The True History of Thanksgiving & How It Became a National Holiday 🦃🍂
Thanksgiving is one of the most beloved American holidays, centered around family, gratitude, and a bountiful feast. But how did the “First Thanksgiving” come to be, and how has it evolved into the modern holiday we celebrate today?
This guide explores the origins of Thanksgiving, its historical significance, traditional foods, and even how Black Friday became a part of the holiday season.
🍁 The First Thanksgiving – Myth vs. Reality
The idea of the “First Thanksgiving” as we know it today originates from a letter written by Edward Winslow, a leader of the Plymouth Colony.
📜 The Original 1621 Harvest Festival:
- The three-day feast was a celebration of survival after a harsh first year in the New World.
- The Pilgrims invited the Wampanoag people, who had helped them learn to farm and hunt.
- It was not a religious Thanksgiving, but rather a harvest festival to give thanks for a successful growing season.
🥘 What Was on the Menu at the First Thanksgiving?
Unlike today’s Thanksgiving dinner with turkey, mashed potatoes, and cranberry sauce, the original feast looked quite different.
🍗 Likely Foods at the 1621 Thanksgiving Feast:
✔️ Wild Game: Venison (deer), duck, goose, and possibly wild turkey.
🐟 Seafood: Mussels, lobster, clams, and fish were abundant.
🌽 Native American Crops: Corn, squash, beans, and root vegetables.
🥧 Early Pies & Fruits: Meat pies, pumpkin, cranberries (without sugar), and apples.
🚨 Fun Fact: Mashed potatoes were not served because potatoes had not yet been introduced to New England!
🦃 How Thanksgiving Became a National Holiday
Despite the popularized 1621 feast, Thanksgiving was not an official holiday for over two centuries.
🏛️ Abraham Lincoln’s Proclamation – Thanksgiving Becomes a Holiday (1863)
- President Abraham Lincoln officially declared Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863.
- He set the date as the last Thursday of November to unify the nation during the Civil War.
📅 Franklin D. Roosevelt & the Date Change (1941)
- In 1941, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt officially moved Thanksgiving to the fourth Thursday of November.
- This was done to extend the holiday shopping season at the request of retailers, giving rise to Black Friday traditions.
🛍️ The Evolution of Black Friday – How It Became a Shopping Tradition
Black Friday has been associated with Thanksgiving since the 1930s, but it truly exploded in popularity in the 1980s and 1990s.
🛒 The Origins of Black Friday:
- Retailers coined the term "Black Friday" to describe the day after Thanksgiving when businesses would move "into the black" (profit) from holiday shopping sales.
- Today, Black Friday is the biggest shopping day of the year, with retailers offering doorbuster sales, online discounts, and early holiday deals.
- Cyber Monday (the Monday after Thanksgiving) emerged in the 2000s, focusing on online shopping deals.
🥂 Modern Thanksgiving Traditions in the U.S.
Today, Thanksgiving is about more than just history—it’s a time for family, gratitude, and American traditions.
🏡 Popular Thanksgiving Traditions:
🦃 Thanksgiving Feast: A huge meal with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie.
🏈 Thanksgiving Football Games: Watching or playing football is a classic Thanksgiving pastime.
🎈 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: The annual New York City parade, featuring giant balloons, marching bands, and Santa Claus, started in 1924.
🙏 Giving Thanks: Families go around the table sharing what they are thankful for.
📌 Final Thoughts – The Legacy of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving has evolved from a 1621 harvest festival to a national holiday that celebrates family, gratitude, and generosity. While food and traditions may have changed, the spirit of Thanksgiving remains the same—a time to reflect on our blessings and come together with loved ones.
What are you thankful for this Thanksgiving? Share your thoughts in the comments! 🍂🦃💛
