Each nation without a share of bragging is proud of the huge number of its traditional holidays. Some of them were borrowed from cultures of other nations, some originated in the process of formation and development of the country, the rest were vaccinated by local natives. The last point is especially significant for countries that were formed as a result of colonization. Thanksgiving in the USA can rightfully be considered such a holiday.
The origins of this popular celebration lie at the foundation, on which the giant of independence of the American continent - the United States of America - has been standing and gaining strength for quite some time. The history of this holiday begins with the history of the development of the state, from the period when the first colonialists landed on the lands of brave Indians. It was then, in 1620, that the harsh winter did not spare a huge number of gentlemen from the Old World.
The remaining poor fellows struggled to survive. In this they were helped by compassionate Indians, who taught the colonialists to sow pumpkin, corn and make popular maple syrup. Having received the first crop, the main conqueror William Bradford proposed to celebrate this event with a three-day festival. That is how Thanksgiving came to the United States.
The next year turned out to be arid, and the old-world society, conquering the vastness of America, prayed to all the gods, asking them for the next year of heavenly moisture - rain. And their prayers were answered. Therefore, the second celebration on the occasion of the grand harvest took place in 1622. Since then, it has become a wonderful tradition to celebrate Thanksgiving. The United States and its inhabitants celebrated this holiday without observing a specific date. The first US president, who became George Washington (he is also depicted on a one-dollar bill), declared this celebration a national one. However, only the sixteenth heir, Abraham Lincoln, who proposed celebrating Thanksgiving in the United States on the last Thursday of November, managed to establish the exact time for the celebration. It was 1863, and since then this event has never changed its traditions.
Usually this day begins with a trip to the church. At the same time, the holiday is considered solely a family celebration, sometimes gathering at the same table relatives from all over the vast world. The invariable and main guest of the gala dinner is the baked turkey. The most interesting question for citizens of the post-Soviet space is the question of why this bird is nevertheless. There are several hypotheses about the origin of this tradition. According to one version, the invited Indians brought the baked carcasses of these birds as a treat to the first festive table, organized in honor of this celebration. Currently, nothing has changed: as in the distant 1620, the turkey is accompanied by pumpkin pie and maple syrup.
Thanksgiving in the USA is not only home gatherings by the fireplace, but also grandiose costumed performances on the streets of each village of the country. It is also worth noting that on this holiday, the President of the United States symbolically releases the turkey, prepared for cooking, to freedom. The beginning of this tradition dates back to the reign of John F. Kennedy.
This is probably the most national and most American holiday. Therefore, it is not surprising that Thanksgiving is not celebrated in Russia.