As we are closing in to the festive period, Thanksgiving is the first celebration on the map for some of the people around the globe. Let’s discover more about the American holiday!
The early celebrations
The first Thanksgiving is traditionally traced back to 1621, when the English Pilgrims have settled in Plymouth (Massachuetts today) and celebrated a successful harvest with the local native americans. It came as a response to the first winter they spent there that was brutal and had seen many going down with a disease or starvation.
The favorable result came to fruition with the help of Wampanoag people. The celebrations lasted for three days, just like a fairytale. But Thanksgiving as a celebration of prosper harvests and gratitude existed even before in various forms. Usually, the practices were religious as well.
Establishing a national holiday
After gaining independence, George Washington declared a National Day of Thanksgiving and prayer on November 26, 1789, to honor the new constitution. But it hasn’t become a national holiday until the Civil War. President Abraham Lincoln decided on it as a way of promoting unity and healing, setting the date to the last Thursday of November.
In 1939, President Roosevelt moved Thanksgivng to the third Thursday of November as a strategy to extend the holiday shopping season during the Great Depression. But the exact date eventually returned to being the fourth Thursday of the month in 1941.
Pop culture references
As an important part of the American culture, the tv shows and films that we have watched growing up are full of references and Thanksgiving episodes.
One can think about the iconic Gossip Girl scene of the Van Der Woodsens‘ dinner that turns into a mess because of a series of secrets and betrayals. As the characters are all gathered around the table, they leave one by one in the light of their family and personal drama as Watcha Say by Jason Derulo is playing in the background. Or of course, feeling the urge to taste Blair’s famous pumpkin pie. Or Nate slapping Dan in the final season during episode 8 It’s really complicated, as they discover Dan’s expose of the Upper East Side.
The Slapskiving bet in How I Met Your Mother is also a memorable one. There are other heartfelt moments during the series that revolve around Thanksgiving, but the Slap bet turned into the Slapsgiving bet is certainly the most memorable one. In fear of not knowing when the next slap is going to come, Barney is anxious every Thanksgiving until the bet is over.
An extremely valid choice when thinking about Thanksgiving, is seeing Monica from Friends with the giant turkey on her head trying to cheer Chandler up. The series has had some wholesome moments all throughout, including a flashback episode, that runs through lots of celebrations from the gang’s life ultimately leading up to some reveals. And the iconic scene with Monica mumbling the words “I love you” to Chandler after their fight.
Friendsgiving and recent times
Friends actually showcased the future of Thanksgiving as it is now, more than ever, a celebration to have with your friends. People are now almost always on the move, pursuing their dreams in different corners of the world and it has become normal to celebrate with friends, not necessarily with the family.
Recent times have also been affected by the lockdowns during the pandemic years. That has seen Thanksgiving dinner move to the online platforms in order to maintain the social distance. We have also seen the time period to celebrate the holiday extend to even a full week of dinners, parties and memorable moments with friends.
Even the star meals have changed throughout the years. The turkey is still the main event, but it is now accompanied by other divers meals that also cater to dietary restrictions and preferences.
A tradition that was born in a difficult time, has evolved into a synonym for togetherness, joy, kindness and friendship. One thing is certain. No matter where the direction that the world is going in, Thanksgiving is one of the few cheerful constants.
