Thanks! Didn't you know either then?! I don't feel so bad now!!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!! Black friday is one of the CRAZIEST days here in the U.S. There are tons of commercials on t.v. saying to get up at 3:00 am and get to the stores by 4 am and start shopping!! Not me, I already did the majority of my Christmas shopping...I can't deal with those crazy's!!!!!
Have a great day tomorrow everyone!

When the first Pilgrims (British immigrants) landed in Plymouth harbor in Massachusetts, they had a rough go of it. Lots of danger, hunger, hardship, especially the first couple years. They had a peace treaty and were allied with a local Indian tribe. One fine day they all got together and had a big feast, and the Pilgrims used that occasion to give thanks to their Maker for seeing them through it all (the survivors, anyway!)
It has been an American tradition ever since...
That is my Cliff's notes version of the story!!....

I think Abe Lincoln actually declared it a national holiday in the 1800s.
There are parades on television, lots of American Football, eating, and for those inclined getting a plan of action for the next day's shopping.

Does anyone know when the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving special is on, or did I miss it?

You missed it! It was on last night :(
The Charlie Brown Christmas special is on next Tuesday night if you can believe it!

Poopers! Well, I will make sure to see the Christmas one. I am having to share a tv now that my dad and his wife are here.

Thanksgiving is part of our national mythology. I don't think people realized what a vexed hoiliday it is. Not to be a downer but....(the literary historican in me is bursting at the seams, so apologies in advance if you find the following as disturbing as I do.)
The holiday did become official in the mid-1800s as a result of Sarah Hale's efforts. At the time, the young country was seeking to differentiate itself from European countries by establishing it's own origin story, artistic forms, etc...
However, the first day celebrated as a "Thanksgiving Day" in the Americas was in 1637. American Indians, especially in the NE, actually call Thanksgiving a Day of Mourning because of the original day. "William B. Newell, 84, talks with force as he discusses Thanksgiving. Newell, a Penobscot, has degrees from two universities, and was the former chairman of the anthropology department at the University of Connecticut.
"Thanksgiving Day was first officially proclaimed by the Governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1637 to commemorate the massacre of 700 men, women and children who were celebrating their annual green corn dance-Thanksgiving Day to them-in their own house," Newell said.
"Gathered in this place of meeting they were attacked by mercenaries and Dutch and English. The Indians were ordered from the building and as they came forth they were shot down. The rest were burned alive in the building," he said."
Governor Bradford said of his crimes in his diaries: "To see them frying in the fire, and the streams of their blood quenching the same, and the stench was horrible; but the victory seemed a sweet sacrifice and they GAVE PRAISE THEREOF TO GOD." He afterwards declared a day of Thanksgiving.
Once before this event, there was a harvest feast, mainly sponsored by the Wampanoag b/c the Puritans refused to plant the was they were directed. Consequently ,many of their crops failed. Most people like to think of this as the first Thanksgiving day--it's a much more pleasant story, except for the fact that the natives were not allowed to bring weapons to the table and there are tales that one native got his hand chopped off for stealing a silver cup. In December 1621 Edward Wisnlow wrote: "Our harvest being gotten in, our Governor sent four men on fowling, that so we might after a more special manner rejoice together, after we had gathered the fruit 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, among other Recreations, we exercised our Arms, many of the Indians coming amongst us, and among the rest their greatest King Massasoit, with some 90 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."

val wrote:Thanks! Didn't you know either then?! I don't feel so bad now!!

hehe and I should be ashamed of myself, my best friend is married to an American and she lived out in Dallas for 3 years
Lucky for me they came back to England and live round the corner, must remember to wish them Happy Thanksgiving tomorrow :D
The shopping sounds mad!

Thanks BG for the information. I think many Americans don't realize just how steeped our history is in blood shed of native peoples.

As one of those native peoples, I celebrate Thanksgiving as a day to give thanks to the Creator for all that he has provided but not so much with the historical reference of the early non-native settlers.

Lecia, I always have very mixed emotions when I see the images and documentaries of the first "Thanksgiving," realizing the true history of the native Americans after the arrival of European settlers...