The History of Thanksgiving

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THANKSGIVING The purpose of Thanksgiving in Canada is different from the Americans. But even though the reasons for giving thanks are different, many of the customs are the same. Canadian Thanksgiving was originally started to give thanks to God for a bountiful harvest. This was when there were lots of farmers that grew crops. Now we give thanks for everything we appreciate. Some farming families still give thanks for a good crop. Harvest celebrations have been around a long time. Ever since the very first harvest, about 2000 years ago, people have given thanks for a prosperous bounty. The first formal Thanksgiving was in the year 1578. A man named Martin Frobisher had given thanks for surviving his journey from England. He also gave thanks for a place that is now called Newfoundland. The celebration at Thanksgiving was also brought to Nova Scotia when Americans began to settle there. At the same time French settlers were arriving and were also having feasts of thanks. In 1879, Canadian parliament declared November 6th a day of Thanksgiving and a national holiday. The date of Thanksgiving has changed several times until January 31st, 1957, when parliament proclaimed that “the second Monday in October be a day of general Thanksgiving to the ‘Almighty God’ for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed. A big part of Thanksgiving is a Thanksgiving feast. The feast usually consists of potatoes, corn, sweet potatoes, peas, gravy, stuffing, salads, buns and lots of other great food. The main part of the feast is usually the turkey. Other families might have ham, roast beef, duck or chicken. The dessert that is most likely to follow the feast is pumpkin pie. Other people may choose different desserts and food depending on their customs and beliefs for which they choose to give thanks. Let’s not forget the biggest and most important reason for this holiday – giving THANKS! People usually give thanks for everything they have. Their jobs, health, families or just being alive are just a few of the things that people give thanks for. Thanksgiving is a time when people can create their own customs and traditions because everyone is thankful for different things. The cornucopia has become a traditional symbol of this holiday because it is commonly shown filled with grain, vegetables and fruit, the staple food that settlers would give thanks for. During Thanksgiving, my family spends time together and we have fun.

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