Happy Thanksgiving!

Fiction: Prarie Home Companion Thanksgiving Show 2004

Fact: The Pilgrims were a group of Puritans who landed at Plymouth Rock, in what is now Massachusetts, United States, in 1620. In 1621 Governor William Bradford of New England proclaimed a day of “thanksgiving” and prayer to celebrate the Pilgrims’ first harvest in America.

United States president Abraham Lincoln, following the precedent of a number of states, designated a national Thanksgiving Day in 1863.

Comments (8)

Even though I am not a Rah-Rah America type, why do I always fall for those Norman Rockwell images. Awww, gee. I am from Boston, land of the Pilgrim. Have a great Thanksgiving!

posted by Rhea on 2006-11-23 13:54:46

Happy Turkey day!

posted by Alana in Canada on 2006-11-23 14:07:26

Nuthin' says Thanksgiving like putting on the "good" shorts and slapping a turkey on the gas grill.

posted by wende in phoenix on 2006-11-23 15:14:01

I'm thankful for....

good health, roof over my head, loving family, supportive friends, laughter, enough resources to pay for what I enjoy doing in life, including paying for the laptop and internet connection that links me with communities such as AT, and enough leisure time to enjoy all of your posts. :)

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

posted by gekko on 2006-11-23 19:28:57

Actually President Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday to celebrate the fall of Natchez, Mississippi I believe. He needed the Union forces to win a decisive battle to boost his chance for re-election.

posted by Sheryl on 2006-11-24 20:44:44

Soooo.... after $1,200 worth of root canal two weeks ago that failed, I had a tooth pulled this week, and got a bone graft and titanium post implanted ... to the tune of $3,000. (The crown will be at least another $2,000.) I woke up sick as a dog on Thursday, with a fever of 102. When I got up last night to get a glass or water in the middle of the night, I collapsed on the floor ... twice; once in the hallway, and again in the kitchen, actually holding the glass of water. (I am completely black & blue on one side, from the stacked cartons and baskets that I fell on and crushed.) So ... what am I thankful for this weekend? That the glass didn't break. That it's just a tooth and not an arm or a leg. That it's just money I'll have to earn and pay off over the next six months or so; I didn't lose my entire house in a hurricane. That I have wonderful neighbors who bring me ginger ale and chicken and ice cream.

posted by Jane on 2006-11-25 20:58:48

Omigoodness, Jane! After hearing that story, *I'm* thankful you have neighbors to bring you ginger ale and ice cream.

Get well swiftly!

posted by wende in phoenix on 2006-11-26 09:39:54

Just FYI, there is no primary source for Plymouth Rock (so it may not have existed, since the only sources are second hand). Also, that location was actually their second attempt at a settlement after a disastrous encounter with the Native Americans. The History Channel had a great hours long program on the "untold story" of the Mayflower last weekend.

Thanksgiving was often used as a celebration for successful battles, and different states had it on different days in November for a long time. It was generally the LAST Thursday in November until FDR moved it up a week to extend the shopping season because of the Depression. Even then many states still stuck to the last day in November.

posted by Scazza on 2006-11-28 09:41:26