Thu, Nov 28, 2024 12:00 AM
Interesting Facts
Thanksgiving Day, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States, originates from a 1621 feast shared by the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony and the Wampanoag Native American tribe, marking one of the first expressions of gratitude and cooperation between European settlers and Indigenous peoples.
This day of gratitude was sporadically observed until President Abraham Lincoln, in the midst of the Civil War in 1863, proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to foster unity, setting a precedent for the annual holiday.
The tradition of the U.S. president pardoning a turkey each year, sparing it from becoming a Thanksgiving dinner, began in 1947, adding a lighter, ceremonial practice to the holiday’s observance. Moreover, Thanksgiving ushers in the beginning of the holiday season, including Black Friday, known for its significant retail sales, making it a pivotal time for economic activity and festive preparations across the country.