The FAQs of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is right around the corner and almost everyone who is a resident of the United States will be celebrating. But it’s not just people living in the States who’ll celebrate the holiday, people in the Middle East celebrate too! But why? We’re not sure why Arabs celebrate thanksgiving when the holiday isn’t relevant relevant to us. Have you seen an American celebrating the 6th of October victory? Guess not! Here is a list of questions about Thanksgiving, along with their answers; how it came about, why do people celebrate it? Maybe the next time you see your mom stuffing a turkey you’ll tell her, “Hold up mom, go roll me some wara2 3enab!” Scroll down for the FAQs of Thanksgiving!
What is Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving Day is an annual national holiday in the United States and Canada. Americans believe that their Thanksgiving was first molded during the 1621 harvest feast that was shared by the English colonists (Pilgrims) of Plymouth and the Wampanoag people.
Plymouth’s Thanksgiving began with a few colonists hunting turkeys, probably easier prey than geese or ducks. Then, around 90 Wampanoag made a surprise appearance at the settlement’s gate and contributed venison to the feast, which was followed by men firing guns, running races, and drinking liquor, with both parties struggling to communicate in broken English and Wampanoag. It was a rather messy affair, but ended in a sealed treaty between the two groups that lasted until King Philip’s War (1675–76), where hundreds of Native Americans were brutally killed.
Is it a religious holiday?
The New England colonizers were accustomed to regularly celebrating Thanksgiving’s day with only prayers; giving thanks to God for all of his blessings.
After 1798, the new U.S. Congress left Thanksgiving declarations to the states; where Southerners were not very keen to adopt the New England custom, and others took offense over the day being used to hold parties and parades. All in all, Thanksgiving Day didn’t actually become an official holiday until Northerners dominated the federal government. A national Thanksgiving Day (at the time) seemed more like an opportunity for controversy rather than a unifying force.
Why do people celebrate it annually?
Thanksgiving became a time to gather with your family and loved ones. The holiday finally shifted from its religious roots to allow immigrants from different backgrounds to participate in this common tradition.
The holiday that was initially associated with Pilgrims and Native Americans has come to symbolize mixing cultures and finding peace and harmony, it’s an opportunity for newcomers, to connect to the spirit of home and family.
Why does it have to be a turkey?
Because colonists had hunted wild turkeys during the autumn of 1621, the typical Thanksgiving meal usually included turkey, bread stuffing, potatoes, cranberries, and a pumpkin pie to resemble that era.
