Give Thanks

Tina here.

Can I just say yay. Halloween is over.

You've taken care of all the beasties and ghoulies and superheroes and princesses and pirates and well, you name it. You've pumped them with chocolate and candies and sent them into the night on a chocolate high. (probably got one yourself)

And some of us have a made a hiding place for the chocolate we skimmed from our children's bags and plan to nibble on throughout the year. (Not me of course) but now is the time to put away our masks and turn our focus to November. To the crisp cool air and the gold, red and burnt orange leaves of autumn (which I don't have in the part of Arizona where I reside) and the pumpkin pies and turkeys of Thanksgiving (not talking about the family here).

Unfortunately, as the years have passed, Thanksgiving has become more a day of shopping and food and football. And a day we gorge ourselves with fine rich food and deal with indigestion and our in-laws or outlaws. Christmas decorations have hogged the shelves at the local stores for weeks.

Thanksgiving decorations have been relegated to a few shelves near the card aisle in most stores, or completely forgotten.


When asked what they're doing for Thanksgiving, some people might even say "What do I have to be thankful for?" Or "I'm going to pork out and party."

What is Thanksgiving all about?

As you know I love short history lessons, so here is one on Thanksgiving.

In 1621, the Pilgrims, (Plymouth Colonists) newly off the Mayflower and having gone through their first brutal winter in the New World, joined with the Wampanoag Indians to share a harvest feast.

That was to be the first Thanksgiving in the colonies.

After that differing states and colonies would celebrate days of thanksgiving.

In 1863 durning the American Civil War, Abraham Lincoln set aside the last Thursday in November and proclaimed it to be Thanksgiving for the whole nation. He was not the first president to proclaim a day of thanksgiving. He was the first to set a specific day aside.

In 1939 Franklin Roosevelt changed it to the 4th Thursday. It's nice to think he did so because the fifth Thursday didn't come every year, but he did so at the request of the National Retail Dry Goods Association who wanted to extend holiday shopping by a week. The Macy's Thanksgiving day parade started in 1924 and was originally the Macy's Christmas Parade, but the 6abc Dunkin' Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade is four years older.

I never knew that. Perhaps the movie Miracle on 34th Street helped make Macy's Parade a household name.

Turkey, Cranberry and Corn were at the first Thanksgiving and are still favorites today. There was also shellfish, fish, deer and other roasted meats.

What no pumpkin pie. hmmm?

It is said Pumpkin Pie made it's debut in 1670. so it's been around awhile. And if you eat too much it will be around a while with you too.

LOL

As I said, the Pilgrims were thankful to make it through a hard winter and for the Indians that helped them. Abraham Lincoln wanted to remind a broken nation to be thankful. George Washington celebrated a day of Thanksgiving after the adoption of the U.S. Constitution, and James Madison did so after the War of 1812. All very momentous occasions and reasons to give thanks.

For myself. Hubby and I just moved into a new home, it's still not quite in the right state, but I will not quibble the Lord gave us a blessings.  Hubby still has a good job, I had four books release this year and there is much more to be thankful for.

It is important to have a day of Thanksgiving and remember all the blessings you've received, but it is good to remember them throughout the year too.

Have you gone through anything this year that has given you a reason to be thankful? Take this month and give thanks every day for just one thing.