Thanksgiving Traditions

Thanksgiving is a national holiday in the United States of America. Thanksgiving is always celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. On Thanksgiving, people gather around a table to eat a big meal. Friends and family give thanks for the past year.

Thanksgiving began as a celebration of the Pilgrim’s first harvest. Native Americans helped English colonists grow food. Once food was ready to eat, it was time to celebrate.

President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving to be a national holiday in 1863.

Kids sometimes perform plays about the first Thanksgiving. They also make crafts to celebrate the friendship between the settlers and the Native Americans.

Families decorate their homes and yards for Thanksgiving.

Today, the Thanksgiving holiday is still centered around a feast. Different families have different traditions.Turkey is the most traditional main dish. People also make lots of side dishes like mashedpotatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and green beans.

Families from different parts of the United States often make different foods. These regional foods spread as people move and build families with people from other places.

Thanksgiving weekend is one of the biggest travel times of the year. Families fill airports and roads to be together and share a meal.

On Thanksgiving, people play games like football. People also watch football on TV.

Thanksgiving dinner is not complete without a slice of pumpkin pie. It is an all- American dessert for an all-American holiday.

Thanksgiving is a holiday for family members to work and play together.

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