Every fourth Thursday of November, which falls on the 25th this year, is traditionally celebrated in the United States as Thanksgiving Day.
This holiday was originally religious, but today it has turned more into public festivities without reference to beliefs. Today it is celebrated in Canada and the United States, and the date of the holiday is different. Americans gather at the table on the fourth Thursday in November, and Canada’s on the second Monday in October.
Thanksgiving Day: Holiday Story
Thanksgiving is a holiday of expressing gratitude to God and has its origins in American history. It is associated with the first settlers from England, who sailed to the shores of America in 1620.
More than half of the arrivals could not survive the winter and died, and the survivors, with the help of local Indians, took up agriculture. Having received a rich harvest in the fall of 1621, the colonists at a dinner table expressed gratitude to the Lord and the Indians of the tribe who helped them survive. This was the first Thanksgiving celebration.
A century later, one of the founding fathers and the first president of the United States, George, welcomed Thanksgiving every year on November 26. The presidents of the United States changed the date when, in their opinion, the whole country should celebrate this holiday, and in 1941 the current date of celebration was approved – every fourth Thursday of November.
Thanksgiving Day in the USA: Traditions
This holiday is celebrated by gathering in the house of representatives of the oldest generation of the family. At a festive dinner, people eat the same dishes that were on the table during the first holiday in 1621, and everyone utters a word of thanks for all the good things that have happened in life during the year.
This is a doubly pleasant holiday for everyone who celebrates it. In fact, the holiday season begins with Thanksgiving Day, includes Christmas and will continue right up to the New Year. Also after Thanksgiving Day, comes Black Friday – the day of sales and crazy discounts in the United States.
The tradition of “pardoning the turkey”
Thanksgiving: Recipes for a Holiday Meal
It is a half-serious-half-joking ceremony on the eve of Thanksgiving, during which on the lawn in front of the White House, the president reads out the order to pardon the turkey. So, in 2020, Donald Trump has already pardoned the Korn and Cob turkeys who arrived from Iowa. After that, the birds are usually sent to the zoo.
The applicant for the pardon is chosen by the Americans themselves. The White House holds a special vote every year, during which it is proposed to choose the best bird from 30 candidates.
Turkey baked with garlic and herbs. An easy recipe for the perfect turkey
If you want to join the holiday atmosphere, we offer an easy recipe for the perfect turkey:
Ingredients:
Turkey
2 heads of garlic
1 lemon
4 small onions
14 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 tbsp.oil
salt
2 large carrots
2 stalks of celery
¾ a glass of chicken broth
Preparation:
- Preheat oven to 370 F
- Remove the insides of the turkey, wash and dry with paper towels. Stuff with halved garlic, lemon, two quarters onions and 10 thyme sprigs.
- Rub the turkey with oil and sprinkle it with a teaspoon of salt
- Place the carrots, celery, leftover onions, and thyme in a large baking sheet. Place the turkey on top of it.
- Roast the turkey for 2.5-3 hours. Cover the bird with foil.
