Happy Thanksgiving – The Tradition Explained

Today is Thanksgiving and American families throughout the US, and around the world, will be coming together to celebrate one of the most important holidays in their calendar.

But what is Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is an annual holiday celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, where friends and family gather for a large celebration feast, traditionally to give thanks for the year’s harvest bounty.

Historically, the origins date back to 1621 when English pilgrims in Plymouth, Massachusetts, shared a harvest feast with native people.

In present day, the holiday is celebrated with a large turkey dinner, American football, parades, and volunteering, as a means of giving thanks for family, friends, food, health and other positivities. Some families incorporate religion by giving thanks in prayer.

Thanksgiving is a federal holiday and celebrated nationwide on the Thursday, but many companies and organisations allow an extra day on the Friday, making it a two day break.

Although that certainly excludes people working in retail, as the day has become recognised the world over as ‘Black Friday’, the busiest shopping day in the retail calendar.