American Thanksgiving, it is also a harvest festival and to thank the Almighty God for the blessings of the preceding year.

However, Canadian Thanksgiving is older than American Thanksgiving.

In the French-speaking province (Quebec), it is known with the name Action de grâce.

What Does Canadian Thanksgiving Celebrate

Canadian Thanksgiving has roots in the European traditional harvest festival.

It is celebrated to give thanks to Almighty God for the blessings, successful harvest, and good fortune of the past year.

33. Origin Of Canadian Thanksgiving - Canadian Thanksgiving History

34. Thanksgiving Australia

In Australia, Thanksgiving is not a holiday.

It is celebrated only in Norfolk Island on the last Wednesday of November.

The American whaling ships brought the festival to the Island.

What Day Is Thanksgiving In Australia

The last Wednesday of November is Thanksgiving day in Australia.

36. Thanksgiving Fun Facts For Kids - Interesting Facts About Thanksgiving

37. Thanksgiving Fun Facts For Kids Video

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Thanksgiving Facts For Kids - Thanksgiving Information For Kids

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The Best Thanksgiving Facts For Kids. Learn all Thanksgiving Information For Kids, what it is actually, when it is celebrated, why it is celebrated, where it is celebrated, other name, meaning, importance, how to celebrate, Thanksgiving for kids, its origin, first celebrations, thanksgiving food, why do we eat turkey on thanksgiving and many other fun facts about Thanksgiving.

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How Canadian Thanksgiving Began

The origins of Canadian Thanksgiving are more closely connected to the traditions of Europe than of the United States. Long before Europeans settled in North America, festivals of thanks and celebrations of harvest took place in Europe in the month of October. The very first Thanksgiving celebration in North America took place in 1578 in Canada when Martin Frobisher, an explorer from England. in search of the Northwest Passage. He wanted to give thanks for his safe arrival to the New World. That means the first Thanksgiving in Canada was celebrated 43 years before the pilgrims landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts!

Official Canadian Thanksgiving Holiday

For a few hundred years, Thanksgiving was celebrated in either late October or early November, before it was declared a national holiday in 1879. It was then, that November 6 th was set aside as the official Thanksgiving holiday. But then on January 31 st, 1957, Canadian Parliament announced that on the second Monday in October, Thanksgiving would be "a day of general thanksgiving to almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed." Thanksgiving was moved to the second Monday in October because after the World Wars, Remembrance Day (November 11th) and Thanksgiving kept falling in the same week. This year Canadian Thanksgiving is October 12th, 2020!

Thanksgiving celebrates the harvest and other blessings of the past year

The 49th Parallel

Another reason for Canadian Thanksgiving arriving earlier than its American counterpart is that Canada is geographically further north than the United States, causing the Canadian harvest season to arrive earlier than the American harvest season. And since Thanksgiving for Canadians is more about giving thanks for the harvest season than the arrival of pilgrims, it makes sense to celebrate the holiday in October. So what are the differences between Canadian and American Thanksgiving, other than the date? Not much! Both Canadians and Americans celebrate Thanksgiving with parades, family gatherings, pumpkin pie and a whole lot of turkey!

Thanksgiving dinner!

Have Your Say

What will you be doing to celebrate Thanksgiving this year? Do you have any family traditions that you're looking forward to? Let us know all about your Thanksgiving plans!

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The origins of Canadian Thanksgiving are more closely connected to the traditions of Europe than of the United States. Long before Europeans settled in North America, festivals of thanks and celebrations of harvest took place in Europe in the month of October.

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It's time to talk turkey and learn the real truth and deep, dark secrets behind everyone's second favourite October holiday (sorry, Thanksgiving, but Halloween's got you beat). Let's take a look at how we got the day called Thanksgiving.

What is it?

A lot of people think that the holiday is just a Canadian version of American Thanksgiving, but the Canadian celebration actually happened 40 years before the American pilgrims had their dinner. In 1578 the British explorer, and occasional pirate, Martin Frobisher held a feast of thanksgiving in Newfoundland. Frobisher was giving thanks that he and, well, most of his crew had come back from a rough trip through the Arctic looking for the Northwest Passage. After storms and cold and getting lost, Frobisher was sorry he hadn't found the Passage but very happy to be alive. This meal likely wasn't too tasty, coming out of ships' storage mostly salted beef and mushy peas, but it started a tradition of being grateful for what food they had.

Painting at right: "Sir Martin Frobisher," 1577 by Cornelis Ketel

When is it?

From 1606 onwards, Samuel de Champlain followed the custom of First Nations harvest festivals and held feasts in the colony of New France attended by French settlers and local Mi'kmaq people. Official celebrations of Thanksgiving moved around a lot - once the day was held in the spring in 1816 to celebrate the end of a war between Britain and France - before becoming an annual Canadian holiday in 1879. Even then it was usually held in the first week of November, often celebrated along with Remembrance Day from the 1920s onwards. Finally in 1957, Parliament settled on making Thanksgiving officially happen every year on the second Monday in October.

What's with the turkey?

There's no required way to celebrate Thanksgiving, but it usually involves a big meal with family and friends at some point over the long weekend. Since the meal happens in the fall, it usually features food that's around in the autumn, like pumpkins, squash and potatoes. American Thanksgiving is known for being very serious about their Thanksgiving foods and the tradition of having turkey for dinner is one that has crossed the border. It comes out of the old English custom of eating a big goose for special meals, but since the turkey is native to North America, it stepped up and took the goose's place on the plate with over 3 million birds getting served each year.

In Québec the holiday is called Action de Grâce and usually doesn't involve a big dinner. However you celebrate the day, it's a good time to take a moment to look around and think about what you're thankful for. It could be your food or your house or the people around you - or just having a day off school in October!

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It's time to talk turkey and learn the real truth and deep, dark secrets behind everyone's second favourite October holiday (sorry, Thanksgiving, but Halloween's got you beat). Let's take a look at how we got the day called Thanksgiving.

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Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday celebrated in Canada, the United States, some of the Caribbean islands, and Liberia. It began as a day of giving thanks for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year. Similarly named festival holidays occur in Germany and Japan. Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States, and around the same part of the year in other places. Although Thanksgiving has historical roots in religious and cultural traditions, it has long been celebrated as a secular holiday as well.

Prayers of thanks and special thanksgiving ceremonies are common among almost all religions after harvests and at other times. The Thanksgiving holiday's history in North America is rooted in English traditions dating from the Protestant Reformation. It also has aspects of a harvest festival, even though the harvest in New England occurs well before the late-November date on which the modern Thanksgiving holiday is celebrated.

In the English tradition, days of thanksgiving and special thanksgiving religious services became important during the English Reformation in the reign of Henry VIII and in reaction to the large number of religious holidays on the Catholic calendar. Before 1536 there were 95 Church holidays, plus 52 Sundays, when people were required to attend church and forego work and sometimes pay for expensive celebrations. The 1536 reforms reduced the number of Church holidays to 27, but some Puritans wished to completely eliminate all Church holidays, including Christmas and Easter. The holidays were to be replaced by specially called Days of Fasting or Days of Thanksgiving, in response to events that the Puritans viewed as acts of special providence. Unexpected disasters or threats of judgement from on high called for Days of Fasting. Special blessings, viewed as coming from God, called for Days of Thanksgiving. For example, Days of Fasting were called on account of drought in 1611, floods in 1613, and plagues in 1604 and 1622. Days of Thanksgiving were called following the victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588 and following the deliverance of Queen Anne in 1705. An unusual annual Day of Thanksgiving began in 1606 following the failure of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605 and developed into Guy Fawkes Day on November 5.

According to some historians, the first celebration of Thanksgiving in North America occurred during the 1578 voyage of Martin Frobisher from England in search of the Northwest Passage. Other researchers, however, state that "there is no compelling narrative of the origins of the Canadian Thanksgiving day."

The origins of Canadian Thanksgiving are also sometimes traced to the French settlers who came to New France in the 17th century, who celebrated their successful harvests. The French settlers in the area typically had feasts at the end of the harvest season and continued throughout the winter season, even sharing food with the indigenous peoples of the area.

As settlers arrived in Nova Scotia from New England after 1700, late autumn Thanksgiving celebrations became commonplace. New immigrants into the country-such as the Irish, Scottish, and Germans-also added their own traditions to the harvest celebrations. Most of the US aspects of Thanksgiving (such as the turkey) were incorporated when United Empire Loyalists began to flee from the United States during the American Revolution and settled in Canada.

In the United States

In the United States, the modern Thanksgiving holiday tradition is traced to a sparsely documented 1621 celebration at Plymouth in present-day Massachusetts, and also to a well recorded 1619 event in Virginia. The 1621 Plymouth feast and thanksgiving was prompted by a good harvest. Pilgrims and Puritans who began emigrating from England in the 1620s and 1630s carried the tradition of Days of Fasting and Days of Thanksgiving with them to New England. The 1619 arrival of 38 English settlers at Berkeley Hundred in Charles City County, Virginia, concluded with a religious celebration as dictated by the group's charter from the London Company, which specifically required "that the day of our ships arrival at the place assigned ... in the land of Virginia shall be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God."

Several days of Thanksgiving were held in early New England history that have been identified as the "First Thanksgiving", including Pilgrim holidays in Plymouth in 1621 and 1623, and a Puritan holiday in Boston in 1631. According to historian Jeremy Bangs, director of the Leiden American Pilgrim Museum, the Pilgrims may have been influenced by watching the annual services of Thanksgiving for the relief of the siege of Leiden in 1574, while they were staying in Leiden. Now called Oktober Feesten, Leiden's autumn thanksgiving celebration in 1617 was the occasion for sectarian disturbance that appears to have accelerated the pilgrims' plans to emigrate to America. Later in Massachusetts, religious thanksgiving services were declared by civil leaders such as Governor Bradford, who planned the colony's thanksgiving celebration and fast in 1623. The practice of holding an annual harvest festival did not become a regular affair in New England until the late 1660s.

Thanksgiving proclamations were made mostly by church leaders in New England up until 1682, and then by both state and church leaders until after the American Revolution. During the revolutionary period, political influences affected the issuance of Thanksgiving proclamations. Various proclamations were made by royal governors, John Hancock, General George Washington, and the Continental Congress, each giving thanks to God for events favorable to their causes. As President of the United States, George Washington proclaimed the first nationwide Thanksgiving celebration in America marking November 26, 1789, "as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favours of Almighty God."

Observance

Thanksgiving is generally not celebrated in Australia. However, on the Australian external territory of Norfolk Island, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the last Wednesday of November, similar to the pre- World War II American observance on the last Thursday of the month. This means the Norfolk Island observance is the day before or six days after the United States' observance. The holiday was brought to the island by visiting American whaling ships.

Thanksgiving ( French: l'Action de grâce), occurring on the second Monday in October, is an annual Canadian holiday to give thanks at the close of the harvest season. Although the original act of Parliament references God and the holiday is celebrated in churches, the holiday is mostly celebrated in a secular manner. Thanksgiving is a statutory holiday in all provinces in Canada, except for New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. While businesses may remain open in these provinces, the holiday is nonetheless recognized and celebrated regardless of its status.

In the West Indian island of Grenada, in the Caribbean, there is a national holiday known as Thanksgiving Day which is celebrated on October 25. Even though it bears the same name, and is celebrated at roughly the same time as the American and Canadian versions of Thanksgiving, this holiday is unrelated to either of those celebrations. Instead the holiday marks the anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of the island in 1983, in response to the deposition and execution of the socialist Grenadian Prime Minister Maurice Bishop.

In the West African country of Liberia, which began in 1820 with the colonization of freed black slaves (Americo-Liberians) from the United States, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the first Thursday of November.

The Netherlands

Many of the Pilgrims who migrated to the Plymouth Plantation had resided in the city of Leiden from 1609-1620, and had recorded their births, marriages, and deaths at the Pieterskerk (St. Peter's church). To commemorate this, a non-denominational Thanksgiving Day service is held each year on the morning of the American Thanksgiving Day in the Pieterskerk, a Gothic church in Leiden, noting the hospitality the Pilgrims received in Leiden on their way to the New World.

Besides this, Thanksgiving is observed by orthodox Protestant churches in The Netherlands on the first Wednesday in November (Dankdag). It is not a public holiday. Those who observe the day either only go to church in the evening or take the day off and go to church in the morning (and occasionally afternoon) too.

Philippines

The Philippines, while it was an American colony in the first half of the 20th century, celebrated Thanksgiving as a special public holiday on the same day as the Americans. During the Japanese occupation during World War II, both the Americans and Filipinos celebrated Thanksgiving in secret. After Japanese withdrawal in 1945, the tradition continued until 1965. It was revived by President Ferdinand Marcos, but on every September 21, when martial law was imposed in the country. After Marcos' ouster in 1986, the tradition was no longer continued. Due to the existence of BPO - Business Process Outsourcing since 2001 this tradition continues for the local workers joining their American employers.

Saint Lucia

The nation of Saint Lucia celebrates Thanksgiving on the first Monday in October.

United States

Thanksgiving, currently celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November by federal legislation in 1941, has been an annual tradition in the United States by presidential proclamation since 1863 and by state legislation since the Founding Fathers of the United States. Historically, Thanksgiving has traditionally been a celebration of the blessings of the year, including the harvest. What Americans call the " Holiday Season" generally begins with Thanksgiving.

In Reform Judaism, there is no hindrance to celebrating Thanksgiving, since it is regarded as a secular celebration rather than religious or gentile. In Orthodox Jewry as well, many Rabbis permit or even encourage Thanksgiving celebration.

Similar holidays

The Harvest Thanksgiving Festival, Erntedankfest, is a popular German Christian festival in early October. The festival has a significant religious component, and unlike its North American counterpart, it usually does not include large dinners. Many churches get decorated with autumn crops, beautifully arranged in front of the altar. In some places, there are religious processions or parades. Many Bavarian beer festivals, like the Munich Oktoberfest, take place within the vicinity of Erntedankfest.

The United States has observed German-American Day annually on October 6, within the vicinity of Erntedankfest, from 1883 until the early 1910s, then again from 1983 to the present day.

Labor Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday in Japan. It takes place annually on November 23. The law establishing the holiday, which was adopted during the American occupation after World War II, cites it as an occasion for commemorating labor and production and giving one another thanks. It has roots in an ancient Shinto harvest ceremony (Niiname-sai ).

United Kingdom

The Harvest Festival of Thanksgiving does not have an official date in the United Kingdom, however it is traditionally held on or near the Sunday of the harvest moon that occurs closest to the autumnal equinox. Harvest Thanksgiving in Britain also has pre-Christian roots when the Saxons would offer the first sheaf of barley, oats, or wheat to fertility gods. When the harvest was finally collected, communities would come together for a harvest supper. When Christianity arrived in Britain many traditions remained, and today Harvest Thanksgiving is marked by churches and schools in late September/early October (same as Canada) with singing, praying and decorating with baskets of food and fruit to celebrate a successful harvest and to give thanks. Collections of food are usually held which are then given to local charities which help the homeless and those in need.

Related pages

In Spanish: Día de Acción de Gracias para niños