This Holidays

Writen by Ronald Nelson

Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrated in North America and is generally observed as an expression of gratitude, usually to God. The most common view of its origin is that it was to give thanks to God for the bounty of the autumn harvest. Thanksgiving marks the start of the American holiday season. As autumn turns to winter, people all over the United States celebrate a vacation from work and gather with family for a traditional meal together.

It all started of when in August 1620, the Mayflower, a 180-ton ship, set sail from Southampton, England. Her 103 passengers were to become some of the founding pilgrims of the United States of America, and the creators of one of the nation's most popular holidays.

After weeks of plowing through the tumultuous Atlantic waters, battling strong winds, pounding waves and a number of problems with their vessel, the pilgrims spotted Cape Cod, off the coast of Massachusetts. The stormy weather was brewing so strongly, that they had arrived there by accident. Their intended location was off the Virginia coast, where other pilgrims had begun colonies. The next few months would prove to be difficult and trying. Of the original 103 pilgrims, only 56 survived the first, long, bleak New England winter.But, with the approaching of spring came new hope. The survivors built homes and planted crops. They made friendships with local Indian tribes, and traded with them. The passing of winter allowed the pilgrims to labor and produce, causing the colony to flourish.

After reaping their first harvest in the fall of 1621, the pilgrims dedicated a day for thanking God for the bounty He had blessed them with. They had endured the many hardships that came with pioneering a new land. They toiled through building an entire colony from what was simply wilderness. They were at peace with their neighbors. And they were especially grateful for their harvest. In 1817, the state of New York adopted Thanksgiving Day as an annual holiday. By the mid-1800s, other states likewise adopted the practice. In 1863, President Lincoln appointed it as a national holiday, and gave a Thanksgiving proclamation.

Thanksgiving Day is nowadays celebrated as a time to gather with family and friends to give thanks for the many blessings enjoyed by this nation and its citizens. It is a day for huge meals, dinner parties, get-togethers or reunions. Turkey dinners, cranberries, candied yams, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie and family gatherings—these are all commonly associated with most Americans' and Canadians' yearly celebration of giving thanks—Thanksgiving Day!On this holiday, a Thanksgiving meal is prepared with all the trimmings; families gather together and talk, while others watch a game or a parade filled with pilgrims, Indians and other colonial figures. Some families may even have their own yearly Thanksgiving traditions.

Thanksgiving Day is commonly associated with turkey -- so much, in fact, that Thanksgiving is sometimes referred to as Turkey Day. Legend says that turkey was served at the original Thanksgiving meal; in order to maintain tradition, turkey continues to be eaten at Thanksgiving today.

Sadly, people have forgotten why the day was established. Its meaning has slowly deteriorated, and is now almost completely lost under a cloud of media hype, sales pitches, marketing tactics and blitz commercialism. While many are familiar with the traditional representation of the original Thanksgiving, it is helpful to examine the purpose for which it was first celebrated. By doing this, the day's meaning will be firmly established.

Thanksgiving means a lot to the North Americans. However, the act of thanksgiving towards God should be done everywhere—everyday—by everyone! It is not just for Americans; neither should it be limited to one day a year. As Thanksgiving Day approaches, one should consider the many wonderful blessings he enjoys and be grateful for these wonderful benefits, realize that these material blessings were not given because of anything we have done but simply because of God's mercy.

One should be sure to give thanks to God in the same manner that the pilgrims did on the first Thanksgiving!