Thanksgiving Day is the fourth Thursday in November, but many
Americans take a day of vacation on the following Friday to make a
four-day weekend, during which they may travel long distances to visit
family and friends.
The holiday dates back to 1621, the year after the Puritans
arrived in Massachusetts, determined to practice their dissenting
religion without interference. After a rough winter, in which about half
of them died, they turned for help to neighboring Indians, who taught
them how to plant corn and other crops. The next fall's bountiful
harvest inspired the Pilgrims to give thanks by holding a feast.
The Thanksgiving feast became a national tradition — not only
because so many other Americans have found prosperity but also because
the Pilgrims' sacrifices for their freedom still captivate the
imagination.
To this day, Thanksgiving dinner almost always includes some
of the foods served at the first feast: roast turkey, cranberry sauce,
potatoes, pumpkin pie. Before the meal begins, families or friends
usually pause to give thanks for their blessings, including the joy of
being united for the occasion.
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