On the fourth Thursday of every November, Americans
celebrate Thanksgiving. Airports and roads are jammed.
More than 40 million Americans travel from state to state
to celebrate the holiday.
For many Americans, Thanksgiving is a favorite holiday because
it typically includes family, friends, food, low stress, and realistic
expectations. It's a time to relax and spend time with people who
care about each other.
Americans reach out to family and friends, and let others know
they care, as they continue to reassess personal priorities and
focus on what is important in daily life.
The holiday tends to include sharing a hearty meal of favorites –
turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin
pie. Home is the preferred place for Thanksgiving.
In most of the United States, it would not be Thanksgiving
dinner without turkey. Food warehouses offer a wide variety
of turkey.
The Internet is now jammed with a wide range of sites that offer
the ultimate collection of tips, pointers, and suggestions to help
you prepare a Thanksgiving feast, whether it is deep fry, roast,
grill or smoking a turkey.
Thanksgiving priorities are connecting with and staying close to
family and friends. Recent Gallup research says people are most
thankful for “family” and “health” at Thanksgiving.
Ninety percent of Americans celebrate Thanksgiving with family
and friends, according to Gallup. Nearly 40 percent of Americans
plan to have dinner at home, while 51 percent will visit others'
homes for the Thanksgiving meal.
Some see the entire month of November as a celebration of
Thanksgiving – a time to reflect on blessings, while others view it
as beginning a few weeks before Thanksgiving when planning
starts. For still others, the holiday begins when the cooking
starts, or not until they are in the car traveling to their
celebration destination.
Americans love Thanksgiving because it’s about family
gatherings, family traditions and a big meal – not about shopping
and commercialization. Most find it less stressful than Christmas.
Some say Thanksgiving is the only time during the year they take
time out to recognize and give thanks for all they have, and to
express their love and gratitude to family and friends.
Americans’ hopes for Thanksgiving, include growing closer,
reconnecting or reconciling with family and friends.
Some want the day to go smoothly and for everyone to get
along. Others express hope for peace in the world, safe
travel and good weather, or the desire to pass along family
traditions to their children.
Besides the feast, family activities such as taking photos,
watching sports on TV, early-morning hunting, playing touch
football in the yard, playing games, and visiting are
favorites of the day.
The biggest Thanksgiving celebration of all is the spectacular
parade organized in New York City by Macy's, which bills itself
as the world's largest department store.
Many people brave the cold, the wind, and thousands of other
spectators to attend the annual parade. Millions of others in
the United States and around the world watch the parade on
television.
Giant balloons shaped like animals and cartoon characters
float above the streets, and bands from high schools
nationwide march in the parade.
The first parade started in 1927. Many of Macy's workers
who emigrated from Europe had happy memories of holiday
festivals in Europe. So they decided to hold a public
celebration on Thanksgiving Day. Colorful parade marchers
dressed up as cowboys, cowgirls, knights in armor, giants,
and clowns. The parade always ends with the arrival of Santa
Claus at Macy's on his own float. His arrival marks the start
of the Christmas season.
Thanksgiving also is a time when Americans share what they
have with those who do not have much. Churches and other
groups provide free meals for old people, the homeless,
and the poor. Many Americans give turkeys or other food to
these groups. Some spend part of the day helping to
prepare and serve the meals.
So it is that on Thanksgiving Day each year, Americans give
thanks to Almighty God for all His blessings and mercies
toward us throughout the year.
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