Happy or belated “feasting” to all who follow!
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Thanksgiving in the US as a national holiday, has an interesting and somewhat complicated history.
The early US Congress made the motion approved and on October 3, 1789, the President George Washington, proclaimed that the people of the United States observe "a day of public thanksgiving and prayer" on Thursday, the 26th of November. That specific date was also changed two times in the past by two different presidents. That idea did not last long.
Unofficial earlier dates that many of us remember in elementary history class include the pilgrims and local natives of a newly colonized Plymouth celebrating the harvest in what is now, Massachusetts, in the year 1621 and even earlier for (you Canadians )in Newfoundland in the late 1500s.
The official holiday of Thanksgiving as US recognizes, is followed by a few other countries in the world just because they wanted to; Brazil starting in early 1940s and some Caribbean and other island communities.
Many countries and territories in the rest of the world have their own versions of Thanksgiving, usually held earlier in the fall. It may or may not be a national holiday for them though. In German-speaking countries, Erntedankfest is often celebrated the first Sunday of October. To the north, Canada’s thanksgiving being the second Monday in October is due to being more north, they have an earlier harvest.
So at least Canada gets a three day weekend out of theirs. USA seems to make the biggest deal out of it with many people getting a four-day weekend, Thursday through Sunday off work unless they work in retail , general service, or emergency services
Post Edited (astroman) : 11/23/2023 10:07:05 AM (GMT-8)