HOW THANKSGIVING IS CELEBRATED IN THE UNITED STATES

Published on Nov 20, 2022, 11:45 a.m. in Study in the USA by Katherine Bulling

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Day is a very important holiday in the United States. Families get together to celebrate the
day by making a traditional meal where turkey is the main dish. Today we tell you what the origin of
Thanksgiving Day is in the United States and how this holiday is celebrated there.

ORIGIN OF THANKSGIVING DAY IN THE UNITED STATES

This holiday comes from the story of the first pilgrims who arrived to the continent on the Mayflower
ship. These men would not have survived the winter without the help of the natives. The Plymouth
Colony did not have enough food to feed the people. But thanks to the native Wampanoag tribe, they
planted seeds and learned to fish. Therefore, in 1621 they offered a dinner to the Native Americans as a
thank you for teaching them farming and hunting techniques that were essential for their survival. This is
how Thanksgiving began: a day to give thanks for the blessing of the harvest and for all the good that
had happened the previous year.

THE NEWS OF THANKSGIVING DAY

Currently, this day is celebrated with the famous meal with turkey as the main dish. In addition, it is
tradition to play football games and watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York.
Furthermore, the essence of the day has remained over time. It is still an opportunity to give thanks for
all the good things we have in life. And the day is shared with the most loved ones.

Thanksgiving Day in the United States

WHEN IS THANKSGIVING CELEBRATED?

It is an event that is celebrated annually and does not always coincide on the same day. It was President
Washington who designated Thanksgiving as a national holiday, but it was not until editor Sarah Josepha
Hale pushed for it to be officially recognized. He decreed that it would be celebrated on the last
Thursday of the month of November. However, the 26th president of the United States, Theodore
Roosevelt, changed the date on which Thanksgiving would be celebrated. From that moment on it is the
fourth Thursday of the month of November. In this year 2022, continuing with the tradition,
"Thanksgiving Day" will be on Thursday, November 24.

HOW IS THANKSGIVING CELEBRATED IN THE UNITED STATES?

The best way is to tell you now about my experience while living in the United States. I have to confess
that Thanksgiving is perhaps one of my favorite holidays of the year. The truth is that when I was little,
there was no fixed tradition of this celebration in my family. We lived quite far from our family, which
made it very difficult to all get together. Sometimes we celebrated it at home with my parents and my
brother. On other occasions we went to the house of some of my parents' friends. Or occasionally a
family member would come to our house to spend the day with us.
When I was studying at university, we started a new tradition: we went to my aunt's house, who lived
closer to my university, and that's how we spent the bridge with my uncles and cousins. Although not
even that tradition was very traditional: my aunt didn't like turkey, so she always made non-typical food
of the day. He even served us lobsters on Thanksgiving! But it really didn't matter where we were or
what we ate, the important thing was that we were together.

There are different ways to celebrate it. Carolina Romero, a student at the University of Toledo (Ohio),
also tells us in this video how international students experience Thanksgiving in the United States. Since
many do not live with an American family, these young people have three different options to celebrate
this holiday: Celebrate Thanksgiving with a friend who invites them to their home with their family, go to
a university program that allows them to live the day with a American family that wants to host an
international student or take the opportunity to take a trip.

TYPICAL DISHES

Thanksgiving is a pretty traditional holiday, and that affects the menu, too. Although there may be some
variations, there are a number of typical dishes that can be found in most American homes.

TURKEY

It is the star dish. The traditional way to make it is to roast it whole and cut it once it is cooked. The
turkey carries another tradition in itself, as some people break the so-called wishbone, a Y-shaped egg so
that their wishes come true.

STUFFING

It is a recipe made with bread, butter, celery, onion, broth and herbs.

MASHED POTATOES

Mashed potatoes are another classic at Thanksgiving dinner. It is usually made with cooked potatoes,
butter, garlic, milk, cream cheese and salt.

GRAVY

It is a sauce made from the cooking juices of meats and vegetables.

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

Another essential on the Thanksgiving table. This recipe has green beans, mushroom soup, cheese, fried
onion and other optional ingredients.