Over here in Australia we don't have a day called "Thanksgiving" and we don't have Halloween either for that matter. So.. what's with Thanksgiving? I see it in all the movies.. turkey .. family.. friends sometimes... but how come the whole USA does that at the same time? Don't you do that all the time ~ just not with turkey?
2007-11-05 08:17:06 · 24 answers · asked by Icy Gazpacho 6 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
My family ( who can trace our linage in the U.S. for the last 300 years) sees it more as a gathering where we are test our culinary skills against each other. It is my sister-in-law's turn to have it at her house this year. I am doing my mind blowing, mouth watering cheesecake this year. She is testing out a new stuffing recipe on us all and my brother in law is doing a caramel apple pie to die for. Not to forget the marshmallow sweet potatoes, rum flavored cranberries and of course the 26 pound turkey in all of it's glory. We also do up a spiral cut ham with pineapple brown sugar sauce with just a hint of lemon and mustard. Mashed potatoes with cream cheese and chives etc.........Sigh... I love large families where every one is a good cook.......
2007-11-05 17:37:37 · answer #1 · answered by Praire Crone 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It was made a national holiday to commemorate when the pilgrims and the native Indians had a common feast together after the pilgrims survived a very harsh New England winter for the first time.
It has evolved into a family day with a big meal, turkey usually although the first thanksgiving also had venison and other foods, and watching a lot of American Football.
No, we don't do that all the time. The only time I see some of my extended family is on the holidays. My husband, who is British, never had the holiday either until he moved here.
2007-11-05 08:27:04 · answer #2 · answered by genaddt 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Thanksgiving is a day set aside to remember the pilgrims coming to the "New World" and how God blessed them with food, friends, and religious freedom. Today, we observe the day to thank God for His blessings to us as well - food, material things, family, and friends. All through the Bible we see that God is a God of feasts - He wants us to enjoy the good things He does for us and He wants us to celebrate Him and His gifts.
Not everyone believes in God, of course, but most of us observe the day as a time to reflect on the "good things" in life.
We observe Thanksgiving at this time of year because it was around this time that the First Thanksgiving (in 1621) was celebrated, as crops were brought in and such. But the feast of the First Thanksgiving would have been much different from today's feasts.
2007-11-05 08:24:38 · answer #3 · answered by FourArrows 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Squirt is right, but I also use it to visit family that are in different states, cause it's a government holiday every one gets that Thursday off. And most School Districts give the kids at least a week off. But also I think pres Truman pushed the holiday back a week earlier to allow for more Christmas shopping. The day after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday, because it's the biggest shopping day of the year in America and it puts most businesses in the black.
2007-11-05 09:33:27 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 2⤋
Well I know that the Australia zoo celebrates Halloween. As for Thanksgiving, it is the one holiday that is truly special. It is just a large meal with whoever. And their are no gifts exchanged. It's my favorite holiday.
2007-11-05 13:08:42 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's one of the holidays we set aside to stuff food into other food, then stuff it into ourselves.
It started out as a holiday to commemorate the Pilgrims, but that kind of fell away over the years. Now it's supposed to be a time to remember and to be thankful for what you have, but as it turns out, it's actually just the first day of the Official Christmas Shopping Season.
Personally, I haven't celebrated it for a lot of years. I take nothing for granted, so I am thankful for every day I have (and no, I don't thank any gods).
2007-11-05 18:06:34 · answer #6 · answered by link955 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well, mate, since I've been in America and seen over a decade's worth of Thanksgivings, I've pretty much decided that it is the opening salvo to the Christmas holiday season; sort-of like Christmas-lite, as it were. All you see on the television on Thanksgiving Day is football and Christmas advertisements, and the day following Thanksgiving is the shopping one to start Christmas shopping.
I finally went shopping with Kerr last year on the Friday following Thanksgiving, and I thought it would be dead quiet because we arrived at 6am. Was I ever wrong! The place was packed, the stores had opened early, and people were literally climbing over each other to get their purchases. This year Kerr can go alone like she normally does. I don't have the stamina to fight adrenaline-hyped women with murder in their eyes!
2007-11-05 09:22:28 · answer #7 · answered by Jack B, goodbye, Yahoo! 6 · 7⤊ 2⤋
Celebration in which the Pilgrims who came from England settle in New England...Massachusetts ..Plymouth..and build anew Colony and the Indians taught them to Hunt,Grow Crops ...celebration was meal of Deer Meat,fish Turkey vegetables grow ..Plymouth Plantation is open year around in Plymouth Massachusetts
2007-11-05 08:27:21 · answer #8 · answered by babo1dm 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Canada also has Thanksgiving. It's just earlier than the one in the US. Our harvest comes earlier. It was on October 8th. We do all get together and have turkey and stuffing and mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie..
2007-11-05 08:25:55 · answer #9 · answered by PROBLEM 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yep. Pretty much. You don't have to go to church or anything. Just get together with your family of origin or family of choice and eat turkey and remember all the things you are thankful for.
2007-11-05 08:20:26 · answer #10 · answered by Acorn 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋