Thanksgiving Day Symbols

pumpkin

turkey

corn

cornucopia

cranberry

beans

Origin of Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving is America's great day. It is celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday of November . It has a very interesting history. Its origin can be traced back to the 17th century when the first thanksgiving dinner took place. Journey of Pilgrims The legendary pilgrims crossed the Atlantic in the year 1620 in Mayflower (a 17th Century sailing vessel). About 102 people travelled for nearly two months with great difficulty. No one was allowed to go on the deck due to terrible storms. The pilgrims comforted themselves by singing Psalms - a sacred song. Arrival in Plymouth The pilgrims reached Plymouth rock on December 11th 1620, after a sea journey of 66 days. Nearly 46 pilgrims died because of extreme cold in winter. However, in the spring of 1621, Squanto, a native Indian taught the pilgrims to survive by growing food. First Thanksgiving Feast It is said that Pilgrims learnt to grow corn, beans and pumpkins from the Indians, which helped all of them survive . In the autumn of 1621, they held a grand celebration where 90 people were invited including Indians. The grand feast was organized to thank god for his favours. This communal dinner is popularly known as The first thanksgiving feast. The feast continued for three days. It was not repeated till 1623, which witnessed a severe drought. Governor Bradford proclaimed another day of thanksgiving in the year 1676. October of 1777 witnessed a time when all the 13 colonies joined in a communal celebration. It also marked the victory over the British.
Turkey and First Thanksgiving Feast No one can prove now if the customary turkey was a part of that feast. According to the historic records, the food included, ducks, geese, venison, fish, berries etc.

After a number of events and changes, President Lincoln proclaimed last Thursday in November of thanksgiving in the year 1863.

Thanksgiving Day Tradition

Thanksgiving Day is a wonderful celebration, it symbolizes the sense of gratitude people feel for all the good things in life. This is done by offering prayers, gifting your near and dear. The tradition of Thanksgiving still continues in the form of: 1. Family Reunion and Feasting Family feast is an important tradition during Thanksgiving. The entire family sits at the table during dinner and offer prayer to the Lord Almighty for his continuous grace. It is also a time for relatives living in different places to come together and celebrate. 3. Parades The traditional Thanksgiving parade probably started with President Lincoln proclaiming it an official day. The fulldress parade is a way to display the country's military strength and discipline. The main aim of such parades is to lift the spirits of the spectators, provide them with useful entertainment. In the present day, parades are accompanied with musical shows and celebrities. 2. Tradition of Turkey The traditional stuffed turkey adorns every dinner table during the feast. Pumpkin pie, Cranberry sauce, Corns are some of the dishes cooked everywhere to mark the day. 4. Football Games Watching NFL football during Thanksgiving is a popular tradition. The traditional game between the Detroit Lions and the Green Bay Packers continues. One of the most memorable games having been played on this day.

Thanksgiving Day Customs

The Thanksgiving legacy has been alive for hundreds of years. The customs you can see in American homes today remind of ancient celebrations of harvest, thankfulness for peace, and the attempts of native Americans.

Custom of Praying For centuries, 'Thanksgiving Day' is associated with communal prayers in church and in homes. People offer various meal time prayers during the day. It is a time, when mankind thanks God for all his blessings and grace. It is also a day to show gratitude to your friends and relatives for all the good deeds.

Custom of Decoration Thanksgiving is a time to decorate homes with wreaths, fresh and dried flowers. People beautify their homes, give the interiors a whole new look and feel. They light lamps to brighten the environment. Tables are adorned with best china and antique silver cutlery to mark the occasion.

Custom of sending messages Thanksgiving is a day when people send loving messages and warm wishes to their relatives, colleagues at work place, near and dear ones. It is a day of conveying their feelings through Thanksgiving cards.

Thanksgiving Day Symbols

Thanksgiving symbolizes the joy of loving, caring, sharing. It is all about togetherness and merry making. The festival stands for the 'Oneness' of people - peace, harmony and union. A symbol is an arbitrary sign (written or printed) that has acquired a conventional significance. Special thanksgiving symbols all over the world are:

Pumpkin pie is one of the main diches at almost every Thanksgiving table. Pilgrims probably made a pumpkin dish sweetened with honey or syrup. They were however a part of all traditional meals long before the arrival of pilgrims. Pumpkin leaves were also used as salads. Pumpkin is one of the important symbols of the harvest festival and has been an American-favourite for over 400 years now.

The celebration of Thanksgiving will be incomplete without the legendary Turkey. It derives its name from the 'turk turk' sounds it makes when scared. Turkey was at one time being considered as the national symbol of America. Benjamin Franklin felt that turkey was the right choice because it was a good runner and had a sharp sight. A bald eagle later became the national symbol of America.

Corn is one of the popular symbols of thanksgiving. It is said that native Americans had been growing corn a long time before the pilgrims arrived in their country. The oldest corns date 7000 years back and were grown in Mexico. Americans taught pilgrims how to grow corn and help them survive the bitter winter of 1620. It is certain that corn were a part of the first thanksgiving dinner. Ornamental Corncobs are quite popular during the festival.

Cornucopia is the most common symbol of a harvest festival. A Horn shaped container is filled with abundance of the Earth's harvest. It is also known as the 'horn of plenty'. The traditional cornucopia was a curved goat's horn filled with fruits and grains. According to Greek legend, Amalthea (a goat) broke one of her horns and offered it to Greek God Zeus as a sign of reverence. As a sign of gratitude, Zeus later set the goat's image in the sky also known as constellation Capricorn

Cranberry is a symbol and a modern diet staple of thanksgiving. It derived its name from its pink blossoms and drooping head which reminded the pilgrim of a crane. Pilgrims soon found out a way to sweeten the bitten cranberries with maple sugar. Ever since cranberry sauce is a permanent companion of turkey during thanksgiving feast.

Beans are a special symbol of thanksgiving. Native Americans are believed to have taught the pilgrims to grow beans next to cornstalks. This was so that beans could grow and use cornstalks as their pole. Thus American beans are also known as 'Pole Beans'. Famously known as one of the 'Three sisters', beans are a part of thanksgiving feast.