The first thanksgiving was in 1621. It happened when the Native Americans had a great farming season and the pilgrims were running out of food. The Native Americans decided that they would save the pilgrims from starvation and invited them to a great feast.
If this act of kindness did not happen the pilgrims would have died. In this great feast they ate turkey for the main course, pumpkin, cranberries, corn etc. In the late 1700's, George Washington declared that the third Thursday of November would be Thanksgiving, a day to celebrate the generosity that the pilgrims had received from the Native Americans.
People travel great distances just to be able to eat this special dinner with their family, giving thanks to their lives, to each other, and remembering the first thanksgiving, and how the pilgrims were helped out by the neighboring Native Americans.
This insight into the idea of Thanksgiving has been around many centuries as you can see in this story.
The History of Thanksgiving and its CelebrationsThere have been so many prayers in Thanksgiving, but here are a very few of them.
Psalms wrote of Thanksgiving:
Pss.100[1] Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
[2] Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
[3] Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
[4] Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
[5] For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
as you blessed the loaves and fishes.
As the sugar hides in the tea,
let me hide myself in Thee.
Amen
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Lord most giving and resourceful,I implore you;make it your willthat this people enjoythe goods and riches you naturally give,that naturally issue from you,that are pleasing and savory,that delight and comfort,though lasting but briefly,passing away as if in a dream.
Aztec prayer, circa 1500s
Traditional foods include: Beans, Beets, Bread ,Cider ,Corn ,Cranberries ,Ham ,Juice Liver ,Milk ,Pickled Beets ,Pie ,Salad ,Stuffing ,Turkey ,Wine
Virtual Florist card site, why not send some flowers?
Annie's Thanksgiving Just For Kids Page.This link goes to the Kids Domain and has a group of real neat Maze Games--Thanksgiving Mazes
Credit for graphics:
mouseover graphic & look on status bar. Click to go there.