Happy Thanksgiving
It’s time to break out the turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy, gravy, pumpkin pie and the tons of foods that go with a Thanksgiving meal. It is the favorite time of year for many Americans, perhaps even more important than Christmas, and is the time when we gather with family and friends for celebration. But what exactly is being celebrated?
Thanksgiving has historical significance in the U.S. dating back to when the Pilgrims sailed aboard the Mayflower (that’s what the ship was called) to the pilgrims The Pilgrims sailed aboard the Mayflower (that’s what the ship was called) to the New World in 1621 to find a new life. A new life in which survival was full of hardships and difficulties. Thanks to the altruistic help provided by the American Indians, the pilgrims learned to cultivate the land, which eventually yielded a bountiful harvest and provided enough food for the small settlements and their people. That is why a feast was prepared to “give thanks” for the food obtained from the harvest and for the lives it sustained.
Although during the formation of the United States it was considered a national holiday, it was Abraham Lincoln who first proclaimed Thanksgiving as a holiday on the last Thursday of every November. Subsequently, during Franklin D. Roosevelt’s term in office, there were 5 Thursdays in November 1939 and the holiday was moved to fourth Thursday of November with the added purpose of extending pre-Christmas shopping and trying to give a much needed boost to the weak economy at that time.
In many homes throughout the United States, it is customary that, before the banquet begins, all those seated around the table take turns to give thanks and express what each of them is grateful for. For many, it is a very special time to verbally express who or what is truly appreciated in our lives. It is a moment that should happen more often in our lives and should take place in every corner of the world.
As language and culture go hand in hand with each other, this week it is imperative that teachers and students express what they are thankful for and explain what Thanksgiving is all about no matter where they are from. Therefore, we would like to thank all of you who help build FunTalk for your dedication and effort. We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving
It’s time to bring out the turkey, stuffing, potatoes, cranberry sauce, gravy, pumpkin pie, and tons of other food that can go with a
Thanksgiving meal. A favorite time of year for many Americans, and maybe even more important than Christmas, Thanksgiving is a time to get together with family and friends to celebrate. But what exactly do we celebrate?
Thanksgiving has a historical significance in the USA, when the Pilgrims sailed to the New World in 1621 on the Mayflower, they found not only a new life full of promise but a life full of pain and struggle just to survive. With the altruistic help from the Native Americans, the pilgrims learned how to farm the land to eventually give them a bountiful harvest, thus providing enough food for small settlements and their people. And so a celebratory feast was in order to ‘give thanks’ for the food the harvest supplied and the lives the food sustained.
Seen as a national holiday during the creation of The United States, it wasn’t until Abraham Lincoln first recognized Thanksgiving as an official holiday in 1863 on the last Thursday of November. Then under Franklin D. Roosevelt, there happened to be 5 Thursdays in November of 1939, and the official holiday was moved to the fourth Thursday of November to allow more time for the holiday shopping season before Christmas, therefore giving the weak economy at that time a much needed boost.
Traditionally in many households across the States, before the feast begins, everybody sitting around the table takes turns giving thanks and expressing what they are grateful for. For many, this is a special moment to verbally express who or what we appreciate in our lives. It’s a moment that should be taken more often in our daily lives and should be practiced all over the world.
As language and culture go hand in hand, expressing what you’re grateful for and explaining the Thanksgiving holiday is a must amongst English teachers and students this week, no matter where you are from. So to all of you who help make up FunTalk, we thank you and appreciate all your hard work and effort. We wouldn’t be here without you!
Happy Thanksgiving!
