An all inclusive American tradition
Link to Quote: https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/read-abraham-lincolns-1863-proclamation-that-made-thanksgiving-a-national-holiday/ar-AA14s9Ki#:~:text=On%20Oct.%203%2C%201863%2C%20President%20Abraham%20Lincoln%20issued,a%20national%20holiday%20led%20by%20Sarah%20Josepha%20Hale .
Today is the day we sit down with family & friends to celebrate the nation's most unifying tradition. Anyone in a mixed marriage is sure to agree with me. The celebration which began in 1621, after a time of drought & famine and then became a National Holiday in 1863, in the midst of a Civil War, is no longer viewed as a religious holiday, but more a day of family. This year in particular, is one in which such a unifying event is desperately needed.
Remembering it's history:
"THE SETTLERS
The people who comprised the Plymouth Colony were a group of English Protestants called Puritans who wanted to break away from the Church of England. These "separatists" initially moved to Holland . But after 12 years of financial problems, they received funding from English merchants to sail across the Atlantic Ocean in 1620 to settle in a "New World." Carrying 101 men, women, and children, the Mayflower traveled the ocean for 66 days and was supposed to land where New York City is now located. But windy conditions forced the group to cut their trip short and settle at what is now Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
SETTLING AND EXPLORING
As the Puritans prepared for winter, they gathered anything they could find, including Wampanoag supplies.
One day, Samoset, a leader of the Abenaki people, and Tisquantum (better known as Squanto) visited the settlers. Squanto was a Wampanoag who had experience with other settlers and knew English. Squanto helped the settlers grow corn and use fish to fertilize their fields. After several meetings, a formal agreement was made between the settlers and the native people, and in March 1621, they joined together to protect each other from other tribes.
One day that fall, four settlers were sent to hunt for food for a harvest celebration. The Wampanoag heard gunshots and alerted their leader, Massasoit, who thought the English might be preparing for war. Massasoit visited the English settlement with 90 of his men to see if the war rumor was true.
Soon after their visit, the Native Americans realized that the English were only hunting for the harvest celebration. Massasoit sent some of his own men to hunt deer for the feast and for three days, the English and native men, women, and children ate together. The meal consisted of deer, corn, shellfish, and roasted meat, different from today's traditional Thanksgiving feast . They played ball games, sang, and danced.
Although prayers and thanks were probably offered at the 1621 harvest gathering, the first recorded religious Thanksgiving Day in Plymouth happened two years later in 1623. On this occasion, the colonists gave thanks to God for rain after a two-month drought."
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/first-thanksgiving
Even the "experts" are ready for a return to normal:
"Jan Eberth, a professor who is chair of health management and policy at Drexel University’s Dornsife School of Public Health, said she is excited to attend a big Friendsgiving this year in Philadelphia.
“We just have to be more willing to take some risk but in a cautious way that we all feel comfortable with individually,” she said. Dr. Eberth and her family are all up-to-date on Covid-19 shots .
Last year Covid-19 made a dent in some festivities . In 2021, cases of Covid-19 surged around the country after Thanksgiving, when many gathered for the holiday in larger groups for the first time since the onset of the pandemic. Hospitalizations escalated as the vaccine-resistant and virulent Omicron variant gained steam in the U.S., canceling many December holiday celebrations .
Dr. Eberth’s family celebrated Thanksgiving with her parents, who are in their 60s, and maintained strict protocols, not eating in restaurants before the visit and wearing masks in church.
This year, her biggest worry is what to feed her 11-year-old daughter, who recently became vegetarian."
https://www.wsj.com/articles/thanksgiving-gathering-epidemiologists-party-11669259382?mod=hp_lead_pos7
Enjoy the day
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The picture used is from a T urkey float during the 31st annual Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade moving down Broadway near 37th Street in New York, Nov. 28, 1957.
The White House is reminding Americans to be thankful for Biden's 'tremendous' accomplishments
"This year, her biggest worry is what to feed her 11-year-old daughter, who recently became vegetarian.""
Just ask the boys on her swim team.
Well, I guess that's better than an 11-year-old walking around the house saying "I just gotta lose weight!"
Welcome to 2022
"We are not in good hands"
Ain't that the truth!
Like other holidays and other traditions, Thanksgiving has evolved and is no longer seen, by many, as a time to revere the Puritans.
It is a family holiday now and that is how the great majority of Americans celebrate it. I have a friend who immigrated here from India 40 years ago. Her family celebrates Thanksgiving with traditional Indian food. They are also proud Americans. There are males in her family whose first names are Wilson, Truman, and Kennedy. I shit you not.
This is my 68th Thanksgiving and my family always celebrated it as a family holiday and never by revering the Puritans. Besides, Texas, Florida and Virginia can claim a Thanksgiving before Massachusetts.
Maybe that is just an old liberal thing. I have never met anyone who revered Puritans, either.
Even just the concept seems rather strange to me.
[deleted]
[JR is not the topic]
What's to revere about the puritans anyway? Absolutely nothing.
Like you said John this is now is a time for family/friends.
all i know is my native american name doesnt translate to shitty hunter or vegetarian ......
We are having a quiet one this year, just my wife, daughter and her friend. I usually do a brined bird on the Weber, but this year it's racks of lamb. It's easy and tasty, served with Greek potatoes, grilled vegetables and an Egyption salad called Balela with several French wines. Pretty inclusive. Fortunately, the weather is great today for grilling.
Perhaps Pronghorn tenderloin is part of your menu.
Hope you have an enjoyable one
Morning Drinker...yum I will be right over..
Happy Thanksgiving to you mob across the Pacific and around the world..
I’m sorry shona, but we just finished. The lamb was great and Australian, I tried to find Irish but couldn’t. We do have a few leftovers I’ll save you.
I could bring dessert.. pavlova and lamingtons.. 🐨
Hope you enjoyed your meal and get together with the rellies..
I love meringue and chocolate/coconut.
Arvo..yep...my favourites ...
actually im an old back bay boston boy so even though its just me i did a small breast, and the main fixins , besides the best tasting part of the meal to me? is always the leftovers to make sammiches ....cant finish out the year without those .
enjoy yours as well
When we have a large gather, I make an oyster dressing.
I don't believe that Dr. Eberth should worry so much. Thanksgiving is a vegetarian's delight - mashed potatoes, yams, various vegetables, gravy, cranberries, fruits and nuts, corn bread, pie, etc. There are dairy and meat substitutes that she could use to make any of them.