Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving

Everyday English by Inka Vilén 2012

Thanksgiving Day
• a holiday celebrated primarily
in the United States and Canada
• in Canada
on the second Monday of October
• in the United States
on the fourth Thursday of November
• in religious and cultural tradition,
but today primarily celebrated
as a secular holiday


Around the world

• Germany an early October festival Erntedankfest,
or the Harvest Thanksgiving Festival

• Grenada (West Indian island of Grenada)
on October 25, the anniversary of
the U.S.-led invasion of the island in 1983

• Korea, the festival of Chuseok around Fall


Around the world

• Japan Labor Thanksgiving Day
( 勤労感謝の日 Kinrō Kansha no Hi)
on November 23

• Liberia (West African country)
on the first Thursday of November


Around the world

• The Netherlands a non-denominational
Thanksgiving Day service is held each year
on the morning of the American Thanksgiving Day
in the Pieterskerk

• Norfolk Island (Australian external territory)
on the last Wednesday of November


History

The "First Thanksgiving" was celebrated
by the Pilgrims after their first harvest
in the New World in 1621.

The first Thanksgiving feast lasted three days,
and was attended by 53 Pilgrims and
90 Native Americans.


Since the Civil War

• an annual tradition since 1863

• during the Civil War,
President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed
a national day of "Thanksgiving and Praise"


Major holiday

• one of the major holidays
of the year in US

• part of the holiday season
including Christmas and the New Year


The Thanksgiving Dinner

• baked or roasted turkey
• stuffing
• mashed potatoes with gravy
• sweet potatoes
• cranberry sauce
• sweet corn
• various fall vegetables (squashes)
• pumpkin pie


Giving thanks

• founded as a religious observance
for all the members of the community
to give thanks to God for a common purpose

• the tradition is continued today in various forms

• various religious and spiritual organizations
offer worship services and events


Giving thanks

• a holiday tradition
to begin the Thanksgiving dinner
by saying grace (a prayer before or after a meal)

•traditionally, grace was led
by the hostess or host

•in later times it is usual for others to contribute


Travel

• families and friends usually gather
for a large meal or dinner
• consequently, the Thanksgiving holiday
weekend is one of the busiest
travel periods of the year


Vacation

• a four-day or five-day weekend vacation
for schools and colleges
• most business and government workers
are given Thanksgiving and the day after
as paid holidays


Thanksgiving Eve

• Thanksgiving Eve, the night before Thanksgiving

• one of the busiest nights of the year
for bars and clubs

• many college students and others
return to their hometowns
to reunite with friends and family


Parades
Since 1924, in New York City, the Macy's
Thanksgiving Day Parade is held annually every
Thanksgiving Day, and televised nationally.
The parade features
parade floats with specific themes.
The float that traditionally ends the Macy's Parade
is the Santa Claus float,
the arrival of which is an unofficial sign
of the beginning of the Christmas season.


Football

American football is an important part
of many Thanksgiving celebrations.
Professional football games are often held
on Thanksgiving Day.

The National Football League has played games
on Thanksgiving every year since its creation.
The tradition is referred to
as the Thanksgiving Classic.


Thanksgiving on TV
• many special television programs transmitted
on or around Thanksgiving

• Christmas films and specials
begin to be telecast on Thanksgiving Day

• the day signals
the beginning of the Christmas season
in the U.S.


References

Wikipedia

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving_%28United_States%29


Thanksgiving

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