The Origin of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving, as we celebrate it today, did not originate with the special event we know and love. There were several “thanksgiving” feasts held in early colonial days, including the most famous one at Plymouth.

Most historians agree that the holiday grew out of a combination of the religious tradition of New England Puritans, which was more a day of prayer than of feasting, and the traditional harvest celebrations of England.

Thanksgivings were celebrated sporadically (on different days of the year) throughout the colonial era and in the early days of the United States. Abraham Lincoln officially decreed the last Thursday of November to be a national Thanksgiving holiday in 1863. His proclamation played a dual role. It was also a call for unity during the Civil War.

(Source: History.com)

Comment on this article

Similar Articles:

• Time Off for Thanksgiving
• My Favorite Thanksgiving Tradition: The Best of Two Worlds
• Is Your Thanksgiving Bird Big Enough?
• Know When to Flex Your Dates and Save on Holiday Flights
• The Black Friday Myth