Thanksgiving is one of the most loved and enjoyed mainly in America and Canada, a festival full of rich culture, lovely meals, and thankfulness.
Although Thanksgiving is mostly perceived as a global feast of tasty meals and family reunions, there is a mythological background to this celebration. Here are 50 Thanksgiving Facts For Kids about Thanksgiving that kids (and adults!) will enjoy, complete with historical context:
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50 Thanksgiving Facts For Kids:
- Origins of Thanksgiving: The first Thanksgiving was in 1621 when Pilgrims and the Native Americans of the Wampanoag tribe in Plymouth, Massachusetts.
- Pilgrims: The settlers called Pilgrims were English men and women who relocated to the United States for religious purposes specifically in the Mayflower ship.
- Mayflower Voyage: It took Pilgrims 66 days to travel on the Mayflower ship to Plymouth Rock.
- Harvest Feast: Thanksgiving in actual form was a three-day affair that marked a successful harvest.
- Abraham Lincoln: Thanksgiving became a national holiday after President Abraham Lincoln issued an order in 1863.
- Turkey Tradition: According to the article Turkey has been the main Thanksgiving delicacy since the period of early 1800.
- Pardoning Turkeys: Every time the President of the United States drops a traditional Thanksgiving Turkey, it is not eaten.
- Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade: Today the event is known as Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and the first parade was held in the year 1924.
- Football Tradition: It is common to watch football games on Thanksgiving Day.
- Canadian Thanksgiving: In Canada, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday of October.
- Native American Contributions: The Pilgrims originally arrived and did not know how to plant things such as corn or squash, but the Native Americans showed them how to do it.
- Thanksgiving Proclamation: After the Declaration of Independence, George Washington gave the first presidential proclamation on Thanksgiving day in the year 1789.
- Thanksgiving Foods: In addition to turkey conventional foods include; stuffing, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie.
- Black Friday: The first one is Black Friday held on the day after Thanksgiving, widely celebrated for shopping offers.
- Cornucopia: A couple of examples to check if the author appreciates irony and pop culture are: A cornucopia or a horn of plenty is a figure of prosperity linked to Thanksgiving.
- Thanksgiving Colors: There are traditional Thanksgiving colors which include orange, brown, yellow, and red more so during the Thanksgiving dinner.
- Turkey Trot: Most cities conduct their ‘Turkey Trot’ exercise events on the morning of Thanksgiving day.
- Charlie Brown Thanksgiving: This is an animated television program of Broadcast that was first aired during Thanksgiving. ”
- Thanksgiving Songs: This tune is very typical of Thanksgiving holidays people sing it ‘’Over the River and Through the Woods. ’’
- Native American Tribes: Pilgrims got help from the Wampanoag tribe, and the history of the feast is considered to begin with the first Thanksgiving.
- Harvest Celebrations: There are many such feast events celebrated in different parts of the world similar to the Thanksgiving festival.
- Thanksgiving Parades: Other than Macy’s parade many cities across the United States celebrate Thanksgiving day with parades.
- Pumpkin Carving: The tradition of carving pumpkins into those we call jack-o’-lanterns likely has its roots in the persons of Irish and Scottish descent living in the colonies.
- Thanksgiving Decorations: Some of the ornaments that they prepare are the leaves, pumpkins, and gourds of the fall season.
- Thanksgiving Dinner: Groups of people eat food in what is referred to as a Thanksgiving meal with their families.
- Thanksgiving Traditions: Families may recount over what they are blessed with before they take their meal.
- Modern Traditions: Some people gather together during the Thanksgiving Day football game by watching it.
- Thanksgiving Crafts: Children can do arts and crafts projects such as handprint turkeys or pilgrim hats.
- Giving Thanks: Thanksgiving is one of the occasions that people give thanks for some grace or friendship.
- Harvest Symbols: These crops include corn, wheat, and all other grains considered as harvest foods.
- Thanksgiving Around the World: That is why, even though the holidays have different roots, a lot of cultures have similar holidays.
- Thanksgiving Myths: There is no doubt that Tanner illustrates the much-told story of the first Thanksgiving.
- Feast Preparations: Everyone was occupied with the preparation of the first feast throughout the days, participating first pilgrims and even more first Native Americans.
- Harvest Foods: In addition to turkey, other meats that were consumed in the early Thanksgiving were venison, fish and shellfish.
- Thanksgiving Recipes: People tend to have recipes of the favorite Thanksgiving meal served in their households passed across the generations.
- Thanksgiving Crafts: Children can also do more craft work such as handprint Turkey, and pilgrim hats.
- Pumpkin Pies: This is because pumpkins were in plenty in the New World thus promoting the take up of pumpkin pies.
- Thanksgiving Blessings: Members of the family may express what they are thankful for before the practice of eating.
- Modern Traditions: It is a tradition that some families watch the Thanksgiving Day football game.
- Thanksgiving Crafts: Some fun things that kids could create include handprint turkeys, and pilgrim hats.
- Giving Thanks: Thanksgiving is the time of the year when people thank for the blessings and also friends they have.
- Harvest Symbols: During the harvest season, foods such as corn, wheat as well as other grains are notable icons.
- Thanksgiving Around the World: It should be noted that many world holidays are similar with origins from different cultures.
- Thanksgiving Myths: A historical account of the Plymouth Thanksgiving has become one of the most popular legends today narrated in schools, homes, literature, and other productions.
- Feast Preparations: For the first feast, pilgrims and Native Americans took days preparing the feast.
- Thanksgiving Pilgrims: The Pilgrims left for America in search of religious tolerance and the chosen territory was Plymouth in Massachusetts.
- Thanksgiving Friendship: The real Thanksgiving was the one in which the Pilgrims wanted to celebrate friendship with Native Americans who contributed a lot in ensuring they were not starving to death.
- Thanksgiving Dates: Thanksgiving Day is always observed on the fourth Thursday in November in the United States of America.
- Thanksgiving Symbols: The most important utensil of the Thanksgiving table, the cornucopia, or the horn of plenty, depicts the plenty of food.
- Thanksgiving Crafts: To increase awareness of Thanksgiving kids can even design arts such as making paper turkeys or making trees where kids have to write what they are thankful for, the usual craftwork could also include corn husk dolls for Thanksgiving.
The aforementioned facts can be in a way entertaining for kids and also help them understand the history of Thanksgiving and the traditions associated with it. Historically, Thanksgiving has been celebrated about the story of the Pilgrims, the symbolic foods to be consumed on a Thanksgiving day, and the customs that are to be observed on the said occasion; thus, Thanksgiving is all about the family coming together to offer thanks and probably make some unforgettable moments together.
CONCLUSION :
In conclusion, Thanksgiving is not only a feast with tasty meals and family reunions; it is a holiday with a rich history and a sense of gratitude. Rich in tradition ranging from the Pilgrims and Native Americans’ first communion of the harvest feast to today’s turkey eating, parading, and football watching, Thanksgiving is a celebration treasured by both America and Canada.
In these Thanksgiving Facts For Kids, we have learned about how through the centuries Thanksgiving has changed and what cultural importance and appreciation it holds. Whether it is studying the event of the first Thanksgiving in 1621 or knowing the significance of such items as cornucopias, and pumpkin pies, if it is considering the festive activities such as craft making, watching parades, Thanksgiving still holds time for reflection, or saying thank you, a time of togetherness strengthened by great memories created with friends and family members.
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