Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving is a Federal holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States of America. Traditionally, this holiday celebrates the giving of thanks for the autumn harvest.
The Tradition of Thanksgiving
The custom of giving thanks for the annual harvest is one of the world's oldest celebrations and can be traced back to the dawn of civilization. The American tradition of Thanksgiving dates back to 1621 when the pilgrims gave thanks for their first bountiful harvest in Plymouth Rock. This first Thanksgiving was celebrated for three days, with the settlers feasting with the natives on dried fruits, boiled pumpkin, turkey, venison and much more.
The celebration, however, was not repeated until many years later, when in 1789 George Washington proclaimed Thanksgiving to be a national holiday on Thursday November 26th that year - setting the precedent of the last Thursday in November. Despite this, the holiday was celebrated on different days from state to state and Thomas Jefferson later did away with the holiday.
Thanksgiving didn't become a nationwide holiday until President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November a national day of Thanksgiving in 1863. Every year following, the President proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving was switched from the final Thursday in November to the next-to-last Thursday in November by President Roosevelt in 1939 as he wanted to create a longer Christmas shopping period to simulate the economy which was still recovering after the Great Depression.
What Are You Grateful For?
Thanksgiving is a time for being thankful for what you have and spending it safely with family.
From all of us here at Leaf Explorers, we wish you a very happy Thanksgiving!
Wooden Spoon Scarecrow by The Best Ideas for Kids
As a fun activity to celebrate Thanksgiving with your kids, you’ll love this wooden spoon scarecrow craft!