My Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving Day is traditionally a day for families and friends to get together for a special meal. 

Thanksgiving Day is a time for many people to give thanks for what they have. Thanksgiving Day  is a national holiday celebrated in Canada and the United States. It is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States.

The holiday has a very interesting history. In 1620, pilgrims, crossed the Atlantic Ocean on the ship called Mayflower, to settle in the New World. They settled in what is now known as the state of Massachusett e s.

Nearly 46 pilgrims died due to extreme cold in winter. However, in the spring of 1621, native Americans (Indians) helped the pilgrims to survive by growing food, taught them how to plant corn , to build houses, to hunt and fish.

In the autumn of 1621 the Pilgrims had a beautiful harvest of corn, barley, beans and pumpkins . The colonists learned from Indians how to cook cranberries and dishes of corn and pumpkins.

They decided to have a special dinner ( a feast ) to thank god for his favors. This communal dinner is popularly known as “The first thanksgiving feast”.

The Pilgrims invited the Native Americans to their dinner.

George Washington , the first president of the United States, proclaimed the first national Thanksgiving Day in 1789. Then, after the Civil war, Abraham Lincoln suggested the last Thursday in November to be the day of thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Day Traditions

Traditional Food

The traditional thanksgiving meal consists of roast turkey stuffed with herb-flavoured bread, cranberry jelly, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie. Other dishes may vary as to region: ham, sweet potatoes, creamed corn.

Roast turkey

Family Reunion and Feasting

Family feast is an important tradition during Thanksgiving. The entire family sits at the table during dinner and offer prayer to the Lord for his continuous grace. It is also a time for relatives living in different places to come together and celebrate.

Thanksgiving Football.

Football is the most popular game on this day. After dinner people relax , talk and watch a football game on TV.

Parades

The main aim of such parades is to lift the spirits of the spectators, provide them with wholesome entertainment. In the present day, parades are accompanied with musical shows and celebrities.

There’s a big parade in New York City.

Charity.

Americans organize charity dinners, concerts. Even in the subway stations there are tables w h ere every american who wants to help brings food and donations.

« The Turkey Pardon » .

It was Harry Trueman , the American president , who was the first to forgive two turkeys on the thanksgiving day eve. Every year the american president repeats the procedure. The whole country watches the procedure.

Cornucopia.

The cornucopia is a horn of plenty, the symbol of nourishment.  

Greeting cards .

One more tradition is sending greeting cards.

Список источников.

• 400 тем по английскому языку для школьников и абитуриентов. Ю.В. Куриленко. – М.: ЗАО «Бао-пресс», 2002
• Рассказы об Америке. Е.А.Истомина, Ю.Е.Ваулина. – М.: ООО «Издательство Астрель», 2001
• http://www. wikipedia.org