It’s Turkey Time!
Picture Credit: www.highcottoncharleston.com
It’s the early start of the holiday season; well at least in the US it is; and it’s kicked off with Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 24th, what is it you might ask? It’s an American National Holiday dating back to a famous feast between the English Pilgrims and the Native Indian Americans, after a successful harvest in 1621 at the Plymouth Plantation in Massachusetts.
The folks down in Virginia however, mouthed their objection to John. F. Kennedy, the US. President at the time, claiming the ceremony was actually first held in Virginia the year 1619, to which he later gave public recognition including both Mass. and Va., while giving a speech about the holiday.
Picture Credit (1): www.famousdc.com
Picture Credit (2):Discover New England.org (Plymouth Plantation)
So after a year of failed harvest, the natives taught the pilgrims how to harvest properly and how to fish and so they grew corn, beans and squash, I know what you’re thinking, we don’t include that nowadays in our thanksgiving feast, and how did the turkey fit in the picture? There are a few theories; one is that the particular type of bird is natural to that environment thus must’ve been the early pilgrims choice of hunt, second is that the Queen of England was informed of the news about the Spanish ships sinking whilst on their way to attack the country, as she was having dinner, and ordered another goose to celebrate, a tradition which was taken on by settlers.
A women named Sara Hale was the one who publicly requested for the day to become a national holiday and in 1863 president Lincoln passed the legislation while the civil war was waging on, and informed the celebrations across the nation to a set date. Now the day is celebrated thanksgiving football games, loved ones – with loads of food- and multiple parades. The basic components of a traditional American thanksgiving meal include: Turkey and stuffing, cranberry sauce, squash soup, vegetables, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes and last but not least pumpkin pie.
If your invited to a thanksgiving dinner today, make sure you double check with your host o which plate you may contribute with, no one wants 5 leftovers of the same platter, stock up on the wine, forget the politics and bring your sense of humor along. If you’re hosting one, we hope the perpetrations are going smoothly, and a delicious feast to you all.
Here are a few pictures of what people have for thanksgiving:
Photo Credit: www.Countryliving.com
Photo Credit: www.scpr.org/
