Thanksgiving has been a holiday celebrated in the United States since 1789. Throughout the years many traditions were made to create today’s typically Thanksgiving day.
Food Traditions
Turkey
On the day of Thanksgiving people eat more food than any other day in the year. On Thanksgiving, one of the many foods you will find on the tables all across America are turkeys. The turkey has been a popular staple on Thanksgiving. According to University of Illinois Extension, about 46 million turkeys are eaten on Thanksgiving. Although on the first Thanksgiving the turkey was not the bird of choice the pilgrims and Natives Americans feasted on. According to the Smithsonian, it was either goose or duck they had as a centerpiece.
Pie
What is thanksgiving without dessert? In the original Thanksgiving you wouldn’t find any dessert. That is because back then they did not have the ingredients to make things like pie, pudding and cobblers. Pie is an American favorite. There are different variety like apple pie, pumpkin pie and pecan pie. The tradition of having pie as dessert started in the late 18 century. Many people from England immigrated to America and brought the dessert along with them. Ever since then, the pie has been incorporated in the holiday.
Entertainment
Macy´s Thanksgiving Parade
Every year in New York City, Macy’s holds their annual Thanksgiving parade started in 1924. According to the CBS News, more than three million New Yorkers and visitors come to see the parade. It is expected that ten million people are to watch the parade. The parade includes big balloons and floats of different characters like Charlie Brown, Spongebob and more. They also have marching bands from different schools performing and big artists. Some of the 2019 performers at the Thanksgiving Parade are Black Eye Peas, Celine Dion and NCT 127. The parade starts at 9 a.m EST, you can watch it live Thanksgiving morning on CBS or NBC.
Thanksgiving Football
Another Americans look forward to specifically sports fan is the annual Thanksgiving football game. The tradition started back in the late 1800s shortly right after football was just invented. When football became a professional event (NFL),playing football on thanksgiving was already a ritual from college football. If you noticed every year the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys play on Thanksgiving day. The Lions have been playing every year since 1934. The tradition started because the Lions were looking for different ways to draw out fans since it was a new team. The Cowboys needed to a way to get more publicity. The Cowboys decided to play on Thanksgiving and according to Mentalfloss the team broke its attendance record. Over 80,259 fans showed up to support. have been playing on Thanksgiving day since 1966 and only missed playing two times.
The Main Tradition
The biggest tradition celebrated on thanksgiving is giving thanks. This is a time where many people reflect on what they are most thankful for. Everyday people live life without ever thinking what we are thankful for. On thanksgiving people put the time and thought to realize the many things they are thankful for. If you are thankful for someone Thanksgiving is an opportunity you to give thanks to that person. The pilgrims decided to have a feast because they were thankful for the amount of food they were able to produce. They were also thankful for the help of the Native Americans who taught them how to grow food.
History behind Thanksgiving
Long ago a group of 102 people called the Pilgrims sailed from Plymouth,England to Massachusetts Bay in the United States. When they first got here they went through a rough winter where only half of them survived. When Spring came the Natives helped the pilgrims. They taught them how to cultivate corn. In November when the pilgrims successfully harvest corn the Governor decided to celebrate. The pilgrims had a big feast and invited the Native Americans, they celebrated for three days. Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of every November.
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