One of the most poignant things about Thanksgiving in the United States is that it is celebrated by nearly all Americans and yet means very different things to different people.
There are those who are thankful for a year of good health; or newfound prosperity; or time with family young and old; or new beginnings in the land of opportunity that is the United States; or … the list is endless, leading to reflection upon how Americans of all stripes have unique experiences but a commonality that leads us to hope for a nation that lives up to its ideals. And so we gather today for a celebration that predates the founding of this country and yet remains relevant.
Even in times of disagreement and discord, Thanksgiving is a joyous occasion for focusing upon the things that unite rather than divide us.
The genesis of the holiday can be found in a 1621 feast between settlers of the Plymouth Colony and the Wampanoag Indians. As History.com explains: “The best account we have is a letter from English settler Edward Winslow that never mentions the word ‘Thanksgiving,’ but tells of a weeklong harvest celebration that included a three-day celebration with King Massasoit and 90 Wampanoag men, ‘so we might after a more special manner rejoice together.’ ”
Which brings up one item for which we are thankful: The holiday has been condensed to one day. We’re not sure we could stomach a whole week of such a feast.
The celebration has been a federal holiday since 1863, when President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.” That was the same year Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address and signed the Emancipation Proclamation, making for an eventful presidential year by any standard.
While we could never hope to match Lincoln for eloquence (he also wrote in his Thanksgiving proclamation that “the year that is drawing toward its close has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies”), we do offer thanks that the United States is no longer in the midst of a Civil War, which was an impetus for Lincoln’s declaration.
While Thanksgiving has evolved over the centuries — particularly with the invention of parades and televised football — the tradition of eating turkey goes way back. Alexander Hamilton, one of the Founding Fathers, reputedly said, “No citizen of the U.S. shall refrain from turkey on Thanksgiving Day” (we don’t know whether this was before or after he said, “Just like my country, I’m young, scrappy and hungry”).
We shall not go so far as to insist that refraining from turkey is un-American, but more than 50 million turkeys will be consumed today. By the way, Minnesota is the nation’s top turkey-producing state — a fun fact that can help divert the discussion from politics at the dinner table. And Idaho is the No. 1 potato-producing state, although we’re guessing you knew that.
While most of us will partake in a turkey feast today, there is not just one fashion for celebrating Thanksgiving. Which brings us back to our original point about the holiday meaning different things to different people.
The United States is a place of diverse citizens with diverse experiences, and it is a place that allows each of us to celebrate in the manner we choose. And for that we remain eternally thankful.
