Thanksgiving 2024: After the Halloween season and before the Christmas festivities take over, there is one more holiday that brings friends and family together to enjoy festive meals, spend time together and express gratitude for the blessings. We are talking about Thanksgiving. It is a national holiday in the United States. If you and your loved ones are celebrating the festival, here’s all you need to know about it.
Thanksgiving 2024: Date
Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. This year, it falls on November 28.
Thanksgiving 2024: History and Significance
The origins of Thanksgiving, for the longest time, have never been accurately depicted. Still, many see the day as an opportunity to enjoy the company of loved ones and show gratitude. The festival is also synonymous with football games, good food and the famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Traditionally, the farmers thanked god for their autumn harvest on Thanksgiving Day.
The festival’s origins are traced back to 1621 when a harvest feast was held between a Native tribe – the Wampanoag – who had occupied the land long before and the newly-settled English colonists in America. It is also a story often told from the white pilgrim’s perspective.
(Also Read | What makes Thanksgiving special and how can you celebrate it?)
However, it did not become a national holiday until 1863. In 1789, President George Washington named Thursday, November 26, a day of public Thanksgiving. It was the first time Thanksgiving was celebrated under the new constitution, as per the White House. Later, in 1863, Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a holiday and a day off for employees.
While Americans celebrate the festival with joy, the Native Americans and Alaska Natives believe that the holiday masks the true history of oppression and bloodshed.
Thanksgiving 2024: How is it celebrated?
On Thanksgiving Day, loved ones gather under one roof to enjoy a hearty meal, play games and have fun. In popular culture, people living away from families celebrate Friendsgiving – a Thanksgiving-themed feast – with their found family on the fourth Thursday of November. Pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and roast turkey are some of the staple Thanksgiving dishes. Other customs of the day include watching the Thanksgiving Day parades, especially the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade.
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