Thanksgiving Essay
Thankful for family. Thankful for friends. The thanksgiving essay is a popular one this time of year, and with good reason! It’s hard to go wrong when you’re talking about thanksgiving in an essay. There are so many things to be thankful for, after all; it can be tough to pick just one topic! But the most important thankfulness is that we have somebody who loves us enough to share their thanksgiving with us this time of year – even if they live far away from the rest of our family and friends on thanksgiving day.
Essay 1
The United States celebrates many events throughout the year to honor, remember, or celebrate individuals and occurrences that are native to the country. Although Thanksgiving does commemorate an event, it is distinct from these American holidays because it focuses on gratitude. Thanksgiving is a national holiday that reflects the history and culture of the United States. The origin, legacy, ancient and modern traditions, and cuisine of Thanksgiving illustrate this society’s way of life.
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In September of 1620, Separatists sailed from England to the New World after 66 days across the ocean, and after a month’s journey along Cape Cod Bay and beyond, they at last arrived in Plymouth. With 102 passengers aboard at the start of the trip, only about half of them survived the first winter. They were green to the region’s natural environment and had difficulties finding dependable and secure food sources.
During the winter of 1620, when many of the Plymouth colony’s settlers were starving, an Abenaki Indian who spoke English appeared and later introduced them to Squanto, a Patuxet. Squanto showed the Pilgrims how to fish in the rivers and then teach them how to fertilize their soil with it. This allowed the colonists to have a successful harvest of corn. In November 1621, William Bradford, governor of Plymouth, hosted a three-day banquet.
Essay 2
The Pilgrims and Indians combined to share the crops of America during Thanksgiving. The fruits of the new nation were shared by the pair. On Thanksgiving Day, people express their thanks for all of life’s blessings with a communal celebration marked by prayer and giving to family and friends. The first thanksgiving dinner is said to have taken place in the 16th century, when it became customary to celebrate on November fourth. In addition, November fourth is observed as the annual holiday.
On Thanksgiving, you may give your family and friends gifts. The day is a time to express your gratitude and regard for your elders, friends, siblings, and coworkers. Thanksgiving flowers, jewelry, baked cookie hampers, chocolate gift baskets, sweets, and wine are some of the most popular presents. On the fourth Thursday of November, Americans and Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving Day with great enthusiasm. The Pilgrim settlers and members of the Wampanoag tribe held a thanksgiving dinner in 1621 at Plymouth.
On this day people give thanks to God for his blessings and pay tribute to loved ones for their love and support. Thanksgiving Day feasting is an important part of the holiday tradition. During dinner, the entire family dines together at the table and prays to God Almighty for his continued mercy. During the meal, turkey stews are customary.
Corn bread, Pumpkin pie, Cranberry sauce, and Corn are just a few of the foods prepared throughout the world on Thanksgiving. Finally, Thanksgiving is a day when Americans get to spend quality time with their family and friends. We all think back to the moment when we first sit down at the holiday table and notice how God has blessed America for more than two centuries with an overflowing cornucopia, unrestricted political and religious liberty, and economic opportunity. Let us also bow our heads in prayer for and remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice to safeguard our liberties, who have protected and defended their nation.
Essay 3
Introduction
Every year, Thanksgiving is observed in the United States. The practice of turkey dinners on Thanksgiving Day began in 1863. It’s worth noting that Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday in the United States, which is observed every November (usually the fourth week of that month), and it’s a big deal because Americans believe it to be the one-of-a-kind festival almost unknown elsewhere on earth (Baker 1). This occasion is accompanied by much feasting and togetherness.
Thanksgiving, as it is the day observed in order to show gratitude for all that life has given a person, such as family, friends, good feelings and emotions. Bradford argues that children should be educated on the significance of Thanksgiving so that it may be simple to keep and pass down the tradition to subsequent generations. “Children should be enlightened on the importance of Thanksgiving so that it can be easy to preserve and pass down the tradition to future generations” (144). Even though Thanksgiving is frequently referred to as a harvest holiday, it is much more than meets the eye.
History
Thanksgiving is a Christian holy day observed on the fourth Thursday in November, which was originally known as “Longest Day,” and has roots in religious persecution in England. Pilgrims were people who had fled religious persecution in England and were referred to as such. The pilgrims initially went to live in the Netherlands, but later migrated to North America for the purpose of establishing a colony.
The majority of the pilgrims arrived in North America in 1620, during the winter season, when it was welcoming. “It was a unique day of religious observance to remember an act of God’s grace,” according to Snow (108). Unfortunately, a large number of the pilgrims perished due to the severe cold they encountered in North America.
The pilgrims began practicing agriculture during the spring season. The indigenous Indians assisted the pilgrims by teaching them how to farm and cook during their brief stay in North America. The pilgrims were able to gather a bumper harvest at the end of the summer season, allowing them to store enough food until winter arrived. Following a successful harvest, the pilgrims decided to have a celebration to thank God for their good fortune.
Discussion
Throughout history, the greatest pleasure has always come from a person’s contentment. As such, it is generally in one’s interests to exhibit appreciation to those who helped someone achieve what they desired. To put it another way, this idea is at the heart of Thanksgiving celebrations in the United States. During Thanksgiving, people rejoice and pay homage to individuals who gave up their own well-being for others. As a result of this sacrifice, Native American Indians are remembered and honored during Thanksgiving. The United States gave up its land and abandoned its customs for the greater good of the country.
Appreciating others is a straightforward and yet extremely effective approach to encourage people to continue making greater sacrifices and doing what is best for the benefit of others. Furthermore, thanksgiving implies a clear and loud message that the sacrifice made was acknowledged by the person it was intended for, as well as being properly compensated. “After all,’ says Weave & Gollust, ‘thank you is regarded as a virtual above all other virtues in the universe.’ ” (Weaver & Gollust 37)
The modern celebration of Thanksgiving is unlike the traditional meaning of Thanksgiving, when individuals were grateful to God for a good harvest, in that it now has a different significance; on this day, some families, priests, and others go to the less fortunate and share with them what they have in abundance.
Thanksgiving is a celebration of the Pilgrims and Native Americans eating together in peace because their shared faith in God made them stronger than their differences. This gesture assures the less fortunate that there are people out there who care about them. Thanksgiving includes such things as family bonding, sharing food, and celebrating traditions, as well as family values; it’s also the day that symbolizes the significance of life.
Significance of Thanksgiving
As previously said, one of the primary purposes of the Thanksgiving festival is to build a sense of togetherness among family members. Family members come together during the festivities to strengthen their family ties. Children are educated about the customs and traditions of their family as well as being taught to respect their parents and elders in society, in general.
In other words, Thanksgiving is used to emphasize the notion of oneness. Family members who do not live near each other travel great distances to join with other family members in order to celebrate the reunion of the family by sharing delicious food, praying together, singing, and engaging in various enjoyable activities.
Thanksgiving is also a time when family and friends gather to exchange food and prepare meals for each other at home, which is not the case during other holidays when usually take-out foods are served. Sweet potatoes, corn on the cob, pumpkin pie, cranberries, carved turkeys, and so on are some of the traditional dishes cooked at Thanksgiving feasts. Before Christmas day, Thanksgiving is generally regarded as a season that brightens up the holiday mood.
It goes without saying that, when compared to any other time of the year, food merchants see their highest sales on Thanksgiving. This holiday is also representative of American culture. According to Wallendorf and Arnould, “Thanksgiving Day is a collective ritual in which material plenty is celebrated through feasting” (13). This may be attributed to the fact that most people buy food items with the goal of giving them away to others they care about, or for those individuals they appreciate, or simply because they want to assist those in need.
Also, thanksgiving is a day on which individuals can give to charity and participate in religious ceremonies. Families, friends, and coworkers come together to sing songs and offer thanks to God during Thanksgiving celebrations. “Prayer of Thanksgiving” is one of the most popular tunes sung at these events (Bradford 145). Some people in the United States contribute money to charity during Thanksgiving, which they then give to individuals less fortunate than themselves. Some churches provide food and clothing to the poor, homeless, and other underprivileged people in society.
In the same case, “Thanksgiving is another opportunity to show appreciation, which is frequently done by giving gifts to family members and friends” (43). This day is observed by most people in the United States to express their gratitude and respect for their coworkers at work, friends, elders, and siblings. “Some of the popular presents given on Thanksgiving Day include: jewelry, Thanksgiving flowers, wine, and cookies to name a few. It has been argued that the American Thanksgiving Day ceremonies mark the start of Christmas.
“In today’s world, there are a lot of difficulties and problems that we encounter on a daily basis, and these situations damage people’s lives to the point where it appears there is nothing worthwhile or decent in life. Unemployedness, health issues, and a variety of other problems are some of these concerns” (Karter 36).
Thanksgiving is one of the holidays that reminds people that there is hope, that life has a brighter side, such as loved ones, friends, and other wonderful things it has to offer. There are really few occasions when someone may have quality time with his or her family. At least once a year, Thanksgiving provides this opportunity.
Conclusion
Every year since 1863, the United States has celebrated Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving was established as a national holiday by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863, when he issued a proclamation declaring that November 4th of that year would be a thanksgiving day for the entire nation. The celebrations of this day or the invention of Thanksgiving Day by President Abraham Lincoln were intended to promote unity in the United States because it was going through civil war at the time.
Today, however, Thanksgiving is a festival that people celebrate and honor those who gave up their own interests for the sake of others. The importance of thanksgiving days lies in the time when family members come together and strengthen their bond as a family; it’s also an opportunity for individuals to assist and give what they have to less fortunate persons in society, and most importantly, it’s an opportunity to show gratitude to those who sacrificed their own interests for the good of others.
Essay 4
It’s just me, my mother, and my aunt at the dinner table over the Thanksgiving holiday. And the “dining table” is really the coffee table in the living room. It appears to be quite distinct from a standard thanksgiving meal setting with everyone gathered around the huge dining table in the kitchen, but it doesn’t bother me. I’m comfortable with how we celebrate Thanksgiving; whether there are three of us or 30,000 people, at least we can still enjoy it.
This was the same arrangement as last year, but we had a fourth participant. A close friend of mine. Apart from her presence, things remained largely unchanged from year to year. My mother prepared a wonderful spread of dishes that we ate on the living-room coffee table while conversing and laughing with each other, it was an excellent memory just like every other year.
Although we do not take the typical approach to how we prepare and consume our food, we do take a generic position with regard to the actual meal. We usually eat duck, but this year, turkey was on the menu, including stuffing, red cabbage, cranberry sauce, scalloped potatoes, and apple pie. Everything tasted as wonderful as ever and really brought home to me how blessed I am every time I eat it. If I wanted to, I could; however ,I believe that food is meant only for that day alone.
I don’t know. We now have this great opportunity to sit down and really enjoy a meal with our family instead of rushing through it as we would on a normal day, but it’s also made me think about whether these ideals I have for the food on this holiday are truly for the food or if they’re simply for the holiday itself.
Looking back at my Thanksgiving dinner, as well as all of the others throughout the years, I’ve realized that we seem to only take this occasion to appreciate our food and family. In that light, our principles appear to lie in the event rather than in the cuisine. The food is simply a catalyst for the festivities. Sure, we’re all ecstatic together, and we’re taking our time eating the meal, appreciating each bite because we know it’ll be one-of-a-kind next year; but who’s to say that the cuisine promotes these sentiments?
Looking back, I now believe the Thanksgiving holiday offers us a feeling unlike any other. It has its own flavor to it, distinct from Christmas, Easter, and all the other holidays; as a result, we will cherish this time as much as 24 hours will allow us. My family, like many other families across America, will savor this time together preparing meals while also eating them; nevertheless they will ultimately return to consuming their pre-packaged and canned foods the next day.
It has a lot to do with the mentality of the holidays. You appreciate it as much as you can in the moment because you know it’ll only happen once a year, and after that you don’t care. To summarize all of this rubbish, I think there are some fantastic values at play in Thanksgiving celebrations simply because they occur once a year. We would display our true value when it comes to food, eating quickly, and ultimately not appreciating what we’re eating if it were on any other day.