Thursday, November 23, 2006

Give Thanks...


IT'S THANKSGIVING EVERYONE (yes, I am shouting again)!

I hope you are enjoying this day, whatever you are doing, wherever you are and whomever you are spending it with...

As I reflect on what I am "thankful" for this day (we're supposed to do that, right?), while I would like to be deep, meaningful, and prophetic, I would just be feeding you a line of, well, stuffing.

What I am "thankful" for today is very basic. I am "thankful" (actually, ecstatic) for the 5th row seat I have at the upcoming Stevie Nicks concert in Las Vegas. I am "thankful" I found the picture above on the internet (because I am running out of pictures to share with you). I am "thankful" that Starbucks was open today. Finally, I am "thankful" for you, the reader... That's it (but if anything else comes to mind, I will update this post).

To my family and friends in Chicago, I am SORRY I could not be with you today... I missed you.

To everyone else, here is a little history on the origins of this day. Enjoy!

The Pilgrims who sailed to this country aboard the Mayflower were originally members of the English Separatist Church (a Puritan sect). They had earlier fled their home in England and sailed to Holland (The Netherlands) to escape religious persecution. There, they enjoyed more religious tolerance, but they eventually became disenchanted with the Dutch way of life, thinking it ungodly. Seeking a better life, the Separatists negotiated with a London stock company to finance a pilgrimage to America. Most of those making the trip aboard the Mayflower were non-Separatists, but were hired to protect the company's interests. Only about one-third of the original colonists were Separatists.

The Pilgrims set ground at Plymouth Rock on December 11, 1620. Their first winter was devastating. At the beginning of the following fall, they had lost 46 of the original 102 who sailed on the Mayflower. But the harvest of 1621 was a bountiful one. And the remaining colonists decided to celebrate with a feast -- including 91 Indians who had helped the Pilgrims survive their first year. It is believed that the Pilgrims would not have made it through the year without the help of the natives. The feast was more of a traditional English harvest festival than a true "thanksgiving" observance. It lasted three days.

Governor William Bradford sent "four men fowling" after wild ducks and geese. It is not certain that wild turkey was part of their feast. However, it is certain that they had venison. The term "turkey" was used by the Pilgrims to mean any sort of wild fowl.

Another modern staple at almost every Thanksgiving table is pumpkin pie. But it is unlikely that the first feast included that treat. The supply of flour had been long diminished, so there was no bread or pastries of any kind. However, they did eat boiled pumpkin, and they produced a type of fried bread from their corn crop. There was also no milk, cider, potatoes, or butter. There was no domestic cattle for dairy products, and the newly-discovered potato was still considered by many Europeans to be poisonous. But the feast did include fish, berries, watercress, lobster, dried fruit, clams, venison, and plums.

This "thanksgiving" feast was not repeated the following year. But in 1623, during a severe drought, the pilgrims gathered in a prayer service, praying for rain. When a long, steady rain followed the very next day, Governor Bradford proclaimed another day of Thanksgiving, again inviting their Indian friends. It wasn't until June of 1676 that another Day of Thanksgiving was proclaimed.

On June 20, 1676, the governing council of Charlestown, Massachusetts, held a meeting to determine how best to express thanks for the good fortune that had seen their community securely established. By unanimous vote they instructed Edward Rawson, the clerk, to proclaim June 29 as a day of thanksgiving. It is notable that this thanksgiving celebration probably did not include the Indians, as the celebration was meant partly to be in recognition of the colonists' recent victory over the "heathen natives." October of 1777 marked the first time that all 13 colonies joined in a thanksgiving celebration. It also commemorated the patriotic victory over the British at Saratoga. But it was a one-time affair.

George Washington proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving in 1789, although some were opposed to it. There was discord among the colonies, many feeling the hardships of a few Pilgrims did not warrant a national holiday. And later, President Thomas Jefferson scoffed at the idea of having a day of thanksgiving.

It was Sarah Josepha Hale, a magazine editor, whose efforts eventually led to what we recognize as Thanksgiving. Hale wrote many editorials championing her cause in her Boston Ladies' Magazine, and later, in Godey's Lady's Book. Finally, after a 40-year campaign of writing editorials and letters to governors and presidents, Hale's obsession became a reality when, in 1863, President Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving was proclaimed by every president after Lincoln. The date was changed a couple of times, most recently by Franklin Roosevelt, who set it up one week to the next-to-last Thursday in order to create a longer Christmas shopping season. Public uproar against this decision caused the president to move Thanksgiving back to its original date two years later. And in 1941, Thanksgiving was finally sanctioned by Congress as a legal holiday, as the fourth Thursday in November.

5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

Happy Thanksgiving to you my friend!

Hope you had a LOT more restful, peaceful day than I. The dumb turkey decided not to bake right, and my sister & sister-in-law had to arm wrestle the meat off the bones after they hack-sawed the thing. Then we had to finish baking the turkey in batches in the microwave! It was absolutely lovely. NOT!!!

This is the 1st time in 23 years of baking the turkey that it was not perfect (which you KNOW I strive for). Not a bad track record - but when you're feeding an entire small army - quite stressful!

Next year - I'm coming down there & we're going to PF Changs for dinner!

Of course - my sister had most of a bottle of white wine to herself - which was not a pretty sight! Wish you'd have been here - but I'm sure you are glad you were not! Hurry up Saturday!!

H&K!!!!
Giving Thanks for Friends like you (and the history lesson!)

7:03 PM  
Blogger Kev said...

The holidays wouldn't be the holidays without a half-cocked relative or two, so "cheers" to your sister - she is my kind of gal (unless she shouted obscenities and danced on the table naked). I think this is the common thread among all of us. Have you ever read "Holidays On Ice" by David Sedaris? It is one of my favorite books. Well, I am off to get "half-cocked" now myself...Sorry about your turkey. It did not sound good...and I know that must be killing you...Hugs and kisses to you my friend. Bon voyage as well. XOXOXOX

7:13 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Kevin -
I am "thankful" for a very silly friend like you - you make me laugh. Enjoyed Starbucks this morning.
LL

8:55 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Here's what Kev missed in Chicago...

one sister-in-law attempts to leave three kids here (aged 12, 8, and 2) to go visit an elderly relative in hospital today. estimated time leaving kids with tired woman who just cooked a thanksgiving dinner for fifteen would be at least three hours.

cousin (female, single and straight) announces at dinner that for past six months has been undergoing artificial insemination. no success yet, but fingers are crossed!

father-in-law arrives, detailing wonderful poetry reading he attended in featuring whirling dervishes, suggests we all go.

no drunk relatives (i thought about it myself, but didn't want to have sil leave kids here - had to stay alert!), turkey turned out particularly extraordinary, and weather up here was glorious. i wanted to end on a thankful note.

10:48 PM  
Blogger Kev said...

OMG! And this is the ONE year I missed (yes, I celebrate every Thanksgiving with Princess). It would have been worth the 12 hour drive! I would have loved to seen the family's reaction when "S" announced her attempts at pregnancy. Did you tell her it's probably best to forego the kick boxing for awhile? (Doesn't seem conducive to conceiving). Why not just take one of the 3 the sister-in-law left behind?

11:00 PM  

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