Breaking Bread Together

Most of us think about the colonists and the Native Americans sharing a feast together around this time of year.  Here are a few things you may not know about the “Thanksgiving” holiday:

• The Native Americans had been in North America for many years before the colonists came, and more than likely they celebrated their own harvest each year, long before 1620, so to call the 1621 celebration the “First Thanksgiving” is a myth in and of itself.

• The first Thanksgiving in 1621 between the colonists and the Native Americans was held sometime between September and November and the feast celebration lasted for 3 days.

• Originally, Thanksgiving was a multicultural community event – it was not just about family.

• The colonists never called themselves pilgrims.

• On November 26, 1863, President Abraham Lincoln announced the 1863 Thanksgiving Proclamation hoping to promote a more unified nation after the end of the Civil War. He announced the official Thanksgiving holiday (fourth Thursday in November) in gratitude for a pivotal Union Army victory at Gettysburg that same year.

• For the first Thanksgiving, the colonists did not dress in black (only on Sundays) and they did not wear those funny buckles and shoes your kids draw in school around this time of year.

• Contrary to popular belief, the Puritan colonists were fun people, and they liked to laugh and wear bright colors!

• Corn, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie and cranberries were not on the original menu – however, the colonists may have included cod, eel, clams, lobster and even seal in their feast.

Well, however you celebrate the fourth Thursday of November, Strategies hopes that you enjoy the company of others while you feast on whatever is your delight!