The history of Thanksgiving, different types of menu, and family fun activities during this festive holiday.
Thanksgiving today is not just about food, family, friends, and football. To really appreciate the meaning of this festive holiday we need to remember why we are being thankful and when and where did Thanksgiving start?
The history of the American Thanksgiving starts in 1621 with the English colonist who landed in Plymouth. Known as the Pilgrims today, they celebrated with the Wampanoag Indians a three-day feast. The Pilgrims arrived in the “New World” from the Mayflower in 1620 and were part of the English colony that was seeking a better life, more religious freedom, and made mainly of “Puritans” and “Separatists” who believed King James of England had too much control on the church system.
The Plymouth colony had to endure a lot just to survive. Many Pilgrims died during the first winter of 1620. They were actually living on a huge plantation, the Pilgrims had to work hard on the land to produce a lot of food for families and live stock. The local Native Americans and Pilgrims soon became fast friends and joined together in farming and trading goods. By 1621 a large feast was made with the Wampanoag Indians to celebrate the fall season’s great harvest. A Thanksgiving was observed in honor of this. This marks the best mutual, peaceful moment with the Native Americans, and the New Englanders at this time.
In many respects, if not for the help of the Wampanoag tribe, the Plymouth colony wouldn’t have survived at all. The sympathetic Native Americans taught the Pilgrims how to plant corn, fishing techniques, hunting skills, cultivating and gathering various crops. For a long time the two groups lived peacefully and celebrated their combined efforts for a better life. For hundreds of years the message and meaning of Thanksgiving is about sharing, caring, loving, making new friendships, having sympathy for another, giving selflessly, showing acts of kindness, and mercy. Celebrating with everyone everywhere with an abundant harvest feast.
What does a traditional Thanksgiving dinner consist of? There are many different types of menu items to choose from for your Thanksgiving dinner. Here are a list of menu favorites you can try. Let’s start with the turkey. Oven roast turkey, butter, sage, parsley, basil, and thyme seasoning. Some roast turkey with rosemary, garlic, and lemon. Wine smoked turkey on grill with wine infused woodchips. Barbecued glazed turkey. All are quite good and any herb rubbed roast turkey will do as well. For detailed recipes go to Reader’sdigest.com, Bonappetit.com, and Betterhomesandgarden’s.com for variations.
What are the most popular sides to go with the turkey dinner? There are many varieties of stuffing, but the basics are cornbread stuffing, beard seasoned stuffing with onion, celery, sage, and herb spices. Apple-bacon cornbread stuffing, and cornbread, sausage, and dried fruit dressing. Wild rice or white rice with gravy. Brussels sprouts, green beans, tender carrots, creamed spinach, and broccoli. Fluffy mashed potatoes with chives, sweet potatoes or candy yams with marshmallows. Romaine or spinach salad, cranberry sauce, yeast rolls, and herb rolls. Thanksgiving desserts consist of pumpkin pie with whipped cream, apple pie, pecan pie, sweet potato pie, cheesecake, pear tarts, and apple tarts. For list of vegan recipes for Thanksgiving check: Allrecipes.com, vegweb.com and the Foodnetwork.com under vegetarian Thanksgiving menu.
What kind of fun activities the whole family can do during Thanksgiving? For free Thanksgiving coloring pages click to Kaboose.com, other fun activities can be found on the familyfun.com, celebrations.com, thanksgivingfun.net/crafts, theholidayspot.com, other great tips at familycorner.com, Moms can try momswhothink.com for everything about Thanksgiving activities and recipes. Besides watching sports, indoor board games, and lively conversation are fun too. You can even find an enjoyable holiday movie to watch with the whole family. Christmas is right around the corner and films about thankfulness is at the top of the list. Thanksgiving is a day for gratitude. A day to give thanks to everything in your life with family and friends.
T.S.Garp © Copyright 2009 All Rights Reserved.
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