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Getting
Involved
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Our menu typically consists of way-too-much of the
following: Turkey, Stuffing, Ham, Sweet Potatoes, Corn on the Cob,
Mashed Potatoes, Casseroles galore, Cranberry Sauce, Pumpkin Pie,
and lots of other pies and sweets! Now, let's give you a bit of global history on this holiday. The Global History of Thanksgiving. Throughout history, mankind has celebrated the bountiful harvest with thanksgiving ceremonies. Before the establishment of formal religions many ancient farmers believed that their crops contained spirits, which caused the crops to grow and die. Many believed that these spirits would be released when the crops were harvested and they had to be destroyed or they would take revenge on the farmers who harvested them. Some of the harvest festivals celebrated the defeat of these spirits. The ancient Chinese celebrated their harvest festival, Chung Ch'ui, with the full moon that fell on the 15th day of the 8th month. This day was considered the birthday of the moon and special "moon cakes", round and yellow like the moon, would be baked. Each cake was stamped with the picture of a rabbit - as it was a rabbit, not a man, which the Chinese saw on the face of the moon. The families ate a thanksgiving meal and feasted
on roasted pig, harvested fruits and the "moon cakes".
It was believed According to legend Chung Ch'ui also gave thanks for another special occasion. China had been conquered by enemy armies who took control of the Chinese homes and food. The Chinese found themselves homeless and with no food. Many starved. In order to free themselves they decided to attack the invaders. The women baked special moon cakes, which were distributed to every family. In each cake was a secret message, which contained the time for the attack. When the time came the invaders were surprised and easily defeated. Every year moon cakes are eaten in memory of this victory. In 1621, in the United States after a hard and devastating first year in the New World the Pilgrim's fall harvest was very successful and plentiful. There was corn, fruits, vegetables, along with fish, which was packed in salt, and meat that was smoked over fires. They found they had enough food to put away for the winter. The Pilgrims had beaten the odds. They built homes in the wilderness, they raised enough crops to keep them alive during the long coming winter, and they were at peace with their Indian neighbors. Their Governor, William Bradford, proclaimed a day of thanksgiving that was to be shared by all the colonists and the neighboring Native American Indians. The custom of an annually celebrated thanksgiving, held after the harvest, continued through the years. By the middle of the 19th century several states celebrated a Thanksgiving Day. In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln appointed a national day of thanksgiving. Since then each president has issued a Thanksgiving Day proclamation, usually designating the fourth Thursday of each November as the holiday. There are two accounts of the First Thanksgiving in 1621. First is Edward Winslow's account, which he wrote in a letter dated December 12, 1621. The complete letter was first published in 1622. He writes: Our corn [i.e. wheat] harvest did prove well, and God be praised, we had a good increase of Indian corn, and our barley indifferent good, but our peas not worth the gathering, for we feared they were too late sown. They came up very well, and blossomed, but the sun parched them in the blossom. Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might, after a special manner rejoice together after we had gathered the fruit of our labors. The four in one day killed as much fowl as, with a little help beside, and the meat sustained the company for almost a week. At which time, we exercised our arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five deer, which they brought to the plantation and bestowed on our governor, and upon the captain and others. And although it be not always so plentiful as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty. The second description was written about twenty years after the fact by William Bradford in his History Of Plymouth Plantation. Bradford's History was rediscovered in 1854 after having been taken by British looters during the Revolutionary War. Its discovery prompted a greater American interest in the history of the Pilgrims, which eventually led to Lincoln's decision to make Thanksgiving a holiday. It is also in this account that the Thanksgiving turkey tradition is founded. Bradford wrote: They began now to gather in the small harvest they
had, and to fit up their houses and dwellings against winter, being
all well recovered in health and strength and had all things in
good plenty. For as some were thus employed in affairs abroad, others
were exercising in fishing, about cod and bass and other fish, of
which they took good store, of which every family had their portion.
All the summer there was no want; and now began to come in store
of fowl, as winter approached, of which this place did abound when
they came first (but afterward decreased by degrees). And besides
waterfowl there was great store of wild turkeys, of which they took
many, besides venison, etc. Besides they had about a peck of meal
a week to a person, or now since harvest, Indian corn to that proportion.
Which made many afterwards write so largely of their plenty here
to their friends in England, which were not feigned but true reports. |
the Pilgrims, the Indians, a great deal of food, the Macy parade,
and, of course, FOOTBALL. And a spontaneous nap on grandma's recliner
with the T.V. remote in your hand and your belt loosened (or removed),
and shirt untucked so no-one notices your pants being undone! 
