I would like to know, when and how, and why 'thanksgiving' is celebrated,?

Question

What would a typical 'thanksgiving' period consist of, is it a material or spiritual/religious period etc.

Also, is this a seperate celebration to Christmas? And in what way?

Uh, apologies for posting in wrong section, got carried away a little.

Answer 1

Thanksgiving is celebrated on the 4th Thursday in November. It is usually followed by an extra day off work on Friday and all schools are closed, usually beginning mid-day Wednesday, through Sunday.

This holiday is noted as bringing families together for a rather large dinner consisting of turkey and/or ham as the meats of choice.

The reason for this holiday originated, so the stories go, that it was a day when the pilgrims and the indians gathered together to share their ways of life. The indians helped the pilgrims sow vegetation and taught the pilgrims how to hunt (wild turkey).

The indians always had a way of showing thanks for everything that they were blessed with in this life and gave thanks to the ones that were travelling the blue road (afterlife) and had traversed the good red road (life) before them.

Today it is merely another excuse to get together and share stories with other family members that you haven't seen in awhile and an even better excuse to take off work and eat too much.

Answer 2

The First Thanksgiving observance in America was entirely religious and did not involve feasting. On Dec. 4, 1619, a group of 38 English settlers arrived at Berkeley Plantation, on the James River near what is now Charles City, Va. The group's charter required that the day of arrival be observed yearly as a day of thanksgiving to God.

The First Thanksgiving in New England was celebrated in Plymouth less than a year after the Plymouth colonists had settled in America. The first dreadful winter in Massachusetts had killed about half the members of the colony. But new hope arose in the summer of 1621. The settlers expected a good corn harvest, despite poor crops of peas, wheat, and barley. Thus, in early autumn, governor William Bradford arranged a harvest festival to give thanks to God for the progress the colony had made.

Answer 3

I assume you mean the holiday of Thanksgiving in the US. It is held on the fourth Thursday of November. The Pilgrims started it when they moved to this continent in 1611. They would have died if not for the help of the native people. As a way to give thanks to God for a good harvest and to thank their new friends, they had a great feast. It wasn't made an official holiday until the 1800's.

Turkey is the traditional food, along with lots and lots of other food! The afternoon is spent groaning about how much we overate and watching a football game! It is a time for families and friends to get together and enjoy each other's company and reflect on what they are thankful for. In some families there is a religious component, but not in others.

Answer 4

When: It is celebrated on the Last Thursday of November.
How: A big lunch feast where the make course is typically roasted turkey. There is mash potato, glazed ham, pie. We also have sime Philippine dishes (I'm filipino). When food coma kicks in,we usually watch football or some movie on TV. Also, we sometimes go to the movie theatre to watch the latest movie. Then dinner is usually left overs since we make such a big meal.
Why: Of course, it started between the Pilgrims and the Native American Indians. To me, it's just a time to be with family long enough to enjoy them, but not too long where it's unbeareable. :p It is still a spiritual period, in that family gets together since for the rest of year we're busy with our lives. American business, has made it materialistic, in that they mcommercialize it as the beginning of the Christmast shopping season with advertisements, commercials, etc.

Answer 5

Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is an annual holiday observed in the United States and Canada to celebrate being thankful for the things one has. In the U.S., the holiday is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, and is the second most important holiday after Christmas. In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday in October.

More details below:

Answer 6

Supposedly, Thanksgiving represents the thankfulness of the American colonists for the bountiful food the native Americans helped provide after a time of great hardship.

Now it's just another huge commercial holiday where we all get off work, watch football, and eat too much.

Answer 7

the Pilgrims had a very rough time getting to America. Once they reached it, they had more trouble. no food, people are getting sick, trouble with the natives. all they had was the faith in the religion that they brought from england, incidentally it was also the very reason why they fled england. but as time went by, they were able to adjust. they celebrated with some kind of feast, laying on the table all of their produce. they even invited some of the natives as a sign of friendship. that was the first thanksgiving.

Answer 8

Lots of excellent sites on the subject!!!

In a nutshell, it is celebrated in memory of the Pilgrims and of the Harvest time, as a way to "give thanks" for the successful year, for the bounty on their table, for survival.

http://www.historychannel.com/thanksgiving/

and you can also check out the Plymouth Village's celebration, it is really a great place to be at TG each year...
http://www.plimoth.org/visit/what/exhibits/thanksgiving.asp

US celebration is on the 4th Thursday of November. Celebration in Canada is earlier (end of October), because thanks to the different latitude, harvest is MUCH earlier - by late November, all is already frozen!!!

Answer 9

It takes place in November (I think). Its to celebrate (or possibly lament) the people england, spain etc. exploring America and meeting with the native americans.

Answer 10

President Lincoln, in 1863 or 1864 during the civil war. Can't remember the exact reason why at the moment..........