IfavisitorcouldmakeaThanksgivingDayjourney,stoppingateveryfamilyhomealongtheway,hewouldprobablybesurprisedtofindsuchuniformityintheholidayscene.etherthehomewerelarge,small,ormiddle-sized,inthecountry,city,orsuburbs,hewouldfindrelativesfromnearandfargatheredfortheannualreunion.Andashewatchedthefeastbeingreadiedhewouldhearajovialconversationalblendoffamilynews,commentsontheweather,politicalviewsandcomplimentsontheattractivetabledecorations.WhydoAmericanscelebrateThanksgivingDay?HowAmericanscelebrateThanksgivingDay?Well,nowlet’sknowsomethingaboutThanksgivingDay~~~ThestartofThanksgivingDayFirsttimeitwascelebrated:1621Thesettlers,whohavesincecometobecalledthePilgrims,hadlefttheirnativeEnglandbecausetheyhadbeendeniedtherighttoseparatefromtheestablishedchurchtoworshipintheirownway.In1620,theysailedtoAmericaontheMayflower,seekingaplacewheretheycouldhavefreedomofworship.TheiroriginaldestinationwasJamestown,Virginia,butstormsblewthemtothenorthandafteratempestuoustwo-monthvoyage,theylandedatwhatisnowPlymouth,Massachusetts,intheicyNovemberDuringtheirfirstwinter,overhalfofthesettlersdiedofstarvationorepidemics,butcourageoussurvivors,throughfaithandsomefortunatecircumstance,wereabletofoundapermanentcolony.Whilescoutingtheareaforwater,theyhadunearthedacacheofIndianseedcorn,andwhenAprilcametheybegantheirplanting,strugglingwiththerockysoilastheyhadstruggledwiththebitterclimate.AfriendlyIndiannamedSquantotaughtthemhowtoplantthecornandhowtofertilizethesoilbyburyingthreelittleherringunderhillock.ThroughSquanto,theywereabletomakepeacewiththeneighboringIndiantribesandfromthemtheylearnedtohuntgameanimalsandtotrapbeaverandtomakeasyrupfromthesapdrawnfromthegreatmaplestrees.Allsummerlongtheywatchedthecropswithgreatanxiety,knowingthattheirlivesandthefutureexistenceofthecolonydependedonthecomingharvest.Whenfinallythefieldsproducedayieldrichbeyondexpectations,GovernorWilliamBradfordproclaimed“adayofThanksgivinguntotheLordsowemightafteramorespecialmanner,rejoiceafterwehadgatheredthefruitsifourlabors”.Itwasandisanindigenousholiday.Thecolonistshadsurvivedthethreatsofstarvation,diseaseandthemenaceofattacksbytheIndians.Theyhadgainedthelong-soughtfreedomtoliveinaccordwiththeirdeep-feltconvictions.TheseblessingsweregratefullyacknowledgedonthatfirstThanksgivingDayin1621.26thNovember1789ThisisthefirstnationalThanksgivingDayGeorgeWashingtonAnationalThanksgivingDaycameonlyafterthe13colonieshadbeenunitedandGeorgeWashington,theRepublic’sfirstpresident,hadassumedoffice.AresolutionwaspresentedtothenewlyformedNationalCongressproposingthatajointcommitteeofbothHouserequestthePresidentoftheUStorecommendtothepeople“adayofpublicthanksgivingandprayer,tobeobservedbyacknowledgingwithgratefulheartsthemanysignalfavorsofAlmightyGod,especiallybyaffordingthemanopportunitypeaceablytoestablishaConstitutionofgovernmentfortheirsafetyandhappiness”.TheresolutionwasadoptedandpresidentWashingtonsetThursday,November26th,1789,asthefirstNationalThanksgiving.InhisproclamationPresidentWashingtonExhortedthepeopleoftheUstothankgodfordivinecareduringtheformativecolonialperiod,forthepeaceandprosperitythathadcometothenationsincethewar,and,especiallyforthenewConstitution.October3,1863PresidentLincolnissuedthefirstnationalthanksgivingProclamationsincethatGeorgeWashingtonin1789.SinceLincoln’stimeithasbeenthecustomforthepresidentoftheUStoproclaimannuallythefourthThursdayofNovemberasThanksgivingDay,andforthegovernorsofthestatestoissueproclamationsfortheirrespectivestates.ThehabitsinThanksgivingDayNorhasthepatternofThanksgivingcelebrationchangedthroughtheyears.Itisadayforthegatheringoftheclan——togivethanksfortheyear’sblessings,toenjoythefruitsoftheharvest,andtosharewhateveronehaswiththoselessfortunate.ThedinnermenuThefollowingmenuservedonThanksgivingDay1863resemblesalmostexactlyoneservedahundredyearslater.CranberryJuiceRoastTurkeywithDressingCranberrySauceSweetpotatoesCreamedOnionsSquashPumpkinPiePlumPuddingMincePiemilkcoffeeturkeyFamilyReunionandFeastingFamilyfeastisanimportanttraditionduringThanksgiving.TheentirefamilysitsatthetableduringdinnerandofferprayertotheLordAlmightyforhiscontinuousgrace.Itisalsoatimeforrelativeslivingindifferentplacestocometogetherandcelebrate.ParadesThetraditionalThanksgivingparadeprobablystartedwithPresidentLincolnproclaimingitanofficialday.Thefull-dressparadeisawaytodisplaythecountry’smilitarystrengthanddiscipline.Themainaimofsuchparadesistoliftthespiritsofthespectators,providethemwithwholesomeentertainment.Inthepresentday,paradesareaccompaniedwithmusicalshowsandcelebrities.FootballGamesWatchingNFLfootballduringThanksgivingisapopulartradition.ThetraditionalgamebetweentheDetroitLionsandtheGreenBayPackerscontinues.Oneofthemostmemorablegameshavingbeenplayedonthisday.(NFL:NationalFootballLeague)CustomofDecoration•Thanksgivingisatimetodecoratehomeswithwreaths,freshanddriedflowers.Peoplebeautifytheirhomes,givetheinteriorsawholenewlookandfeel.Theylightlampstobrightentheenvironment.Tablesareadornedwithbestchinaandantiquesilvercutlerytomarktheoccasion.Customofsendin