The Meaning of Thanksgiving
As Thanksgiving season approaches, it’s hard not to think about all the delicious pie, turkey and mashed potatoes you will soon be eating. Here at The Village, we wanted to take a minute to reflect on the true meaning of this great holiday. Although it’s hard not to get wrapped up in all of the food, family and fun, we wanted to help remind you what Thanksgiving is really all about.
The “First Thanksgiving”
We all tend to celebrate with feasts, football games, and family reunions. However, the “first Thanksgiving” was neither a feast or a holiday, but a simple gathering. On December 11, 1620, the Mayflower arrived at Plymouth Rock. The Pilgrims suffered the loss of 46 of their original 102 colonists. With the help of the Indians in the area, the Pilgrims were able to survive the bitter cold winter and come fall they were able to produce a bountiful harvest. To celebrate, a traditional harvest festival brought the Pilgrims and Indians to unite in a “thanksgiving” observance.
Thanksgiving Becomes a Holiday
The next “thanksgiving” meal was not celebrated again until June of 1676. Over one hundred years later in October of 1777, all 13 colonies participated in a one-time “thanksgiving” celebration. It wasn’t until over 150 years later that George Washington proclaimed Thanksgiving as a National holiday in 1789. In 1863, President Lincoln then proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a day of celebration. It wasn’t until 1941 when Congress sanctioned it as a legal holiday.
How to Celebrate
This Thanksgiving, how are you going to celebrate? Whether it’s with a feast or a friendly neighborhood football game, Thanksgiving is a time to spend with those you love. What Thanksgiving traditions do you and your family have. Maybe start a new tradition such as making a “thankful tree” or everyone telling what they are thankful for around the Thanksgiving table. Overall, this holiday season, spend time with family, friends and those you love.
Make Delicious Food
Since cooking Thanksgiving dinner takes almost all day long, why not get an early start! Start the day before and get going with all those pies! Whether it’s apple, mixed berry, or pumpkin, pie is a must for every Thanksgiving feast. If your cooking a turkey, you’ll want to make sure to give yourself enough time to let it cook. It may mean starting the day before! Mashed potatoes, yams, gravy, and rolls can all be made the day off. Plan out your feast ahead of time so that you’ll be ready for the big day!
Happening on Thanksgiving
Whether it’s the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade or the Dallas Cowboys football game, there are always different events going on during this awesome day. Black Friday seems to now go hand in hand with Thanksgiving. You can’t have a piece of pie and some turkey without looking for the best Black Friday shopping deals. Many stores open Thanksgiving Day and will stay open until Friday night at 10pm. Stores like Walmart, Target, JCPenny and Best Buy will all be opening their doors early.
Opt Outside
Last year, REI started a movement for people to reconnect outdoors over the holidays. They closed all of their stores on Black Friday (one of the most popular shopping days of the year) and paid their 12,000+ employees to spend time outside. They invited America to join in and had over 1.4 million people and 170 organizations choose to #OptOutside. Last year, REI teamed up with the National Parks had them open for free to the public on the day of Black Friday. REI announced that they will be closing their doors again on Black Friday and instead spending time outdoors. This year, spend time outdoors with those you love!
