“Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love endures forever.”  Psalm 107:1

For many Americans, the holiday season which begins with Thanksgiving and extends to New Year’s Day is the busiest and most joyous time of the year!  It’s a time for family and friends to gather and give thanks for blessings received and to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Before opening presents and ringing in the new year, comes Thanksgiving Day!  On this day, we remember the blessings of the past year and thank God for His faithfulness to us.  Many families give each person, from the youngest to the oldest, an opportunity to tell what they are truly thankful for.  “Give thanks to the Lord for He is good, His love endures forever.” 

In the United States, the Thanksgiving bounty consists of the mainstay, turkey and dressing.  Turkey is king at many American tables!  We can’t forget the fixins’ of mashed potatoes, squash, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie!  At our house, raised dinner rolls top the list!  For many years, one grandson only had turkey and rolls on his plate!  However, turkey was not part of the first Thanksgiving banquet.  It isn’t mentioned in any of the historical diaries or documents of the original meal between the pilgrims and Wampanoag tribe.  Venison and lobster were on the table and surprise, no cranberry sauce!  Sugar was almost unknown in the Plymouth colony.

Sarah Hale was instrumental in getting the turkey served to Americans for the Thanksgiving meal.  She also petitioned President Abraham Lincoln to make Thanksgiving an official holiday in the U.S.  In 1863, Lincoln proclaimed the fourth Thursday of November as the national holiday.  “I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.”   

 Although Thanksgiving is traditionally an American holiday, our counterparts in North America also thank God for the harvest and His blessings on their countries.  Canadian Thanksgiving is observed the second Monday in October.  Canadians believe they celebrated Thanksgiving first in 1578, before the Pilgrims set foot on Plymouth Rock, when Martin Frobisher attempted to cross the Northwest Passage.  The voyage was perilous, one ship was lost, the remaining 15 ships and crew survived to make anchor.  They had a special communion service and shared thanks to God for surviving the ordeal.  One tradition separates the two celebrations, the Canadian government gives a specific call for what to be thankful for.  It could be a bountiful harvest, or the end of a war or a simple “For general thanksgiving to Almighty God for the blessings with which the people of Canada have been favoured.”  Thanksgiving became a national holiday in 1957.

Mexico also has a Thanksgiving tradition, a religious holiday and a time to thank God for the blessings granted throughout the year.   The meal is given a colorful, spicy Mexican flair.  Turkey or pork is served, combined with pumpkin soup and cranberry salsa.   Thanksgiving in Mexico this year will be observed the same day as in the U.S.  “Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.  For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods.”  Psalm 95:2-3.   

Happy Thanksgiving!  Don’t eat too much turkey!

Your friend, Jean