Giving Thanks: The Origins and Traditions of Thanksgiving

Written By Lara Wadsworth

One of the most quintessential American holidays is Thanksgiving. With families gathered together, sharing copious amounts of food, and many groups watching either football or televised parades, it is hard to see the true origin of the Thanksgiving holiday. Growing up in America, it is part of our culture, whether you are religious or not–to go to or host a Thanksgiving Day party. Friends and family all pitch in to spend time together and recognize this national holiday. Today, these celebrations center around giving thanks, spending time with family, and celebrating autumnal flavors like pumpkin, thyme, and marjoram.

The Origins of Thanksgiving

Even before pilgrims started colonizing what we know today as The United States of America, people were celebrating Thanksgiving for centuries. Except, it was not at all like we have it today. They were religious holidays periodically proclaimed when a town or congregation had reason to rejoice. “The New England colonists were accustomed to regularly celebrating ‘Thanksgivings,’ days of prayer thanking God for blessings such as military victory or the end of a drought.” However, 1621 is generally referenced as the source material for America’s Thanksgiving holiday today.

In 1620, the famous Mayflower ship landed on the coast of New England, and with it came unprepared and starving pilgrims. In a gesture of kindness and generosity, the Wampanoag peoples of the area struck a friendship with this group and showed them how to fish, hunt, and farm the land to provide for themselves. The following fall was an abundant harvest meant to be shared. The pilgrims invited the Wampanoag native americans to celebrate with them, and what ensued was a three-day party filled with food, dancing, friendly competitions, and music. It was also the beginning of a fifty-year truce between the New England pilgrims and the Native Americans of the area. Despite the shaky history between indigenous peoples and the colonists invading their land, many people see this holiday as a symbol of peace, prosperity, and gratitude.

Celebrating on the Fourth Thursday

The journey of how this holiday came to be held on the fourth Thursday of every November is an interesting one. As stated before, historical Thanksgiving Days had no particular day but were simply held when needed or wanted. However, in 1789, George Washington “issued the first Thanksgiving proclamation by the national government of the United States; in it, he called upon Americans to express their gratitude for the happy conclusion to the country’s war of independence and the successful ratification of the U.S. Constitution. His successors, John Adams and James Madison, also designated days of thanks during their presidencies.” It wasn’t until 1817 that individual states began celebrating Thanksgiving Day on specific days each year; the only problem was that all those days were different for each state! In addition, it was still largely unknown to the Southern States.

From 1827-1863, a period of 36 years, a woman named Sarah Josepha Hale conducted a massive letter-writing campaign, sending correspondence to politicians at every level calling for a nationally recognized day to celebrate Thanksgiving. She also published many articles and editorials vying for the same. She argued that the nation needed a unifying holiday to promote patriotism among all Northerners and Southerners and that it must take place on the same day for everyone. Finally, in the heat of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln appeased her and called for everyone to pray to God to “commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife” and to “heal the wounds of the nation.” After that, Thanksgiving was celebrated on the last Thursday of every November. Except for one year when President Roosevelt tried to move it up one week to spur the economy during the great depression. However, that was met with resistance, and ever since then, the holiday is held on the fourth Thursday of the month.

Food Traditions of Thanksgiving

It is easy to see where the tradition of eating lots of food came from. Historical Thanksgiving days were typically held during times of prosperity and were accompanied by feasts. However, the menu at the first Thanksgiving was likely nothing like our modern tables filled with rich, sweet foods like pie, gravy, and stuffing. They likely didn’t even have turkey! So, where did our food traditions come from? In short, they evolved slowly over time. There isn’t too much detailed information out there beyond that. Over time, the American diet evolved, and with it came preferences, customs, and traditions. It is likely a hodgepodge of many of the hundreds of cultures that make up American history. Today, you can expect some variations of turkey, cranberries, pie, mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, and green bean casserole. As the holiday veered away from strong religious significance and more towards culinary escapades, people clung to these traditional foods to find nostalgia during the holiday season.

Watching and Playing American Football

In 1876, we had the first Thanksgiving Day football game between Yale and Princeton. Yet it wasn’t until the 1930s that certain teams like those from Detroit, Dallas, and Chicago began routinely scheduling games on Thanksgiving Day. As the popularity of traditional Thanksgiving dinners rose, so did the popularity of NFL and college football. Essentially, the two traditions became popular at the same time and eventually became heavily associated with one another. Today, many families and friend groups will have Thanksgiving day football games of their own to work off those anticipated dinner feast calories and further solidify comradery. One of the most famous pop culture examples of this is an episode of the wildly loved sitcom series Friends. The group plays football together while simultaneously waiting for the Thanksgiving dinner to cook. Between flirting, childhood rivalries, and comedic sexist comments, the episode has gone down in history as one of the best of the entire show and as a prime example of the American culture of the time.

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade

If you’re not watching or playing a football game on Thanksgiving, you are probably watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. It seems that this famous parade, as well as others, is a result of people trying to find more ways to celebrate together while also marketing their businesses. Today, the parade attracts millions of in-person spectators and even more watching from home across the country. It is a prestigious achievement to be able to participate in the parade. Celebrities, high school marching bands, mascots, floats, and inflatable characters make up the procession lasting 2.5 miles in the heart of New York City.

Thanksgiving's Controversial History

I must mention the controversy surrounding Thanksgiving Day. Of course, with the origin of the holiday involving Indigenous American Tribes, there are conflicting feelings for many who celebrate the holiday about the ethics of it all. The way the Native American tribes across North America were treated by pilgrims, settlers, and pioneers from Europe is appalling and a dark, dark mark on our history and heritage. Does this mean that we shouldn’t celebrate Thanksgiving? In my opinion, no. Today's holiday traditions are so far removed from what they were in colonial times; they are basically entirely different holidays. On the Smithsonian's website, they have an enlightening article written by a Native American person who quotes many other Native Americans and First Nation people about their feelings on the holiday. The general consensus seems to be that it is fine to celebrate family, food, and gratitude on this day but don’t attribute it to fleeting and artificial peace between Pilgrims and Indians. They implore us to separate how we celebrate today's holiday from its murky and muddy past. To be respectful, we should leave the indigenous peoples out of the decor and conversation. Instead, consider focusing on fall themes, the end of the harvest season, and sharing gratitude for all you are thankful for. Considering days of Thanksgiving have been celebrated by various cultures around the world for centuries, this shouldn’t be too hard to do.

Unity and Gratitude

No matter who you are or where you’re from, Thanksgiving can be an inclusive and warm holiday for us all to celebrate. Focusing on family, food, fun, and gratitude can never go wrong. The purpose of the national holiday is to remind us that we are all friends and family in the grand scheme of things. No matter what variation of God you do or don’t worship, we can feel grateful for whatever and whoever we have in our lives.

Lara Wadsworth, True Leaf Market Writer

I am a native of Southwestern Michigan, where I also reside, and I love all things plants! I got a Bachelor's Degree in Horticulture and found the first work-from-home job I could get. Now, I spend my days writing for TLM, playing with my dog, eating delicious food with my husband, and plotting my next landscape or gardening move. I believe everyone should get down and dirty in the soil now and then. Happy Gardening!