Thanksgiving: one of the most famous holidays in the United States. After all, what do Americans celebrate? – World

Those who go to the countryside in this period can discover all that this celebration entails and experience a little the magic of this day which has as its main objective “to thank”. Get to know some traditions of the date, which this year is celebrated on November 26 in the United States.

Thanksgiving always takes place on the fourth Thursday in November and although there is no historical consensus on where and when America’s first Thanksgiving meal took place, the original celebration of the holiday took place in 1621 in today’s Plymouth, Massachusetts.

It is said that after the Mayflower arrived in Plymouth Rock on 11 December 1620, the (British) pilgrims lost 46 of their original 102 settlers, but with the help of the Wampanoag Indians, they learned to take better care of their crops and survive the cold of the first winter in the “New World”.

So when in the summer of 1621 they managed to produce a bountiful harvest, they decided to organize a 3-day party to commemorate the event and to show their gratitude to the natives for their invaluable help. The Indians were invited to attend a great banquet and this is how the tradition was born, which is still alive today.

Some of the funniest events on this day take place in New York City.

Macy’s (famous department stores) parade usually takes place early in the morning between 9 and 10. During the parade, giant helium balloons, representing famous cartoon characters, such as Snoopy, Mickey Mouse, Spider-Man or Dragon Ball, floats and bands roam the streets of the city. In 2020, due to the pandemic, the parade does not take to the streets. Macy’s has instead opted to create a special presentation that will then be broadcast on television.

Between 12:00 and 13:00, the focus is on the presidential pardon of the turkey. Yup! A turkey is saved from death by the president (they certainly saw him on television). The tradition began when, in the mid-twentieth century, the president of the United States “forgave” one or two turkeys that would be cooked on Thanksgiving, saving his life. Subsequently, every year a turkey is forgiven and saved from the pan.

And speaking of the pot, an essential part of the American Thanksgiving experience is eating, eating a lot! Preparing a proper Thanksgiving meal can take hours, sometimes even days, depending on the dishes served and the number of people invited to the table. Roasting stuffed turkeys (depending on their size) takes three to five hours.

For most families, the turkey is the star of the party and is the centerpiece of the Thanksgiving table. It can be roasted, smoked, fried … you can’t miss the turkey. The traditional is baked in the oven and stuffed with bread, onion, celery, salt, pepper and other spices and herbs.

The other things you can’t miss on the table are the cranberry sauce (cranberry sauce), mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie.

After lunch, it’s time to watch football matches and rest, because the next day the official Christmas shopping season begins with Black Friday, famous in the United States (and now the rest of the world) for offering great discounts and causing the general hysteria between people running from store to store looking for the best deals.

Fortunately, for those who don’t like crowds or can’t get out of the house, they recently invented Cyber ​​Monday (the Monday after Thanksgiving), which works like the equivalent of Black Friday, but for online shopping.

While today (like almost all other holidays and commemorative days) is a good excuse for the trade to sell more, the spirit of this celebration is still very beautiful. Thanksgiving Day is a celebration for family and friends and a great opportunity to thank all the good things life gives us.

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Article originally published on The Travellight World blog