What Are You Thankful For?

It is likely that you are happy to have already completed the school week. This short week is because of the recognition for the American Thanksgiving holiday. In addition to getting Thanksgiving day off, students do not have school on Friday, making it a four-day weekend. This is the first year AISG has the day off school for Thanksgiving. Tor Peterson, an American AISG board member, made efforts to make this possible. When asked why it was important to him that the American Thanksgiving holiday be a day off school, Peterson said, “Thanksgiving, to me, is one of the most important days of the year. It is a special time to reflect on the blessings in our lives, find a moment to thank people who make our world better and think of ways to share our good fortune with others.”

So, what exactly is Thanksgiving? In the U.S., Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November and has been recognized as a national holiday since 1863. President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a day of thanksgiving. However, most people recall the 1621 feast between the Native Americans and the settlers as the first Thanksgiving.

There are various Thanksgiving traditions, but arguably the most popular is spending time with friends and family while feasting on large Thanksgiving dinners. Turkey is usually the centerpiece of the meal, and it is usually baked or roasted. In-bird stuffing, homemade mashed potatoes with turkey gravy, corn on the cob, butternut squash, candied yams, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie are some of the most popular foods. On Thanksgiving in 2014, Americans ate 51 million turkeys and ate more food than on any other day of the year.

During Thanksgiving, people watch the President “pardon” a turkey provided by the National Turkey Federation. Also, people enjoy watching professional and college football games on TV. The National Football League has been playing “Turkey Bowls” for as long as it has existed, and college football games are very common on the Friday and Saturday following Thanksgiving Day.

Another event is watching or attending a Thanksgiving parade. Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York is the most famous. It has many floats, giant balloons, and a Macy’s Santa Claus to signal that the Christmas shopping season has begun. America’s Thanksgiving Parade in Detroit is also very famous, and there are parades in many other major U.S. cities.

Lastly, another major event related to Thanksgiving is shopping on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, when huge sales abound everywhere and stores stay open late. Since 2005, this has been the busiest shopping day of the year. In 2014, 51 billion dollars were spent by 133 million shoppers.

Now, you may not have been familiar with this holiday before, and you may not be an American, but quite frankly I think we should all take this day as time to reflect on everything we have and show our gratitude. Regardless of your background, Thanksgiving serves as a day to remind us to be thankful. So, be sure to take some time to express your appreciation for all of the people around you.