Thanksgiving was conceived when the Pilgrims and Puritans thought it necessary to give thanks for their political and religious freedom
Acho Orabuchi
Today, Thursday, November 22, 2018 is the Thanksgiving Day in America and some people have been on holiday for three days prior to this Thursday. The roadways and airports across the United States are crowded during this period, a heavily traveled time.
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Thanksgiving is the most celebrated holiday in America because of its historical intimacy, significance, and its current contextual relevance to everyone living in the United States. But as Americans celebrate Thanksgiving, others who have made America their home join in the celebration for various and personal reasons. Traditionally, Thanksgiving in the United States is a time when families come together to festive with one another; it’s a period for sharing and thanking God for His provisions.
So, as the Americans revel Thanksgiving, immigrants join in the celebration for variety of reasons. Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks and sharing. It is a period for families to sit, relax, and eat together reflecting on how far they have come in their journey to success in the United States. As a result, family members travel far and wide to congregate in one place to celebrate together as they give unadulterated thanks to God for everything they have achieved. The traditional meat for Thanksgiving dinner is turkey.
Thanksgiving was conceived when the Pilgrims and Puritans thought it necessary to give thanks for their political and religious freedom, including the progress they had made in the newfoundland. Today, we commemorate Thanksgiving for various reasons.
Painstakingly, the Pilgrims, who left Plymouth, England for political freedom and self-government, braced the dangers of the waters and sailed on Mayflower on September 6, 1620 and arrived about two months later to establish their own colony in Plymouth in New England area. In autumn of 1621, the Pilgrims began a harvest festival— Thanksgiving that has now become a three-day feast in American culture. Many people in America relish Thanksgiving Holiday because it affords them the opportunity for a period of rest from their busy daily routine.
With its roots traced to the ‘ancient harvest festivals,’ Thanksgiving is an American tradition conceived of in the 17th century when the Pilgrims celebrated their yield for three days. According to IIP DIGITAL, a publication of the United States Government, Thanksgiving later became an official United States holiday in 1863 under President Abraham Lincoln with President Franklin Roosevelt signing a law in 1941fixing Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday in November.
Though Plymouth was said to have been a place where the first Thanksgiving was held in America, yet there is a debate over where Thanksgiving first took place. Plymouth, a town in the state of Massachusetts, sits on Plymouth Bay and about 55 kilometers southeast of Boston. Boston, the home of championship teams such as, Boston Red Sox—a baseball club and New England Patriots, is the cradle of freedom.
Boston is historically, politically, and academically significant city. It is the home of the Freedom Trail and USS Constitution; home of the Kennedys and the Kerrys, and the Warrens; and home of Harvard, MIT, and UMASS Boston Campus. It is said that Boston is the primary gateway to many other tourists’ attractions in and around the New England areas.
In any case, a vast majority of people in America relish Thanksgiving Holiday because it affords them the opportunity for a period of rest from their busy daily routine. Today, in commemorating Thanksgiving, people venerate the day for various reasons. In other words, today, many of us will celebrate
Thanksgiving for various reasons. While the early settlers from Europe celebrated Thanksgiving for political and religious freedom, new immigrants will, in no doubt, commemorate Thanksgiving for economic freedom. Still, others will venerate the Thanksgiving Day for varied reasons.
Personally, this year’s Thanksgiving is a special one to me for obvious reasons. First of all, I am thankful for my family and my 85-year mom who is still waxing strong. Secondly, my birthday is today, November 22, the Thanksgiving Day. I am healthy and hearty after going through my routine annual medical check up, which I have done for over 20 years. I’m mostly thankful to God for my family and our health. Checking my weight two days, I am thankful that I am still maintaining my weight after three years of weight loss. I am thankful to God for making it possible for me to work for the same employer for over 29 years and still in excellent spirit and health. With humility and unimaginable sense of pride, I am thankful to God for making it possible for me to write my first book, “Views from America: A Sojourner’s Memoirs – A Repertoire of Action for Nigeria’s Development,” which was launched several months ago. As I observe the Thanksgiving Holiday, I reflect on God’s blessings and His kindness to humanity.
Truly, Thanksgiving celebration in America is laced with varied reasons. However, it is my humble opinion that we should be thankful to God every day for his blessings and love. For the life we live, we owe it to God. When we wake up daily, we should be thankful to God.
It is not enough to remember God’s blessings periodically; we should give thanks to the Almighty every moment of our live for His goodness and grace. In addition, the Bible says that we should give thanks to God in all circumstances.
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