Thanksgiving

Living in the U.S.A., I know nothing about
Canadian Thanksgiving--only about as much
as I know about their Boxing Day! 8o) So my
Thanksgiving Day is an old-fashioned one,
built around family. However, we have modern-
ized enough that I do not demand that things
are done my way, at my house. Mainly, the
holiday is to accomodate, as best we can, the
whole extended family.

My children are married. That means that their
in-laws have as much right to them as I have to
them. 8o) Last year, for example, we had a
delightful American-Asian Thanksgiving at my
son's wife's parents' home, with all their family
and the grown children's special friends.

As is normally done, we had a wonderful big
roasted turkey, served whole and uncut to the
table. It was stuffed with a bread-stuffing,
seasoned to perfection.

I brought a loaf of home-made bread, two
large containers of yams (one without sugar
and the other with brown sugar and marsh-
mallows), a greenbean cassarole made with
fresh mushrooms and home-made mushroom
sauce, and a salad that filled a large punch bowl.
My daughter's family and my son's each brought
their special goodies.

In the end, there were the food items I mentioned
as well as cold potato salad, mashed potatoes,
and gravy (which must be spilled at least once
by an embarrassed pre-teen or it is not a proper
Thanksgiving). There were spring rolls, pot
stickers, fish sauce, rice, and other Asian
delights I could not possibly name. All took
home leftovers from this meal that they had not
brought to it.

And there is always pumpkin pie. People have
gotten creative with their pumpkin pies, but my
favorite will always be the simplest.

Well, it was not our usual Thanksgiving, but it
was wonderful, too. All there were not believers,
since my daughter-in-law's father is still Bud-
dhist, so although we had prayer to our God
before we ate, the conversation was not what
one would expect in a group of believers.

Norrmally, the host will lead the conversation into
the lines of what we are thankful for, the things
that had happened over the past year for which
we are grateful, etc. Believing Americans usually
use this time to lift up our Lord, to praise Him,
to share with the needy, and to teach the children
family tradition , a tradition of thankfulness, and
a desire to reach the needy.

[ November 09, 2002, 05:16 AM: Message edited by: Abiyah ]

 

Thanksgiving in the U.S. is the last Thursday of
November. At that time, the weather for most
of the U.S. has a winter chill to it. The Midwest,
South, and East usually still have vibrant colors in
their hardwood trees; if not, the color is a delight
upon the ground which calls for a Thanksgiving
Day walk after the feast--in the woods, in a park,
or even down a city street. What a delight!

On the West Coast, the mountains are glorious
and very visible in the brisk, clear air. We have
many evergreens and fewer hardwoods, but
our land is also colorful with the golds and reds
of autumn.

Many, all over the country, get their first snows
on this day. This is always a delight to the little
ones. Basements and storages are quickly
emptied of their snow toys, even for a mere
sprinkling of snow.

In the mountains, the ski lodges are full. Red-
cheeked over-anxious snowbunnies don all
their ski gear, only to find themselves removing
much of it after a first run, to ski in shirt sleeves.

It is a delightful time for most, but there are
always the hungry, the forgotten, the lonely, the
cold. It is a difficult time of the year for those
mourning a family member or those in broken
relationships. We all do our best to help, but . . .
well, you know.

[ November 09, 2002, 05:32 AM: Message edited by: Abiyah ]

 

Out of all the secular holidays, thanksgiving is the only one that has biblical merits. In the old testament there was three feast that the God had commanded the Israelites to keep: passover, first fruits and end gathering. Thanksgiving could be considered end gathering.

It is true that most people celebrate Thanksgiving in tradition only not considering the meaning behind. I wondering how many even know the words to the Mayflower Compact Thanksgiving is to the person what he holds it to be in his heart.

 

That would differ from celebrant to celebrant,
or better said, from family to family. Often,
in churches, mention is made of the sacrifices
and way of life of these people. In public
schools, their own traditional concepts are
taught, while in private schools, a different
tradition is taught. In public high schools and
colleges, yet another tradition is taught while
degrading those more common in lower grades.

Churches often mention Thanksgiving and
the history and/or tradition behind it. Since I
attend a synagogue, no mention of any
non-biblical holiday is made at all, because it
is believed that only biblical things should be
taught there; however, unlike Christmas or
Easter, Thanksgiving Day is celebrated.

The public schools in the U.S., according to
modern tradition, are not to mention our God
or the specifically godly acts of others. There-
fore, in the younger grades, the children are
often taught that the pilgrims came here for
freedom's sake alone. Peace with the original
Americans and a specific dinner with Native
Americans is mentioned as one of thanks for a
great harvest after a period of extreme want.

Public high schools and colleges, when men-
tioning the holiday, will often teach that the
people came here strictly for monetary pur-
poses. Religious-based schools teach that the
people came seeking religious freedom.

In my birth-family, the only thing I remember
being done with regard to the original purpose
of Thanksgiving was the little-child Pilgrim
candles, placed upon the table on each side
of a turkey canndle, in front of a filled cornu-
copia. At the end of the day, we would light
the candles and watch the little pilgrims' heads
melt. ! ! !

In my present family, I must admit that it is all
about family and not about the Pilgrims at all.
I do not remember mentioning them, except to
correct the misconceptions from school, when
the children were at home.

However, it is our time of gratefulness to our
God and of sharing with the needy. I must
also admit that it is a time we in the U.S. have
built around food.

I do hope that someone from Canada gets on
and tells something about their traditions. I
also do not know the date of their Thanksgiving.

[ November 09, 2002, 10:02 AM: Message edited by: Abiyah ]

 

Just a quick statement: all of our holy days
include food--either feasting or fasting.
There are actually six feasts and one fast.
(Other than these are other feasts and fasts.)

Feasts in order: Sukkot (Feast of Tabernacles),
Passover, Chag HaMatzot (Feast of Unleavened
Bread), Yom HaBikkkurim (Feast of Firstfruiits),
Shavuot (Feast of Weeks), and Rosh Hashannah
(Feast of Trumpets). The fast is Yom Kippur.

[ November 09, 2002, 10:21 AM: Message edited by: Abiyah ]

 

There's a little tune we used to sing at this time of year which can be found here; also, there is the song "We Gather Together" and some trivia:

http://www.wilstar.com/holidays/overriv.htm

Over the River and
Through the Woods

Over the river and thru the wood,
To grandfather's house we go;
The horse knows the way
To carry the sleigh,
Thru the white and drifted snow, oh!
Over the river and thru the wood,
Oh, how the wind does blow!
It stings the toes,
And bites the nose,
As over the ground we go.

Over the river and thru the wood,
To have a first-rate play;
Oh, hear the bell ring,
"Ting-a-ling-ling!"
Hurrah for Thanksgiving Day-ay!
Over the river and thru the wood,
Trot fast my dapple gray!
Spring over the ground,
Like a hunting hound!
For this is Thanksgiving Day.

[ November 09, 2002, 11:37 AM: Message edited by: GrannyGumbo ]

 

Bump, Canadians!

 

thanks for the explaination!

 

In my belief system, we have three specific
thanksgivings other than the American one.
These are called in English Bibles the Feast of
Firstfruits, the Feast of Weeks, and the Feast
of Tabernacles. We also have the yeears of
"Jubilee," which are thanksgiving years. Of
course, these are the "Thanksgiving Days" of
Israel.

I would be interested in reading about other
countries' similar traditions.

 

Canadian Thanksgiving relates closer to the Brit Harvest Sunday. It is celebrated in October.The 2nd Monday (all statutory holidays were moved to the nearest Monday).

Generally families meet around the table and enjoy a feast of turkey..or whatever is their preference.

At the churches, we gather the fruit of the harvest, display it at the front and later distribute the food to the needy.

Unlike the USA, where it relates to the Pilgrims first winter in America, Canada draws its memories on the harvest.

Cheers,

Jim

[ November 10, 2002, 01:14 PM: Message edited by: Jim1999 ]

 

The Mayflower Compact (November 1620)

-------------------------------------------------

p> IN The Name of God, Amen. We, whose names are underwritten, the Loyal Subjects of our dread Sovereign Lord King James, by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c. Having undertaken for the Glory of God, and Advancement of the Christian Faith, and the Honor of our King and Country, a Voyage to plant the first colony in the northern Parts of Virginia; Do by these Presents, solemnly and mutually in the Presence of God and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil Body Politick, for our better Ordering and Preservation, and Furtherance of the Ends aforesaid; And by Virtue hereof do enact, constitute, and frame, such just and equal Laws, Ordinances, Acts, Constitutions, and Offices, from time to time, as shall be thought most meet and convenient for the general Good of the Colony; unto which we promise all due Submission and Obedience. In WITNESS whereof we have hereunto subscribed our names at Cape Cod the eleventh of November, in the Reign of our Sovereign Lord King James of England, France, and Ireland, the eighteenth and of Scotland, the fifty-fourth. Anno Domini, 1620

John Carver Edward Tilley Degory Priest
William Bradford John Tilley Thomas Williams
Edward Winslow Francis Cooke Gilbert Winslow
William Brewster Thomas Rogers Edmund Margeson
Issac Allerton Thomas Tinker Peter Browne
Myles Standish John Rigdale Richard Britteridge
John Alden Edward Fuller Georoe Soule
Samuel Fuller John Turner Richard Clarke
Christopher Martin Francis Eaton Richard Gardiner
William Mullins James Chilton John Allerton
William White John Crackston Thomas English
Richard Warren John Billington Edward Dotey
John Howland Moses Fletcher Edward Leister
Stephen Hopkins John Goodman