Thanksgiving: A Holiday of Food, Family, and Gratitude
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custom
pleasures
colonists
sauce
origins
appreciate
Native Americans
stuffing
dessert
parade
feast
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holidays
gravy
harvest
mashed
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thankful
celebrate
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crops
traditional
Thanksgiving is one of the most important in the United States. Every year on the fourth Thursday of November, Americans with family and friends to share a special meal and give thanks for the good things in their lives.
The of Thanksgiving go back to 1621, when English called Pilgrims celebrated their first successful in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The Pilgrims had arrived on a ship called the Mayflower one year earlier. Their first winter in America was extremely difficult, and many people died from cold and hunger. However, the who lived in the area helped the Pilgrims learn how to grow like corn and catch fish. When autumn came and the harvest was good, the Pilgrims wanted to . They invited their Native American neighbors to join them for a three-day .
Today's Thanksgiving celebrations are quite different from that first meal in 1621. The Thanksgiving dinner usually includes turkey, which is why some people call Thanksgiving "Turkey Day." The meal also features (a mixture of bread and herbs cooked inside the turkey), potatoes with , sweet potatoes, cranberry , and various vegetables. For , many families serve pumpkin pie or apple pie.
Modern Thanksgiving has several special traditions. Many families watch American football games on television, and New York City holds a famous with giant balloons. Some people at shelters to serve meals to people who don't have homes. Others use the day to start their Christmas shopping, as many stores offer big the next day, which is called "Black Friday."
The most important tradition, however, is taking time to express gratitude. Before eating, many families go around the table and each person says what they are for. This reminds everyone to the good things they have, from health and family to simple like a warm home and delicious food.
The of Thanksgiving go back to 1621, when English called Pilgrims celebrated their first successful in Plymouth, Massachusetts. The Pilgrims had arrived on a ship called the Mayflower one year earlier. Their first winter in America was extremely difficult, and many people died from cold and hunger. However, the who lived in the area helped the Pilgrims learn how to grow like corn and catch fish. When autumn came and the harvest was good, the Pilgrims wanted to . They invited their Native American neighbors to join them for a three-day .
Today's Thanksgiving celebrations are quite different from that first meal in 1621. The Thanksgiving dinner usually includes turkey, which is why some people call Thanksgiving "Turkey Day." The meal also features (a mixture of bread and herbs cooked inside the turkey), potatoes with , sweet potatoes, cranberry , and various vegetables. For , many families serve pumpkin pie or apple pie.
Modern Thanksgiving has several special traditions. Many families watch American football games on television, and New York City holds a famous with giant balloons. Some people at shelters to serve meals to people who don't have homes. Others use the day to start their Christmas shopping, as many stores offer big the next day, which is called "Black Friday."
The most important tradition, however, is taking time to express gratitude. Before eating, many families go around the table and each person says what they are for. This reminds everyone to the good things they have, from health and family to simple like a warm home and delicious food.