Thanksgiving is one of America’s most cherished holidays of the year where family and friends gather and give thanks.
The tradition dates back to 1621, when the Plymouth colonists shared a harvest feast with Native Americans. The Wampanoag tribe came bearing much of the food and like most Native American tribes had their own long-standing tradition of harvest celebrations. In fact, there was so much food that the revelry lasted for three days! So, sitting down to a big plate of yet more leftovers on the Saturday after Turkey Day isn't overkill, it's tradition!
The generous Wampanoag’s taught the colonists where to fish, where to hunt and how to plant corn. It’s likely that venison, wild fowl – roasted duck or goose, seafood - lobster, clams and mussels, dried corn, porridge and simple cranberries, chestnuts and walnuts were on the first Thanksgiving menu. Probably not turkey, potatoes or pumpkin pie!
In 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a National Thanksgiving Day, to be held on the fourth Thursday of each November.
As we approach Thanksgiving 2021, we are filled with mixed emotions – we are grateful the pandemic has slowed down thanks to the science of vaccines, treatments that have saved lives like Regeneron, and preventive measures taken over the past two years since the pandemic began. But we are also saddened by the many lives lost to COVID-19. As we give thanks this Thursday, let us include in our prayers of gratitude those friends and family who are no longer with us.
May this year’s Thanksgiving serve as a time of gratitude for all our blessings and may we each, in our own way, share our abundance.
We wish all of you, God’s Blessings and a very
Happy Thanksgiving Holiday.
Happy Thanksgiving Holiday.
