The First Thanksgiving
It was the autumn of 1621, in Plymouth Colony, when Governor Bradford, following the custom that had been observed in one way or another for many centuries, set a time for giving thanks for the year's harvest, meager as it was.  He also decided to make it an occasion for strengthening friendship with the Indians, so an invitation was sent to Chief Massasoit and his braves to share in the festival.
The Indians were pleased to accept and sent five deer ahead as a gift for the feast.  Governor Bradford then sent out four men to shoot game, and they returned heavily laden, particularly with wild turkey.  In the meantime, the women in the Colony ground meal for corn bread, cracked corn for hominy and gathered cranberries, which they had learned how to prepare.  Others prepared huge fires, as the Thanksgiving dinner was cooked and served out-of-doors.  Massasoit and ninety Indians sat down with the Pilgrims to the first Thanksgiving table in America.  All the preparation ahead of time was providential because, the feast was to last for three days! On the first day, the Indians did nothing but eat, but later on, they wrestled, ran rances, sang and danced with the young people in the colony.  They could outrun and outwrestle the boys, but on the other hand, they learned some new games and love matching to the rhythm of a drum.  They were more than frightened when someone fired a cannon!
Thanksgiving Today
Thanksgiving is, almost without
Christmas or New Year's Day
Thanksgiving dinners are family
tirely within the home. One
celebrate Thanksgiving is to
morning and in many localities,
worship together. It is also a
tunate, and churches, schools
see to it that no one goes hung-
the year they remember to give
for them.
exception, the family's day.
may be spent with friends, but
affairs and celebrated almost en-
fine way in which the people
attend a church service in the
persons of different faith
time of sharing with the less for-
and many philanthropic societies
ry. To many, it is the one day in
thanks for all America has done
Thanksgiving Parades
As far back as history reaches the
came our Thanksgiving, was mark-
people bearing the first fruits or
the gods who foster crops. Some-
"harvest queen" rode in on one of
sheath of grain that was bedecked
mans, also, had fantastic parades
field and the harvesters contended
In the US, many Thanksgiving pa-
to a harvest festival is lost. Some
by large department stores in large
Festival of Harvest Home, which be-
ed by picturesque parades of happy
grain through the streets in honor of
times, a rustic maiden called the
the horses that brought in the last
with ribbons and flowers. The Ro-
in honor of the last wagon in from the
in all kinds of games and sports.
rades take place, but any connotation
are commercial and are sponsored
cities, and usually televised.
Plymouth, Massachusetts

The people of Plymouth, Massachusetts, reenact the first American Thanksgiving each year.  Dressed in colonial costumes, they gather at the famous rock and bow their heads in gratitude.  Then, when men carrying old-fashioned muskets, the crowd marches to Burial Hill, where Pilgrims who died that first winter are buried.  From there, they go to Memorial Hall to hear Thanksgiving sermon delivered by one of the local ministers.

Thanksgiving Day Festival in California

One of the most noteworthy Thanksgiving festivals is held each year at Pilgrim Place, Claremont, California.  It is a community made up of retired ministers, doctors, missionaries and other Christian workers--some of whom claim to be descendants of Mayflower passengers.  In order to earn funds for fommunity projects, it has been their custom since 1949 to hold a two-day Thanksgiving festival which is a combination of pageantry and money-making devices.
The men wear Puritan attire, including tall hats and buckles on their shoes, while women wear typical colonial costumes.  The bazaar consists of booths filled with articles made by the sponsors; children can be photographed in stocks and there is a replica of the Mayflower on wheels.  A pageant, Pilgrim's Triumphs, is staged each night.  It depicts their life from the time they left their homeland, their journey by sea, and the first Thanksgiving in America.