thanksgiving essays

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Thanksgiving 2024

By: History.com Editors

Updated: January 31, 2024 | Original: October 27, 2009

Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday in the United States, and Thanksgiving 2024 occurs on Thursday, November 28. In 1621, the Plymouth colonists from England and the Native American Wampanoag people shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies.

For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies and states. It wasn’t until 1863, in the midst of the  Civil War , that President  Abraham Lincoln   proclaimed  a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November. But the holiday is not without controversy. Many Americans—including people of Native American ancestry—believe Thanksgiving celebrations mask the true history of oppression and bloodshed that underlies the relationship between European settlers and Native Americans.

Thanksgiving at Plymouth

In September 1620, a small ship called the Mayflower left Plymouth, England, carrying 102 passengers—an assortment of religious separatists seeking a new home where they could freely practice their faith and other individuals lured by the promise of prosperity and land ownership in the "New World." After a treacherous and uncomfortable crossing that lasted 66 days, they dropped anchor near the tip of Cape Cod, far north of their intended destination at the mouth of the Hudson River. One month later, the Mayflower crossed Massachusetts Bay, where the Pilgrims , as they are now commonly known, began the work of establishing a village at Plymouth.

Did you know? Lobster, seal and swans were on the Pilgrims' menu.

Throughout that first brutal winter, most of the colonists remained on board the ship, where they suffered from exposure, scurvy and outbreaks of contagious disease. Only half of the Mayflower’s original passengers and crew lived to see their first New England spring. In March, the remaining settlers moved ashore, where they received an astonishing visit from a member of the Abenaki tribe who greeted them in English. 

Several days later, he returned with another Native American, Squanto, a member of the Pawtuxet tribe who had been kidnapped by an English sea captain and sold into slavery before escaping to London and returning to his homeland on an exploratory expedition. Squanto taught the Pilgrims, weakened by malnutrition and illness, how to cultivate corn, extract sap from maple trees, catch fish in the rivers and avoid poisonous plants. He also helped the settlers forge an alliance with the Wampanoag, a local tribe, which endured for more than 50 years and remains one of the few examples of harmony between European colonists and Native Americans.

When Was the First Thanksgiving?

In November 1621, after the Pilgrims’ first corn harvest proved successful, Governor William Bradford organized a celebratory feast and invited a group of the fledgling colony’s Native American allies, including the Wampanoag chief Massasoit. Now remembered as America’s “first Thanksgiving”—although the Pilgrims themselves may not have used the term at the time—the festival lasted for three days. While no record exists of the first Thanksgiving’s exact menu , much of what we know about what happened at the first Thanksgiving comes from Pilgrim chronicler Edward Winslow, who wrote:

“Our harvest being gotten in, our governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a special manner rejoice together, after we had gathered the fruits of our labors; they four in one day killed as much fowl, as with a little help beside, served the Company almost a week, at which time amongst other Recreations, we exercised our Arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and amongst the rest their greatest king Massasoit, with some ninety men, whom for three days we entertained and feasted, and they went out and killed five Deer, which they brought to the Plantation and bestowed on our Governor, and upon the Captain and others. And although it be not always so plentiful, as it was at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want, that we often wish you partakers of our plenty."

Historians have suggested that many of the dishes were likely prepared using traditional Native American spices and cooking methods. Because the Pilgrims had no oven and the Mayflower’s sugar supply had dwindled by the fall of 1621, the meal did not feature pies, cakes or other desserts, which have become a hallmark of contemporary celebrations

Origins of Thanksgiving National Holiday

Pilgrims held their second Thanksgiving celebration in 1623 to mark the end of a long drought that had threatened the year’s harvest and prompted Governor Bradford to call for a religious fast. Days of fasting and thanksgiving on an annual or occasional basis became common practice in other New England settlements as well. 

During the American Revolution , the Continental Congress designated one or more days of thanksgiving a year, and in 1789 George Washington issued the first Thanksgiving proclamation by the national government of the United States; in it, he called upon Americans to express their gratitude for the happy conclusion to the country’s war of independence and the successful ratification of the U.S. Constitution . His successors John Adams and James Madison also designated days of thanks during their presidencies.

In 1817, New York became the first of several states to officially adopt an annual Thanksgiving holiday; each celebrated it on a different day, however, and the American South remained largely unfamiliar with the tradition. 

In 1827, the noted magazine editor and prolific writer Sarah Josepha Hale —author, among countless other things, of the nursery rhyme “Mary Had a Little Lamb”—launched a campaign to establish Thanksgiving as a national holiday. For 36 years, she published numerous editorials and sent scores of letters to governors, senators, presidents and other politicians, earning her the nickname the “Mother of Thanksgiving.”

Abraham Lincoln finally heeded her request in 1863, at the height of the Civil War , in a proclamation entreating all Americans to ask God to “commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife” and to “heal the wounds of the nation.”

He scheduled Thanksgiving for the final Thursday in November, and it was celebrated on that day every year until 1939 when Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the holiday up a week in an attempt to spur retail sales during the Great Depression . Roosevelt’s plan, known derisively as Franksgiving, was met with passionate opposition, and in 1941 the president reluctantly signed a bill making Thanksgiving the fourth Thursday in November.

Thanksgiving Food

In many American households, the Thanksgiving celebration has lost much of its original religious significance; instead, it now centers on cooking and sharing a bountiful meal with family and friends. Turkey, a Thanksgiving staple so ubiquitous it has become all but synonymous with the holiday, may or may not have been on offer when the Pilgrims hosted the inaugural feast in 1621. 

Today, however, nearly 90 percent of Americans eat the bird—whether roasted, baked or deep-fried—on Thanksgiving, according to the National Turkey Federation. Other traditional foods include stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie. Volunteering is a common Thanksgiving Day activity, and communities often hold food drives and host free dinners for the less fortunate.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

Parades have also become an integral part of the holiday in cities and towns across the United States. Presented by Macy’s department store since 1924, New York City’s Thanksgiving Day parade is the largest and most famous, attracting some 2 to 3 million spectators along its 2.5-mile route and drawing an enormous television audience. It typically features marching bands, performers, elaborate floats conveying various celebrities and giant balloons shaped like cartoon characters.

Beginning in the mid-20th century and perhaps even earlier, the president of the United States has “pardoned” one or two Thanksgiving turkeys each year, sparing the birds from slaughter and sending them to a farm for retirement. A number of U.S. governors also perform the annual turkey pardoning ritual.

Thanksgiving Controversies

For some scholars, the jury is still out on whether the feast at Plymouth really constituted the first Thanksgiving in the United States. Indeed, historians have recorded other ceremonies of thanks among European settlers in North America that predate the Pilgrims’ celebration.

In 1565, for instance, the Spanish explorer Pedro Menéndez de Avilé invited members of the local Timucua tribe to a dinner in St. Augustine , Florida , after holding a mass to thank God for his crew’s safe arrival. On December 4, 1619, when 38 British settlers reached a site known as Berkeley Hundred on the banks of Virginia’s James River, they read a proclamation designating the date as “a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God.”

Some Native Americans and many others take issue with how the Thanksgiving story is presented to the American public, and especially to schoolchildren. In their view, the traditional narrative paints a deceptively sunny portrait of relations between the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people, masking the long and bloody history of conflict between Native Americans and European settlers that resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands. Since 1970, protesters have gathered on the day designated as Thanksgiving at the top of Cole’s Hill, which overlooks Plymouth Rock, to commemorate a “ National Day of Mourning .” Similar events are held in other parts of the country.

Thanksgiving's Ancient Origins

Although the American concept of Thanksgiving developed in the colonies of New England, its roots can be traced both to Native Americans, as well as back to the other side of the Atlantic. 

Both the Separatists who came over on the Mayflower and the Puritans who arrived soon after brought with them a tradition of providential holidays—days of fasting during difficult or pivotal moments and days of feasting and celebration to thank God in times of plenty.

As an annual celebration of the harvest and its bounty, moreover, Thanksgiving falls under a category of festivals that spans cultures, continents and millennia. In ancient times, the Egyptians , Greeks and Romans feasted and paid tribute to their gods after the fall harvest. Thanksgiving also bears a resemblance to the ancient Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot. 

Finally, historians have noted that Native Americans had a rich tradition of commemorating the fall harvest with feasting and merrymaking long before Europeans set foot on America's shores.

Who Was Squanto, and What Was His Role in the First Thanksgiving?

Without Squanto, a.k.a. Tisquantum, to interpret and guide them to food sources, the Plymouth Colony Pilgrims may have never have survived.

Colonists at the First Thanksgiving Were Mostly Men Because Women Had Perished

The three‑day feast was about giving thanks, but it wasn't much like today's holiday.

8 Thanksgiving Celebrations Around the World

The United States isn’t the only nation with a holiday dedicated to gratitude—here are eight different variations of the Thanksgiving tradition from around the world.

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How did Thanksgiving start?

When is thanksgiving, how did thanksgiving become a national holiday.

Thanksgiving Day

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

• World History Encyclopedia - Thanksgiving Day: A Brief History
• Live Science - Thanksgiving Science: Why Gratitude Is Good for You
• Ancient Origins - American Thanksgiving Origins and Roots in the Old World
• The Canadian Encyclopedia - Thanksgiving in Canada
• Smithsonian - Thanksgiving in North America: From Local Harvests to National Holiday
• Al Jazeera - When is Thanksgiving Day and why is it celebrated?
• Thanksgiving - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
• Thanksgiving - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

What is Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is an annual national holiday in the United States and Canada that celebrates the blessings of the past year.

Colonists in New England and Canada regularly observed “thanksgivings,” days of prayer for such blessings as safe journeys, military victories, or abundant harvests. Americans model their holiday on a 1621 harvest feast shared between the Wampanoag people and the English colonists known as Pilgrims . Canadians trace their earliest thanksgiving celebration to 1578, when an expedition led by Martin Frobisher gave thanks for its safe passage.

In the United States, Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November , as specified in a joint resolution passed by Congress in 1941 and a proclamation issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1942.

Since 1957, Thanksgiving Day has been celebrated in Canada on the second Monday in October.

How is Thanksgiving celebrated?

In both Canada and America, family and friends gather for a meal and other celebrations on Thanksgiving. Traditional fare in America often includes turkey , cranberries, and pumpkin pie. Parades and football games also have long associations with Thanksgiving.

Sarah Josepha Hale campaigned for a national thanksgiving holiday in the United States during the 19th century, eventually winning President Abraham Lincoln ’s support in 1863. He and subsequent presidents proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving annually until 1942, when a presidential proclamation specified that the fourth Thursday in November would be Thanksgiving Day.

In Canada, Parliament established a national Thanksgiving Day in 1879.

Thanksgiving Day , annual national holiday in the United States and Canada celebrating the harvest and other blessings of the past year. Americans generally believe that their Thanksgiving is modeled on a 1621 harvest feast shared by the English colonists ( Pilgrims ) of Plymouth and the Wampanoag people . The American holiday is particularly rich in legend and symbolism, and the traditional fare of the Thanksgiving meal typically includes turkey , bread stuffing, potatoes , cranberries , and pumpkin pie. With respect to vehicular travel, the holiday is often the busiest of the year, as family members gather with one another.

Plymouth’s Thanksgiving began with a few colonists going out “fowling,” possibly for turkeys but more probably for the easier prey of geese and ducks, since they “in one day killed as much as…served the company almost a week.” Next, 90 or so Wampanoag made a surprise appearance at the settlement’s gate, doubtlessly unnerving the 50 or so colonists. Nevertheless, over the next few days the two groups socialized without incident. The Wampanoag contributed venison to the feast, which included the fowl and probably fish , eels , shellfish , stews, vegetables , and beer . Since Plymouth had few buildings and manufactured goods, most people ate outside while sitting on the ground or on barrels with plates on their laps. The men fired guns , ran races, and drank liquor , struggling to speak in broken English and Wampanoag. This was a rather disorderly affair, but it sealed a treaty between the two groups that lasted until King Philip’s War (1675–76), in which hundreds of colonists and thousands of Native Americans lost their lives.

The New England colonists were accustomed to regularly celebrating “Thanksgivings,” days of prayer thanking God for blessings such as military victory or the end of a drought . The U.S. Continental Congress proclaimed a national Thanksgiving upon the enactment of the Constitution, for example. Yet, after 1798, the new U.S. Congress left Thanksgiving declarations to the states; some objected to the national government’s involvement in a religious observance, Southerners were slow to adopt a New England custom, and others took offense over the day’s being used to hold partisan speeches and parades. A national Thanksgiving Day seemed more like a lightning rod for controversy than a unifying force.

Thanksgiving Day did not become an official holiday until Northerners dominated the federal government . While sectional tensions prevailed in the mid-19th century, the editor of the popular magazine Godey’s Lady’s Book , Sarah Josepha Hale , campaigned for a national Thanksgiving Day to promote unity. She finally won the support of President Abraham Lincoln . On October 3, 1863, during the Civil War , Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving to be celebrated on Thursday, November 26.

The holiday was annually proclaimed by every president thereafter, and the date chosen, with few exceptions, was the last Thursday in November. President Franklin D. Roosevelt , however, attempted to extend the Christmas shopping season, which generally begins with the Thanksgiving holiday, and to boost the economy by moving the date back a week, to the third week in November . But not all states complied , and, after a joint resolution of Congress in 1941, Roosevelt issued a proclamation in 1942 designating the fourth Thursday in November (which is not always the last Thursday) as Thanksgiving Day.

As the country became more urban and family members began to live farther apart, Thanksgiving became a time to gather together. The holiday moved away from its religious roots to allow immigrants of every background to participate in a common tradition. Thanksgiving Day football games, beginning with Yale versus Princeton in 1876, enabled fans to add some rowdiness to the holiday. In the late 1800s parades of costumed revelers became common. In 1920 Gimbel’s department store in Philadelphia staged a parade of about 50 people with Santa Claus at the rear of the procession. Since 1924 the annual Macy’s parade in New York City has continued the tradition, with huge balloons since 1927. The holiday associated with Pilgrims and Native Americans has come to symbolize intercultural peace , America’s opportunity for newcomers, and the sanctity of home and family.

Days of thanksgiving in Canada also originated in the colonial period, arising from the same European traditions, in gratitude for safe journeys, peace, and bountiful harvests. The earliest celebration was held in 1578, when an expedition led by Martin Frobisher held a ceremony in present-day Nunavut to give thanks for the safety of its fleet. In 1879 Parliament established a national Thanksgiving Day on November 6; the date has varied over the years. Since 1957 Thanksgiving Day has been celebrated in Canada on the second Monday in October.

Essay on Thanksgiving

Students are often asked to write an essay on Thanksgiving in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Thanksgiving

Introduction to thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is a special holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. It is a day when people gather with family and friends to express gratitude for their blessings.

History of Thanksgiving

Modern thanksgiving.

Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated with a festive meal that often includes turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. It’s a day to reflect on our blessings and spend time with loved ones.

Also check:

250 Words Essay on Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving: a celebration of gratitude.

Thanksgiving, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States, is a holiday steeped in rich historical and cultural traditions. The essence of this festivity is to express gratitude for the year’s harvest and blessings.

The Historical Roots

The origins of Thanksgiving trace back to 1621 when Pilgrims and Native Americans shared a harvest feast in Plymouth. This event, often viewed as the “First Thanksgiving,” was a three-day celebration of collaboration and mutual respect, setting the tone for the holiday’s future iterations.

The Evolution of Thanksgiving

Over the centuries, Thanksgiving has evolved significantly. President Abraham Lincoln declared it a national holiday in 1863, during the Civil War, as a means to unite the nation. Today, it serves as a day for family and friends to gather, share a meal, and express gratitude.

Thanksgiving: A Cultural Phenomenon

Thanksgiving is not just a family gathering but also a cultural phenomenon, marked by iconic traditions such as the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and football games. It also signifies the start of the holiday season, leading up to Christmas and New Year.

Thanksgiving: A Time for Reflection

In the modern context, Thanksgiving is a time for reflection and acknowledgment of the year’s blessings. It encourages us to express gratitude not only for material abundance but also for relationships, health, and personal growth.

500 Words Essay on Thanksgiving

The historical roots of thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States, is a national holiday steeped in early American history. It is generally attributed to the 1621 feast shared by the Pilgrims of Plymouth and the Wampanoag tribe, a celebration of successful harvest and survival in the New World. However, Thanksgiving was not officially recognized as a national holiday until 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln, amidst the Civil War, proclaimed a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”

Cultural Significance and Traditions

Thanksgiving is a unique blend of secular and sacred elements. It is a time for family gatherings, feasting, parades, and football, but also a time for reflection and gratitude. The traditional Thanksgiving meal typically includes turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie, echoing the autumnal harvest feast of the first Thanksgiving. The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the NFL Thanksgiving games are modern additions, contributing to the holiday’s festive spirit.

Thanksgiving: A Symbol of Unity?

Thanksgiving is often hailed as a symbol of unity and inclusivity, a time when families and friends of diverse backgrounds come together to share a meal and express gratitude. However, this narrative is not without controversy. Critics argue that the holiday’s origins are rooted in the colonization and subsequent displacement of Native Americans, and therefore, it serves as a reminder of a painful history. As a result, some people observe a National Day of Mourning instead, to acknowledge the suffering of Native Americans.

Thanksgiving in the 21st Century

In the 21st century, Thanksgiving has evolved to reflect contemporary societal values. Many people now use this holiday as an opportunity to give back to their communities, volunteering their time or resources to help those less fortunate. Furthermore, in a world increasingly dominated by consumerism, the concept of gratitude that underpins Thanksgiving has taken on a new significance. It serves as a reminder to appreciate what we have and to resist the lure of constant consumption.

If you’re looking for more, here are essays on other interesting topics:

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Thanksgiving — Thanksgiving Reflections: A Personal Narrative

Thanksgiving Reflections: a Personal Narrative

• Categories: American Culture Thanksgiving

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Words: 929 |

Published: Dec 3, 2020

Words: 929 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, my perspective on thanksgiving.

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Writing A Thanksgiving Essay: Pro Tips And Tricks

It doesn’t matter whether you are a college or high school student, escaping a thanksgiving essay paper is like a camel trying to make its way past a needle’s eye. It is because, in every stage of life, there is a milestone you achieve, which requires you to give thanks. That is why you need pro thanksgiving essay ideas to spice up your paper.

What is an Essay on Thanksgiving?

It is a paper that expresses a sense of gratitude that people feel for all the good things in life.

Thanksgiving happens in a variety of forms such as:

• Gifting people
• Feasting with family

Therefore, an essay about Thanksgiving Day will seek to show what led to those events and how they unfolded. Below are ideas for your Thanksgiving Day essay:

Five Paragraph Essay About Thanksgiving

Such a paper will have an appealing introduction, three body paragraphs, and a summative conclusion. Use these prompts for your body paragraphs:

• Showing gratitude for having a country where you can confidently reside
• Giving thanks for prolonged periods of peace and political tranquility
• Appreciating the gift of a home and having a shelter over your roof
• Saying thank you for the friends and relatives you have
• Show your appreciation for being able to attend school and complete successfully

Thanksgiving History Writing Ideas

Here, it would help if you traced the roots of Thanksgiving Day in America with the following pointers in mind:

• American colonies that initiated the Thanksgiving day
• The role of the Pilgrims settling in the state of Massachusetts
• How agriculture contributed to this day
• The friendship between the Iroquois Indians and the pilgrims
• Why did George Washington suggest November 26th as the day of Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving Essay – What Are You Thankful For?

There are a plethora of reasons to be thankful for every day. For instance, you can appreciate the following:

• The gift of life every morning
• Having parents who care for you
• Being taken to college
• Being spared from the devastating effects of COVID-19
• Having a sense of belonging to a family
• Ability to walk, talk, see, hear, smell or taste
• Being healed from a dreadful disease
• Having a crime-free neighborhood
• Having completed your exams successfully
• Having a laptop where you can study online

Top Writing Prompts for a Thanksgiving Dinner Essay

For a dinner party where you will give a thanksgiving speech, here are possible ideas:

• Honoring your relative (grandpa, aunt, cousin)
• Celebrating a graduation ceremony
• Felicitations for a marriage proposal
• Giving thanks for a family reunion

Mary Moran Thanksgiving Essay

It is an essay touching on how Mary Moran, a Rhode Island schoolgirl, won a state Thanksgiving essay contest. It was in 1973, where she wrote a piece about the absurdity of Thanksgiving. Use these ideas for your inspiration:

• How dissatisfaction is the cause of unhappiness
• How faith can provide one with comfort and strength
• Why people are not thankful because they are not happy

What Thanksgiving Means to Me Essay Prompts

There are different meanings of Thanksgiving, depending on the context. Here are some of the implications:

• A natural impulse to the kindness received
• Reflecting on the deeds done to me and how I responded to them
• A time of feasting and celebrating
• A time of coming together

Now, let’s explore a thanksgiving narrative essay for your inspiration:

Being in a family is one of the most incredible things that ever happened to me. The gift of a mother, father, and two siblings thrills my heart at its thought. Not that it is a perfect family but that even in the imperfections, I give thanks for them. My mother is my most significant pillar. She is one person I can confidently lean on and trust despite any circumstance. I remember a time when I messed up in school, and I went back home. She lovingly spoke to me and took me back to school. There are many instances when she has supported me and held my hand in every step of the way. Having a father is a privilege that many yearn for every day. Whenever I head home from school, I know of someone who will scold me and buy me a present. He is always concerned about my performance in school, wanting to bring the best out of me. He indeed is a rock that firmly holds me from swaying here and there. And then there are these two loves, my little brother and sister. Stubborn and annoying as they may be, these two have been my best friends. In them, I have found real friends, confidants, and support systems. I can freely talk with them and feel renewed. All my sorrows melt away, and I am brave again to fight my battles. Indeed, blood is thicker than water. Belonging to a family is one of the greatest blessings I consider myself to have. I feel secure, healthy, supported, and, most of all, genuinely loved with them. They are like that guardian angel, always by your side.

Thanksgiving Essay – Easier Than It Seems

Writing a Thanksgiving essay is not that big of a deal, after all. The secret is to identify the specific aspect you are thankful for and build on it. If you are short of a specific one, do not worry, you can right on just about anything – even the air.

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80 Thanksgiving Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best thanksgiving topic ideas & essay examples, 🎓 good research topics about thanksgiving, ⭐ simple & easy thanksgiving essay titles, ❓ thanksgiving research questions.

• A Tradition of the Thanksgiving Day I liked the dinner not only because it was a very delicious, but also of the atmosphere which was during the preparation of the evening.
• Thanksgiving History and Significance This holiday is celebrated with a lot of merrymaking and communal Thanksgiving as it is the day celebrated with an aim of showing gratitude for all the great things that life has given to a […]
• Thanksgiving in Canada vs. Uraza Bayram in the UAE The main tradition of Thanksgiving is to spend this day in the circle of family and close friends, to be with those to whom people are grateful for every minute of communication.
• “No Room for Scrooges This Thanksgiving” by Ellen Goodman As a journalist and a columnist, the author employs a style that appears to be a paradox to bring out the characteristics of the American nation.
• Thanksgiving Dinner Preparations The plates have to be placed at the center of the table in front of the guest and the knives and spoons on the right side of the guest.
• Thanksgiving Day in the United States The purpose of current essay is to provide the analysis of Thanksgiving Day’s historical cultural patterns of celebration in the past and now.
• Thanksgiving Day and Its History Myth This event is treated as the first Thanksgiving dinner, which started a tradition that is a couple of centuries old. In addition, there are doubts that the festival could be organized in November since the […]
• The History of Thanksgiving in the United States The author evaluates the evolution of Thanksgiving in the US. The focus was on the adoption of Thanksgiving among the middle-class and poor families during the 19th century.
• Thanksgiving Dinner: Colorful and Joyfully Event During the course of my study in America, I got to meet and mingle with different people who from each I was able to at least gain something.
• History of Thanksgiving: The Legendary Indians and Pilgrim Myth It is fictional to believe that the Pilgrims held the first thanksgiving ceremony. Many people believe that thanksgiving is a ceremony that is related to the family.
• Thanksgiving’s Day History: From Showing Gratefulness to God to National Holiday It hence makes much sense to conclude this essay by attesting to the fact that for a fulfilling commemoration of the thanksgiving event, the satisfaction of almost all the human senses is deemed necessary.
• Thanksgiving vs. Christmas There are a variety of ways to understand the importance of these two but the best way perhaps is to see it from the eyes of a child.
• Thanksgiving and It’s Celebrating
• Pilgrims First Thanksgiving: History and Traditions
• Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: An Annual Parade in New York City
• The First Thanksgiving and President George Washington
• How Thanksgiving Started: Celebrating the Harvest and Other Blessings of the Past Year
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• The Plymouth Thanksgiving Story
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Thanksgiving Essay | Essay on Thanksgiving for Students and Children in English

February 14, 2024 by Prasanna

Thanksgiving Essay: Thanksgiving is a vital occasion in present-day American culture. Individuals all through America take additional consideration to make this day a paramount and cheerful festival. This practice has been in the American way of life since 1621 when it initially began. Despite the fact that this practice has been modified and changed the importance and significance stays as before. The principal Thanksgiving was a significant milestone and made an immense engraving in the American culture today.

At that point and Now Thanksgiving is an occasion that started many years prior. It was a festival of various things. Perhaps the main explanations behind the festival were appreciation that large numbers of the Pilgrims endure the primary year of their new lives in America. Today, be that as it may, Thanksgiving appears to have an altogether different significance to individuals. Their principal center isn’t being appreciative for the things they have, yet needing more.

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Short Essay on Thanksgiving 350 Words in English

The occasion of Thanksgiving is a practice begun by the Pilgrims and Indians. Together they shared the products of the recently settled America. Thanksgiving Day is a shared festival set apart as a feeling of appreciation individuals feel for every one of the beneficial things throughout everyday life. This is finished by offering supplications, gifting your precious ones. Its starting point can be followed back to the sixteenth century when the primary thanksgiving supper is said to have occurred. Also, the fourth Thursday in the period of November is set apart for the yearly festival.

Thanksgiving is a period for gifting your loved ones. The day is an opportunity to show your appreciation and regard to your seniors, companions, your kin and furthermore your associates. Famous blessings incorporate thanksgiving blossoms, gems, prepared treat hampers, chocolate blessing bins, confections and wine.

Thanksgiving Day is a family celebration celebrated with excitement in the US and Canada. Thanksgiving Day Festival remembers the blowout held by the Pilgrim settlers and individuals from the Wampanoag individuals at Plymouth in 1621.

On this day individuals offer thanks to God for his endowments and express appreciation to darlings for their affection and backing. Devouring with family is a vital and most brilliant piece of Thanksgiving Day festivities. The family feast is a significant practice during Thanksgiving. The whole family finds a spot at the table during supper and offers a petition to the Lord Almighty for his consistent elegance. The conventional stuffed turkey embellishes each supper table during the banquet.

At last, Thanksgiving allows Americans daily to invest energy with loved ones. We as a whole reflect, at the otherworldly second when we initially take a seat at the occasional table, how God has favored the United States of America for 200 and 35 years with spilling over cornucopia, unbound political and strict opportunities, and financial freedom. Allow us additionally to stop briefly to petition God for and recall the individuals who have made a definitive penance to shield our opportunities who ensured and protected their country.

Long Essay on Thanksgiving 900 Words in English

Thanksgiving is likewise about expressing gratitude toward and liking all that we have. Some of the time we get excessively occupied with our day-by-day lives to remind ourselves how honored we are. For instance, we must be grateful for being sound, for having food on the table, for having a house where to take up residence and for some different things around us. Thanksgiving is a fun chance. We do that by contemplating the individuals who are not as favored as us. I recall when I worked at Good shepherd hospital – each November, particularly on Thanksgiving eve and Thanksgiving Day, individuals from different associations, and even people who didn’t have a place with any association, visited the patients who were hospitalized for quite a while frame, or patients who were destitute, or who had no family. Maybe we can do that throughout the year at the same time, in the event that we have not, Thanksgiving is the update; it is the reminder of the year for recollecting what we ought to be appreciative for.

Another extraordinary thing about Thanksgiving is the custom of giving and sharing. It begins with offering food to one another. Individuals give cash and food to nearby associations like the Salvation Army; cash that will be circulated to the individuals who are out of luck. Some others give their time by chipping in at the food communities like Manna Food. While there, the volunteers coordinate and pack the gifts, and prepare them for circulation on Thanksgiving Eve or Thanksgiving Day.

At the time that numerous families either go to or have Thanksgiving gatherings – and appreciate imparting the food and joy to their families and companions – numerous volunteers are headed to convey the pre-arranged nourishment for families out of luck. Destitution, sickness, vagrancy, and numerous different reasons may keep people and families from planning or purchasing Thanksgiving supper. I recollect each year, precisely several weeks prior to Thanksgiving, the volunteers at the volunteer office at Shady Grove Hospital were caught up with pressing the gifts, which were made by the clinic’s workers. Assisting with that cycle made me inexpressibly pleased with the warmth and perpetual bliss.

Thanksgiving has a straightforward, mainstream, and general message, and each one with various foundations, various religions, and various societies can follow it. The message of satisfaction, consideration, and gratefulness aren’t about race, shading, religion, or sexual orientation; it is about each person with essence.

Thanksgiving has an exceptional spot in my heart on the grounds that my better half and my more youthful child’s birthday celebrations are near Thanksgiving, and in some cases on Thanksgiving Day. November 24 is my better half’s birthday and November 23 is my child’s birthday. We generally have an additional festival during our Thanksgiving party. For the most part, I have the Thanksgiving gathering as opposed to going to my companion’s home, and notwithstanding a conventional Thanksgiving supper, I make my significant other’s and my child’s number one food. Another diverse thing about Thanksgiving in my family is the birthday cake. We serve pumpkin pie and a birthday cake. Requesting a birthday cake for Thanksgiving Day is practically unimaginable, and tracking down an ordinary, yet new, birthday cake is exceptionally troublesome. Having two birthday celebrations at an equivalent time as Thanksgiving is extraordinary, and reminds me more about how honored I am.

For some Americans, Thanksgiving festivity isn’t finished until they go out on the town to shop on Friday in the wake of Thanksgiving, which is called Black Friday. Numerous stores promote less expensive costs on heaps of things, and numerous individuals burn through all Friday shopping at various stores. One of my companions finishes her Christmas shopping each Black Friday. She has a rundown of things she needs, and a rundown of the stores that she needs to visit. She believes that she sets aside a ton of cash, yet I don’t know whether I would prefer to do that. I think it is more about ad and how much retailers need to sell, and individuals feel that they get an extraordinary arrangement, yet it is only a decent arrangement.

Thanksgiving is an American occasion that carries warmth and bliss to pretty much every American’s supper table. Thanksgiving has instructed me that I can impart my satisfaction to others without having a place with a particular race, religion, or gathering. All in all, I can act naturally and still observe Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is the best season for families to get together, party, eat and even shop. As a foreigner, I observe Thanksgiving with my family and my local area, and I am so glad for that.

I desire to keep on observing Thanksgiving, yet I believe it’s additionally imperative to make sure to be grateful consistently, and not simply on Thanksgiving Day. Every year I remind myself to not simply be grateful on the day and to convey the inclination with me. Being grateful can make an individual more joyful, as they will see the value in the things that they typically disregard. Numerous families on Thanksgiving Day circumvent the supper table and say one thing that they are appreciative of. At the point when I pose myself this inquiry, it truly makes me think, however, there is such a huge amount to be grateful for. In the vast majority’s lives, they go during their time whining, however, that is a horrible quality of life.

Thanksgiving isn’t just a day for me to recall everything that I have that is so acceptable; it is additionally a period for me to disregard the entirety of the issues. In the event that individuals figured out how to zero in like this on the encouraging points throughout everyday life, I figure they would appreciate every day more. There would be less disdain on the planet, and individuals would figure out how to see the value in the easily overlooked details that light up their day.

FAQ’s on Thanksgiving Essay

Question 1. Why is thanksgiving important?

Answer: Thanksgiving is significant in light of the fact that it’s a positive and mainstream occasion where we praise appreciation, something that we don’t do what’s necessary nowadays. It’s likewise a festival of the fall gathering. It’s an occasion that is ideal for social affairs with friends and family and offering thanks for our endowments.

Question 2. What is the history of thanksgiving?

Answer: Thanksgiving Day is a public occasion in the United States, and Thanksgiving 2021 happens on Thursday, November 25. In 1621, the Plymouth pilgrims and Wampanoag Native Americans shared a pre-winter reap feast that is recognized today as one of the first Thanksgiving festivities in quite a while.

Question 3. What does thanksgiving mean?

Answer: Thanksgiving has consistently been viewed as a strict occasion expressing appreciation to God. The principal thanksgiving was commended by expressing appreciation to God and the Native Americans for assisting the Pilgrims with enduring the brutal winter climate.

Question 4. What is the most important part of thanksgiving?

Answer: The main Thanksgiving custom is a major dinner with family or companions. Some particular dishes I love are macaroni and cheddar, cranberry relish, and obviously pumpkin pie

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How I Spent My Thanksgiving

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Essays on Thanksgiving

Need to write a Thanksgiving essay? Consult our Thanksgiving essay samples for facts and notes about this awesome holiday. Thanksgiving is a harvest festival, celebrated mainly in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving essays explore the history of this day as well as its many traditions. The main idea of Thanksgiving was “giving thanks” – expressing gratitude and appreciation to God for a bountiful harvest, good health, and other blessings. In the US, Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November, while in Canada – on the second Monday of October. Many essays on Thanksgiving boil down the main traditions of Thanksgiving to feasting on roasted turkey and pumpkin pie and giving thanks for the good that the current year brought. We prepared some essay samples below that you can check out if you need some tips for your essays.

1. In my house, one of the most critical ritual meals is the Thanksgiving feast, which must include a stuffed turkey. It is an important feast for thanksgiving and reaffirming ideas and assumptions relevant to American cultural and social solidarity (Williams-Forson, 2008). The family gathered physically and emotionally for the...

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My Ten-Hour Carrier Learning Project at Friendly House After my ten-hour carrier learning project at Friendly House in Worcester, I learned a lot about the community service, food pantry, immigration service, and after school programs. In this paper, I reflect on the matters I achieved during this service learning, as expected...

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Traditions are practices or values that are handed on in a culture because of their symbolic meaning. Throughout the world, diverse cultures adopt and follow a number of rituals that have important significance for them. Specifically, many rituals have been followed for thousands of years without sacrificing their significance. The...

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Thanksgiving Essay Example

Type of paper: Essay

Topic: Thanksgiving , Life , Friendship , Friends , Time , Opportunity , Black Friday , Nation

Words: 1300

Published: 02/01/2020

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Introduction

Traditionally, Thanksgiving is an occasion, mainly celebrated in the US and Canada, to offer special thanks to the almighty in appreciation of the abundance of food and happiness blessing our lives. In celebration of Thanksgiving, people get together with their friends and family over gourmet food and feasting meal comprised of delicacies including roasted turkey, potatoes, stuffing, dainty vegetables and pumpkin pies. A national holiday Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November in the US. Thanksgiving is a popular time of the year when people meet their families, travel extensively and indulge in a binge of shopping. Since there are many discounts offered on almost on all the goods sold in shops, it is a favorite season for shopping. Being a national holiday, most of the government offices, schools, colleges, universities, business houses remain closed on Thanksgiving. The entire country wears a festive look and revels in the madness of the celebration on this day. Going forward in this article, I would like to delve deeper into the subject of Thanksgiving by throwing light on its historical background, the purpose of its celebration, misinterpretation of Thanksgiving by the current generation and Thanksgiving viewed from the eyes of a foreigner spending his first Thanksgiving in the states.

History of Thanksgiving

The history of Thanksgiving dates back to the fall of 1621 when pilgrims and native Americans celebrated the joy of their successful harvest in Plymouth, Massachusetts amidst a three day long feast of fresh produce and merrymaking. But the mere celebration of good harvest did not translate into an annual celebration or national holiday overnight. What set the base for celebration in 1621 later on morphed into a sporadic tradition of offering thanks for specific blessings of life including the end of a drought, good harvest or a win in a particular battle. It was only in 1777 in the month of October that 13 colonies came together in celebration of Thanksgiving in unison. Thanksgiving got a national recognition in 1789 with President George Washington announcing Thursday, November 26 to be a day of prayer and thanksgiving in acknowledgement of the opportunity to offer thanks for the formation of a new nation and a viable constitution. Still, Thanksgiving didn't become an annual celebration. It was due to the efforts taken by a lady called Sarah Josepha Hale that the concept of modern day celebration of annual Thanksgiving came into picture. At a time when the civil war was bearing down on the integrity of United States, on her suggestion the then president Abraham Lincoln took the opportunity of bringing the nation together by declaring the last Thursday of November as a day of Thanksgiving, thereby awarding it a status of a national and annual holiday. The successive presidents of Lincoln honoring the tradition set by him proclaimed the last Thursday of November to be a day of Thanksgiving. Only aberration occurred in 1939 during the tenure of President Franklin D. Roosevelt who taking the complaint of retailers into consideration pre-poned the day of Thanksgiving a week earlier, giving rise to a lot of controversy.

Purpose of Thanksgiving

In our busy day to day life, we often forget to be thankful for the simple things that we enjoy but take for granted, such as food, clothing, health, shelter, job, family and friends. Thanksgiving gives us the opportunity to be grateful for what we have and offer our support to people who are going through some rough phases of their lives by inviting them to be a part of a Thanksgiving dinner and lighten them up. The purpose of Thanksgiving not only lies in being thankful for what we have but in giving back the joys we have to people around us who are in suffering. It is a time when getting together with friends and family, we refresh our memories by looking back to some beautiful moments of our life and recreate new memories. It is that time of the year when people forget their differences in opinion and conflict partaking in the celebration of unity and of being thankful.

Misinterpretation of Thanksgiving by the Current Generation

Black Friday is the day that comes right after Thanksgiving, kickstarting a shopping season for Christmas. Now due to the retailers all around the United States giving a whopping discounts on Black Friday, Thanksgiving is losing its purpose as there are many people who try to get over with their Thanksgiving dinner as quickly as possible to line in a queue for hours, shove their way into the retail stores to avail the special discounts offered on Black Friday. In order to manage the rush of frenzied shoppers, many stores open in the wee hours of Thanksgiving and therefore, people who wait the entire year to make use of this moment of opportunity of purchasing goods in an unusually lower price choose shopping on Black Friday over their Thanksgiving dinner. The melee over availing the Black Friday deals is very unnerving. There have been instances of an employee in Wal-Mart having been crushed under the feet of frantic consumers trying to get hold of the items on sale. Such incidents are becoming largely common these days. Therefore, it is time when we should reflect back and think if in the rush of getting good deals, are we not corroding the age-old essence of Thanksgiving along with our morals? Thanksgiving is a day meant to be spent with family and friends in appreciation for the simple things of our life and not in chasing good deals.

Thanksgiving in the Eyes of a Foreigner

I am foreign to US, having come a long way from an Asian country. Last year was the first time I had the opportunity of spending Thanksgiving in the US. I was invited to a dinner thrown by a friend. I was thoroughly impressed by the Thanksgiving tradition of offering thanks for the little pleasures of life we bask in. The food, feasting and the conversation contributed to making my first Thanksgiving dinner a memorable one. I felt truly blessed of being a part of this wonderful custom that Thanksgiving offers.

Thanksgiving is a meaningful occasion, coming on the fourth Thursday of November that gives us an opportunity to spend time with family and friends in reflection of the good things we have in our life. The tradition of Thanksgiving dating back to as early as 1621 did not change into a national holiday and an annual celebration overnight, taking few hundred years for the official Thanksgiving date to be announced. The purpose of Thanksgiving in being thankful and spreading the joys around is, however, losing its substance in the face of a huge craze over Black Friday shopping with stores beginning to open in the wee hours of Thanksgiving night. The current generation of people indulge themselves more in pursuing the deals offered on Black Friday than spending a night of festivity among friends. Personally my tryst with Thanksgiving has been a wonderful one. Having been invited over dinner to a friend's house, I have got the opportunity to indulge in the tradition of feasting and offering thanks for every simple pleasure of life. The very essence and purpose of the entire celebration is so meaningful that one is bound to bask in its glory, whether Christian or not.

- How FDR Changed Thanksgiving, Jennifer Rosenberg, http://history1900s.about.com/od/1930s/a/thanksgiving.html(15th April 2013) - The purpose of Thanksgiving, Kat Ballew, November 2010, http://www.helium.com/items/2012265-what-is-thanksgiving-the-purpose-of-thanksgiving-the-real-meaning-of-thanksgiving (15th April 2013) - Is Black Friday edging out Thanksgiving?, Bob Greene, November 19, 2012, http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/18/opinion/greene-black-friday (15th April 2013)

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My Thanksgiving

Migrant, refugee, gay: you’re all welcome at this table.

By Masha Gessen

• Nov. 14, 2017

I went online in search of a picture of my mother — it was an anniversary of her death, and I was on the road somewhere, and I wanted a picture. My mother, a Russian-language literary critic, died in 1992. There were no pictures and very few of her pieces to be found, but here was one, a short essay on emigration:

How does a strange land become your home? I don’t know. It’s a mysterious and incomprehensible process. Yet, bit by bit, the streets of a strange city take on memories of their own and you stop wandering along them like a detached shadow — you become a traveler like all the others. “Absolute homelessness is unbearable,” writes Leszek Kolakowski, a Polish philosopher living in London. “It would mean a rejection of human existence.” So we build our home in a strange land, and then we can return home from travels to Paris, London, Amsterdam, or Jerusalem. Even when we had the unexpected, incredible chance to travel to Moscow, we left Moscow — to go home. There is a striking duality to émigré consciousness. We mix up our pronouns: we, they, ours, yours, who/where are we after all that? We are people who have built our home on American land and who have gained a home here.

I write this on the eve of the most American of holidays …

I caught my breath here: Was my mother about to mention the Fourth of July?

Thanksgiving, the holiday of the Pilgrims who marked the first anniversary of their arrival in the promised land and celebrated their triumph over the hurdles of early emigration. This will be my eleventh Thanksgiving in America. And though I have a persistent aversion to the very concept of patriotism, thanks to the forced lessons of “Soviet patriotism,” I find myself saying “thank you” to a world we have chosen and mastered, a world that has been kind to us. This is an imperfect world, a complicated one, at times impossible to understand and it has become our home.

I’ve reread this passage several times in the couple of years since I found it, and I keep discovering new things in it. I like how my mother uses the word “world” instead of “country,” “nation” or “land.” Immigration is different from simply moving, precisely because it feels like passing from one world to a different one. I like that the person who finds a home is, nonetheless, a “traveler” — the journey is never-ending. I like her measured, even skeptical embrace of the holiday, and the messy and sometimes infuriating country for which it stands. And the last time I reread it, I liked the focus on mixing up pronouns: I have been thinking of wandering among pronouns a lot lately.

Nine accomplished writers share their stories of the holiday.

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Believe it or not, but Thanksgiving is a scant two weeks away. Don’t worry, the time will slip by even quicker after Thanksgiving break — with courses trying to cram in as much learning, exams and essays before finals, it will be winter break before you know it! As partial as I am to the winter holidays, however, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. In fact, I like a lot of aspects about Thanksgiving — except for its less than idealistic origins, although the holiday’s meaning has developed beyond the pilgrims and Native Americans. We can celebrate respectfully by being cognizant of Thanksgiving’s history and enjoying other elements of the holiday, such as the time spent with people we care about and reflecting on what we are thankful for. Although I love the coziness of fall, curating an autumnal outfit and feasting on traditional Thanksgiving foods — which I believe will be explored in  Hollieats  next week — with family and friends, one new thing I am thankful for this year is being able to imbibe some festive drinks. Whether you’re hosting a Thanksgiving dinner, hoping to whip up something for the event you’re attending or wanting to spice up your drink line-up before the holiday, check out these two Thanksgiving drink ideas: a quick but flavorful cocktail and a fruity punch for a larger crowd. 

Cranberry Moscow Mule  

Those who have followed Thirsty Thursday this semester may know that this writer is partial to ginger in their drink — so it’s no surprise that the Moscow mule is one of their favorite cocktails. Refreshing, simple and easy to customize, master the mule for your Thanksgiving gathering by adding a seasonal twist of crisp cranberry. Check out this recipe from  Spoonful of Flavor : 

Ingredients 

– 4 ounces ginger beer 

– 4 ounces cranberry juice cocktail 

– 2 ounces dark rum or vodka  

– 1 lime, cut in half 

– Crushed ice cubes 

– Fresh or frozen cranberries 

– Instructions 

• Place 1 cup crushed ice in copper mug (optional, but the classic Moscow mule container) 
• Add ginger beer, cranberry juice, rum and the juice of a squeezed half lime in a cocktail shaker filled with ice 

– Another option: omit ginger beer at this step and pour over just before serving 

• Stir or very gently shake, then pour into the copper mug 

– Do not overshake the mixture, as there’s ginger beer in the drink 

• Top with cranberries, garnish with a lime wedge and serve. 
• Drink up! 

Harvest Punch  

A fruity punch is a fun option for larger gatherings, as you don’t have to do too much of the meticulous measuring and prep for individual drinks every time someone finishes their glass. My family usually has some form of a classic red punch for the holidays, like sangria, but maybe we’ll switch it up with this  Thanksgiving punch from Thyme and Joy.  It has all the favorite fall flavors like apple, pumpkin spice and cranberries. You could easily make it non-alcoholic by omitting the champagne, or even boozier by adding some vodka or whisky — pick your poison. 

Ingredients  

– 1 gallon apple cider 

– 48 ounces of ginger ale and champagne 

– Adjust the proportion according to your alcohol preference: go full cocktail by completing replacing the ginger ale, or keep the ginger flavor by going half and half or three-fourths and a quarter 

– 1 red apple, sliced thin 

– 1 green apple, sliced thin 

– 1 navel orange, sliced thin 

– 1 cup frozen cranberries 

– 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice 

Instructions 

• In a two-gallon drink jar/bowl, add 2 cups apple cider 
• Whisk in pumpkin pie spice until any clumps are gone 
• Add the remaining apple cider 
• Add in the ginger ale and/or champagne 
• Add apples, oranges and cranberries to the jar and stir gently 
• Refrigerate for two to three hours before serving cold, either in the bowl or in garnished glasses 

The punch will keep for three to four days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. 

• Thanksgiving
• Thirsty Thursday

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25 Thanksgiving poems to share at the dinner table this year

Besides pumpkin pie, there's nothing sweeter than sharing a Thanksgiving meal with friends and family.

We eagerly anticipate Thanksgiving's delicious food offerings — including turkey, sweet potato casserole, and all things pumpkin spice — but the best part of the holiday is spending time with our loved ones.

If you're looking for the right words to express your gratitude — or if it's your turn to say the Thanksgiving blessing at the table — there's nothing better than a meaningful Thanksgiving poem to capture the ethos of the holiday.

These poems and quotes from famous poets like Emily Dickinson, Langston Hughes, and E. E. Cummings will add a little bit of literary inspiration to this year's celebration.

There's a poem for every sentiment, whether you want to express your appreciation for your family or highlight the incredible food on the Thanksgiving table.

“A Song of Thanks” by Edward Smyth Jones is a perfect way to show your gratitude, while “The Pumpkin” by John Greenleaf Whittier is an equally heartfelt and humorous musing on one of the holiday's most beloved dishes.

Share one of these poems at the dinner table, or include a few in your Thanksgiving cards or messages.

Whether you're traveling back to your hometown or making memories in a new place, these Thanksgiving poems from notable writers and poets will capture all the sentiments of the season.

'Thanksgiving Turkey' by George Parsons Lathrop

“Welcome, brothers—all our party

  Gathered in the homestead old!

Shake the snow off and with hearty

  Hand-shakes drive away the cold;

  Else your plate you’ll hardly hold

Of good Thanksgiving turkey.”

Read the full poem at Poetry.org .

'The Pumpkin' by John Greenleaf Whittier

“Ah! on Thanksgiving day, when from East and from West,

From North and from South come the pilgrim and guest,

When the gray-haired New Englander sees round his board

The old broken links of affection restored,

When the care-wearied man seeks his mother once more,

And the worn matron smiles where the girl smiled before.”

Read the full poem at Poetry Foundation.

'A Song for Merry Harvest" by Eliza Cook

“Awake, then, all! ’tis Nature’s call, and every voice that lives

Shall welcome merry harvest, and bless the God that gives.”

Read the full poem at Poetry.org.

'Thanksgiving' by James Whitcomb Riley

“Let us be thankful—not only because

  Since last our universal thanks were told

We have grown greater in the world’s applause,

  And fortune’s newer smiles surpass the old.”

'One day is there of the series' by Emily Dickinson

“One day is there of the series

Termed “Thanksgiving Day”

Celebrated part at table

Part in memory.”

'Thanksgiving Day' by Lydia Maria Child

“Over the river and through the wood,

To grandfather’s house we go;

The horse knows the way

To carry the sleigh

Through the white and drifted snow.”

'Thanksgiving for Two' by Marjorie Saiser

“What we didn’t see was this day, in

our pajamas if we want to,

wrinkled hands strong, wine

in juice glasses, toasting

whatever’s next,

the decades of side-by-side,

our great good luck.”

'The Soldier’s Thanksgiving' by Lydia Baxter

“Our table, though humble, we’ll thankfully fill,

While home, with its loved ones, our bosoms shall thrill;

We’ll join in the banquet they freely bestow,

Then onward to duty we’ll joyfully go.”

Read the full poem at the Library of Congress .

'Thanksgiving' by Edgar Albert Guest

“Home from the east land an’ home from the west,

Home with the folks that are dearest an’ best.

Out of the sham of the cities afar

We’ve come for a time to be just what we are.”

  Read the full poem at Poetry Foundation .

'The Traveling Onion' by Naomi Shihab Nye

“It is right that tears fall

for something small and forgotten.

How at meal, we sit to eat,

commenting on texture of meat or herbal aroma

but never on the translucence of onion,

now limp, now divided,

or its traditionally honorable career:

For the sake of others,

disappear.”

  Read the full poem at Poets.org.

 ‘Perhaps the World Ends Here’ by Joy Harjo

“Our dreams drink coffee with us as they put their arms around our children. They laugh with us at our poor falling-down selves and as we put ourselves back together once again at the table.”

Read the full poem at Poetry Foundation .

'A Song of Thanks' by Edward Smyth Jones

"For the pumpkin sweet and the yellow yam,

For the corn and beans and the sugared ham,

For the plum and the peach and the apple red,

For the dear old press where the wine is tread ... "

“Let our laughter

 Leap like firelight up again.

Soon we touch the wide Hereafter,

Snow-field yet untrod of men:

Shall we meet once more—and when?—

To eat Thanksgiving turkey.”

Read the full poem at Poets.org .  

'When Giving is All We Have' by Alberto Rìos

“Giving is, first and every time, hand to hand,

Mine to yours, yours to mine.

You gave me blue and I gave you yellow.

Together we are simple green. You gave me

What you did not have, and I gave you

What I had to give—together, we made

Something greater from the difference.”

Read the full poem at Poets.org.

'A Thanksgiving Poem' by C.S. Vincent

“In sixteen hundred twenty-three,

The corn-fields yielded plenteously,

The pumpkins looked like balls of gold,

Wild turkeys came in flocks untold,

Dire famine fled to parts unknown,

So plenty everywhere was strown,

And every heart rejoiced and sang

Till with thanksgiving forests rang.”

Read the full poem at the Library of Congress.

'Thanksgiving Time' by Langston Hughes

“When the pantry jars are full of mince-meat and the shelves are laden with sweet spices for a cake,

When the butcher man sends up a turkey nice and fat to bake,

When the stores are crammed with everything ingenious cooks can make,

It’s Thanksgiving Time!”

Read the full poem at Lehigh University .

'Thanksgiving' by Ella Wheeler Wilcox

“But blessing are like friends, I hold,

Who love and labor near us.

We ought to raise our notes of praise

While living hearts can hear us.”

'Testify' by Eve L. Ewing

“& still we are golden

& a man who wore the walk

of hard grounds & lost days

came toward me in the street

& said ‘girl what a beautiful

day’ & i said yes, testify"

'Miracles' by Giannina Braschi

“Like finding camaraderie and solidarity among friends you never thought could be your friends.

Like understanding the other—not loving the other—but putting yourself in the

shoes of the other—not to take their position—not to steal what the other

has—but to feel what the other feels—to appreciate his thoughts.”

'Thanksgiving' by Bessie Lawrence

“Oh, the golden heart-warming autumn days!

The air is full of a dreamy haze:

So quiet the noisy brooklets seem,

We hear their dashing as in a dream.

The sloping hill-sides, and mountains grand,

In a blaze of glory gorgeous stand,

Red, and yellow, and golden brown,

A mass of color fluttering down ...”

'i thank you God for most this amazing day' by E.E. Cummings

“i thank You God for most this amazing

day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees

and a blue true dream of sky; and for everything

which is natural which is infinite which is yes.”

Listen to the full poem at Poetry Foundation.

'Thanks' by W.S. Merwin

“with the animals dying around us

our lost feelings we are saying thank you

with the forests falling faster than the minutes

of our lives we are saying thank you

with the words going out like cells of a brain

with the cities growing over us

we are saying thank you faster and faster

with nobody listening we are saying thank you

we are saying thank you and waving

dark though it is”

Read the full poem at www.poets.org .

'America, I Sing Back' by Allison Adelle Hedge Coke

“Oh, but here I am, here I am, here, I remain high on each and every peak,

carefully rumbling her great underbelly, prepared to pour forth singing—

and sing again I will, as I have always done.

Never silenced unless in the company of strangers, singing

the stoic face, polite repose, polite, while dancing deep inside, polite

Mother of her world. Sister of myself.”

'The Raincoat' by Ada Limón

“ ... and I saw a mom take her raincoat off

and give it to her young daughter when

a storm took over the afternoon. My god,

I thought, my whole life I’ve been under her

raincoat thinking it was somehow a marvel

that I never got wet.”

'Red Brocade' by Naomi Shihab Nye

“Your plate is waiting.

We will snip fresh mint

into your tea.”

Celebrate the season of gratitude

• 60 best Thanksgiving songs to play during dinner and beyond
• 20 Thanksgiving movies to watch with your kids this holiday season
• 42 Thanksgiving traditions to start with family and friends this year

Stephanie L. King is a city girl who now lives in New Jersey’s bear country. The married mother of two has never met a homemade chocolate chip cookie or nap she didn’t like. She and her beloved husband enjoy making up random songs for their kids and having family dance parties in their kitchen. She’s an educator, writer, editor and poet whose work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The Patriot-News and OprahDaily.com. 

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