What does it mean and why is it celebrated on November 23?

America celebrates on the fourth Thursday of November Thanks One Thanksgiving Day, the nation’s most important family holiday. On this day, it is traditional to gather as a family to give thanks in the middle of a sumptuous meal.

This year, this celebration is taking place Thursday, November 23. There is a date Thanks for the cropsAnd its origins date back centuries, when the first settlers from England arrived in the North American country Mayflower.

Thanksgiving Day is considered holidaySo schools and shops are closed. Americans take advantage of this day to do some solidarity activities or attend classic parades Macy’s store in New York.

To trace the origin of the most important holiday in the United States, we must go back to 1620, when they arrived in the country. More than 100 English immigrants On the ship Mayflower. The settlers were an English religious group who, dissatisfied with the politico-religious environment of their country, decided Emigrate to develop their religion in the New World.

Calls Pilgrims They settled in the present state MassachusettsBecause of the bad harvest in the first winter they starved and half of the colony died of different diseases.

In the spring, the Wampanoag tribe offered their help to the settlers by teaching them how to harvest corn, fish, and hunt. In gratitude for their bountiful harvest, in the fall of 1621, the Pilgrims decided to share a feast with the Indians, where – according to legend – they served the traditional turkey. This feast is named after America’s first Thanksgiving.

However, till 1863 the then President, Abraham Lincoln, declared the date a national holiday. A 1941 resolution set Thanksgiving Day on the fourth Thursday in November.

Over time, the religious significance of this date was set aside National holiday Accessible to all. The idea of ​​the celebration is to gather together with family members to share blessings and give thanks.

Star food for food is classic Oven Roasted Stuffed Turkey. This dish is usually accompanied by mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes and pumpkin. Sometimes, those present hold hands and give thanks for something that happened to them that year.

Another custom is to hold a gathering at the house of an elder relative. Relatives travel from different cities to get together, hence traffic increases on these dates.

The President of the day is also not exempt from traditions on this day. The president must “save the lives” of two turkeys, which will be transferred to a zoo.

Finally, popular parades It is televised live and features floats, dancers and musicians. One of the most anticipated is the walk across Manhattan by the local Macy’s in New York.