Overview

Thanksgiving, as observed in the United States of America, is a nationally recognized holiday to celebrate the harvest in the United States. The celebration is traditionally held with an abundance of autumnal foods, such as pumpkin- and corn-based dishes, and a roast turkey as the main course.

Background

Thanksgiving celebrations in the United States date back as far 1621 when the the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts commemorated the harvest in a meal with the Wampanoag tripe of Indigenous Americans.^[1] The first National Thanksgiving Proclomation in the United States was made on October 3rd, 1789 by United States President George Washington. The proclamation declared November 26th the day of Thanksgiving. The text reads:^[2]

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor, and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me "to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness. Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be.

Related Memes

Black Friday

Black Friday is an annual shopping event observed in the United States on the Friday after Thanksgiving, during which most major retailers open early and offer a variety of promotional sales and discounts, to mark the beginning of the holiday shopping season. Since 2005, it has remained the busiest shopping day of the entire year.

Cyber Monday

Cyber Monday is an annual online-exclusive shopping event observed by both national and smaller online retailers on the Monday after Thanksgiving Day in the United States. Since its emergence in 2005, Cyber Monday has continuously grown into a major international marketing holiday that serves as a popular alternative to Black Friday, the annual in-store shopping event that takes place on the day after Thanksgiving Day.

Nicole Westbrook's "Thanksgiving"

Nicole Westbrook's 'Thanksgiving' is a 2012 pop song and music video produced by Ark Music Factory, the production company behind Rebecca Black’s 'Friday', in which 12-year-old Nicole Westbrook sings about the traditional American holiday Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Grandma

Thanksgiving Grandma refers to a viral story about a grandmother texting a Thanksgiving invitation to the wrong number and inviting the recipient to dinner after he corrected her. The story received media attention after the strangers met for Thanksgiving two years in a row.

Ivanka Trump's Thanksgiving Table Centerpiece

Ivanka Trump's Thanksgiving Table Centerpiece refers to a decoration suggested by Ivanka Trump for the holiday season. The decoration, a giant shell which she suggests filling with different decorations depending on the season, was mocked online as many people found it ugly.

Search Interest

External References