Before we determine why Thanksgiving is so important, we need first to understand what it is. Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday for both the United States and Canada.
Thanksgiving is a day in which the people celebrate the harvest and several other blessings of the past year. Therefore this is a day of celebration and people coming together.
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When Did Thanksgiving Start?
Thanksgiving Day did first start as a harvest feast that the Wampanoag Indians and Plymouth colonialist shared.
However, the holiday was not proclaimed right away as a national holiday until it was championed. One prolific writer by the name Sarah Josepha Hale launched a campaign that saw the holiday’s incorporation.
The author was later nicknamed the Mother of Thanksgiving. Through her several letters to governors and President Abraham Lincoln heeded her request. The Thanksgiving Holiday was incorporated into a national holiday in 1863. The day of the holiday was set for the fourth Thursday of November.
Reasons Why Thanksgiving Is So Important
Brings Families Together
One of the most fundamental reasons why Thanksgiving is so crucial is families are brought together. For many families, incredibly extended ones, this is one of the days that brings all of them together.
Through this outstanding holiday, family members can bond with one another, which is excellent.
When all the extended family joins together to share communion, there is some love shared. Families can be able to talk out their conflicts, encourage one another, and many more.
Therefore, Thanksgiving serves as one of the best moments for family members to join each other and strengthen the family.
Important Part Of Our History
Thanksgiving day is an essential part of our history as it allows us to reflect a lot. To start, our children get to learn how the holiday started back in the early 1600s.
The harvest meal was shared among the Puritans and the Wampanoag Indians. We understand how it was hard for the Puritans to settle in due to diseases and lack of preparation. Also, We celebrate today the Thanksgiving day thanking God for the prosperity of the Puritans.
We also get to reflect on the injustices that Americans did to Native Americans through exploitation and persecution. These kinds of injustices are still here today, which is why we need to confront them.
Understanding the ugly past will allow us to be able to work towards a better future. Understanding history and not repeating it is one of the reasons why Thanksgiving is so important.
Encourages Gratitude
Sometimes we can be negatively looking at life from all the injustices that are happening. We can be so bitter about the shootings, crime, and even policies that discriminate us.
Looking at life with this set of eyes can make us lose hope. Thanksgiving Day helps bring some hope even when we see things dark. The holiday allows us to find positive forces in our lives, which is one of the best times to reflect.
Even though we get good food and so many things today, we need to encourage gratitude. We can deepen our relationship with family, friends, strangers, and many more people.
Brings Out Different Family Traditions
There are a lot of families, and each of these families has their different traditions. Now you understand why is Thanksgiving so important? You get to experience various kinds of practices during that time.
There are so many different ways that these families be celebrating Thanksgiving Day. Some families like watching movies other love gaming and many other traditions. This is a great time to get to experience other family traditions.
You Get To Have Fun
Thanksgiving Day is a day that allows you to have fun. On this day, you can decide to go out with friends and family members, which can be exciting and do what you love.
Some people spend the whole day drinking wine and even watching American Football. This is a day to celebrate, so let yourself have the type of fun that you want.
Prepare For Black Friday
The next day after Thanksgiving Day is commonly known as Black Friday. This is another reason for you to keep in mind why Thanksgiving is so important. There are so many fantastic discounts that you can get from the major shops.
You can save beforehand and make some of the purchases that you might have in mind. Therefore this is a great day as you can prepare for Black Friday.
How Is Thanksgiving Celebrated?
There is no one right way of celebrating Thanksgiving. The celebration usually centers on eating a large meal, and there are several meals typical on this day. Turkey is one of the most popular meals that people eat on this day, and that is why Thanksgiving has a nickname ‘Turkey’s day.”
Other traditional meals include sweet potatoes, Butternut Squash Soup, and roasted potatoes. Apart from eating, you can spend time with friends and family members and bond. Some people go ahead and attend the Thanksgiving Day parade while others watch football. You can decide to take a nap if you wish too.
Fun Facts About Thanksgiving
The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621, and it was a three-day festival. The festival had only 50 Pilgrims and 90 Wampanoag Indians, and historians believe only five women were present.
In the year 2015, around 49 million Turkeys were eaten on Thanksgiving Day.
During the first Thanks giving, Turkey was not on the menu. Goose, Duck, Lobster, eel, and Pumpkin were the only foods served.
The day after Thanks giving is widely known as Black Friday, and many shops offer fantastic discounts.
The song Jingle Bells was the original Thanks giving song before becoming a Christmas song.
Conclusion
We have looked at a lot in this article, from the origin of Thanksgiving to why it’s unique. There are several reasons why Thanksgiving is so important, and we have highlighted some.
This is a special day to show gratitude to the many things we tend to overlook. I hope you know you understand your question why is Thanksgiving so important. If you have any questions pls write a comment on the below comment section and must-visit our homepage.
