This year, the fourth Thursday of the month falls on November 25, 2021. As it turns out, there’s a reason why Thanksgiving falls when it does, based on the history of Thanksgiving. The story dated to 1939 when Franklin Roosevelt decided to shake up the tradition a bit in the name of capitalism.
Thanksgiving History and Significance
The tradition of Thanksgiving primarily recognises the sacrifices and blessings of the past year. The annual celebrations honour the first Thanksgiving feast shared between the colonists in Plymouth, Massachusetts, the Pilgrims, and the Wampanoag Indians.
On October 3, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln had proclaimed a national day of Thanksgiving to celebrate on Thursday, November 26. Every President annually declared the holiday after that. However, after a joint resolution of Congress in 1941, President Franklin D Roosevelt proclaimed in 1942, designating the fourth Thursday in November (which is not always the last Thursday) as Thanksgiving Day.
Later, with more urbanisation, Thanksgiving became a day for people to get together with their friends and family to celebrate the day with a scrumptious feast. In the classic traditional Thanksgiving menu, roast turkey is a must on the table, including pumpkin pie and mashed potatoes. In India, some restaurants and clubs entertain this day as a celebration to attract footfall and make the best returns. The popular Black Friday sale follows Thanksgiving Thursday to shop for self, family and friends.
Despite the traditions beginning as a religious, inherited festival, all nationalities, ethnicity and religions join in the celebrations. The roots of Thanksgiving that started in the US back in the day have branched out in other parts of the world as the world is shrinking to become one world unit.
It began as a day of giving thanks and sacrifice for the blessing of the harvest and of the preceding year. Although Thanksgiving isn’t recognised as a national holiday in India, several feasts throughout the year convey the theme of giving thanks, such as Onam, celebrated in South India, and Vaisakhi celebrated in Punjab and Haryana. Similarly named festival holidays are cherished in Germany and Japan.
Gratitude is an everyday experience to pause and thank what life offers. The spiritual mentors and corporate leaders propagate to start your day with a gratitude journal, writing all innumerable things that one must be thankful about rather than taking life and its offerings for granted.
