The
History of Thanksgiving and its Celebrations
Throughout history mankind has celebrated the bountiful
harvest with thanksgiving ceremonies. Harvest
festivals and thanksgiving celebrations were held by the ancient Greeks, the
Romans, the Hebrews, the Chinese, and the Egyptians.
The Greeks
The ancient Greeks worshipped many gods and
goddesses. Their goddess of corn (actually all grains) was Demeter who
was honored at the festival of Thesmosphoria held each autumn. On the
first day of the festival married women (possibility connecting childbearing
and the raising of crops) would build leafy shelters and furnish them with
couches made with plants. On the second day they fasted. On the third day a
feast was held and offerings to the goddess Demeter were made - gifts of seed
corn, cakes, fruit, and pigs. It was hoped that Demeter's gratitude would grant
them a good harvest.
The Romans
The Romans also celebrated a harvest festival
called Cerelia, which honored Ceres their goddess of corn (from which
the word cereal comes). The festival was held each year on October 4th and
offerings of the first fruits of the harvest and pigs were offered to Ceres.
Their celebration included music, parades, games and sports and a thanksgiving
feast.
The Chinese
The ancient Chinese celebrated their harvest
festival, Chung Ch'ui, with the full moon that fell on the 15th day of
the 8th month. This day was considered the birthday of the moon and special
"moon cakes", round and yellow like the moon, would be baked. Each
cake was stamped with the picture of a rabbit - as it was a rabbit, not a man,
which the Chinese saw on the face of the moon. The families ate a thanksgiving
meal and feasted on roasted pig, harvested fruits and the "moon
cakes". It was believed that during the 3 day festival flowers would fall
from the moon and those who saw them would be rewarded with good fortune.
According to legend Chung Ch'ui also gave
thanks for another special occasion. China
The Hebrews
Jewish families also celebrate a harvest
festival called Sukkoth. Taking place each autumn, Sukkoth has been
celebrated for over 3000 years.
Sukkoth is named for the huts (succots) that
Moses and the Israelites lived in as they wandered the desert for 40 years
before they reached the Promised Land. These huts were made of branches and
were easy to assemble, take apart, and carry as the Israelites wandered through
the desert.
When celebrating Sukkoth, which lasts for 8
days, the Jewish people build small huts of branches which recall the
tabernacles of their ancestors. Inside the huts are hung fruits and vegetables,
including apples, grapes, corn, and pomegranates. On the first 2 nights of
Sukkoth the families eat their meals in the huts under the evening sky.
The Egyptians
The ancient Egyptians celebrated their harvest
festival in honor of Min, their god of vegetation and fertility. The
festival was held in the springtime, the Egyptian's harvest season. The
festival of Min featured a parade in which the Pharaoh took part. After the
parade a great feast was held. Music, dancing, and sports were also part of the
celebration.
The United
States
In 1621, after a hard and devastating first
year in the New World the Pilgrim's fall harvest was very successful and
plentiful. There was corn, fruits, vegetables, along with fish which was packed
in salt, and meat that was smoke cured over fires. They found they had enough food
to put away for the winter and they celebrated it with their neighbors, the American
Indians.
The custom of an annually celebrated
thanksgiving, held after the harvest, continued through the years. During the American
Revolution a day of national thanksgiving was suggested by the Continental Congress
and nowadays it is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of each November as the
holiday.
Thanksgiving is
celebrated in the USA and Canada. In The USA, it is celebrated on the fourth
Thursday in November every year. The Canadians celebrate it on the second
Monday in October. It is associated with giving thanks to God. In the beginning
people expressed gratitude for the harvest they reaped. It used to be a
religious holiday but now it has become a secular celebration.
The most important part of the
celebration is the dinner which includes the customary turkey served with
cranberry sauce, and pumpkin. Families and friends usually get together for a
large meal or dinner during Thanksgiving and have a lot of fun. That's why, the
Thanksgiving holiday weekend is considered one of the busiest travel periods of
the year.
