Every fourth Thursday in November, Americans celebrate Thanksgiving by getting together around tables laden with food and drinks.
The deeply customized holiday provides an opportunity to give thanks and spend time with loved ones. As relatives who may not often see one another get together for the day, there is a general feeling of celebration and excitement in the air. After a hearty meal, they watch parades and football, then eat some more. Thanksgiving is one of the most extensively observed secular holidays in the country. As people travel from near and far to be with their families, most businesses, banks, government offices, and schools close for the day.
According to VisittheUSA, these are five things to know about the tradition:
1. It began nearly 400 years ago
The holiday’s inception is believed to have begun around 1621 in the vicinity of what is now Cape Cod, Massachusetts. It wasn’t until 1863 that the United States President Abraham Lincoln declared a national Thanksgiving Day to be observed annually in November, making the feast an official national holiday.
2. People consume a lot of pie and turkey
Families congregate in warm, candlelit dining rooms decked in the colors of the season—orange, brown, red, and gold—as suppertime draws near. Traditionally, a roasted turkey serves as the main course.
3. There is more to it than food
Many people get up early on Thanksgiving morning to compete in local races known as turkey trots, which are frequently charitable events. Some people witness a Thanksgiving parade firsthand. The largest and most iconic parade is the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.
4. The President pardons a turkey
Thanksgiving is a grim time for turkeys in the United States. One of the country’s funnier traditions is having the president of the United States pardon one turkey.
5. People shop for extended period of time
For many in the U.S., the day after Thanksgiving is celebrated as a different type of holiday, known as Black Friday. Stores across the nation have extended hours and offer deep discounts and special promotions.
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