In the beginning of time the Hebrews would give thanks the first fruits of their harvest to their God. Thanking Him for their bountiful harvest. The Pilgrims continued the giving of thanks for their harvest. Still today we thank the Lord God Almighty for our Bountiful life and harvest.In 1620 the Mayflower arrived in Plymouth (now in the state of Maine). It was the first ship to arrive and many others were to come in the next following years. In autumn of 1621 the Governor of the pilgrims sent a message to have a special day to meet together to rejoice. Being Christians,(followers of Christ, Gods' only Son) I think it was part of the thankfulness of their first year harvest. Thanking the Lord God for his protection and their food. Winter was coming again and they were storing up and batting down. We know the time frame due to some letters we had from that time. Some of the Mayflower folks also did not make it to the first Thanksgiving celebration. Of the 102 first passengers of the Mayflower to arrive in America. Only 53 made it to celebrate the First Thanksgiving, In the autumn of 1621.
Now in 1863 Abraham Lincoln declared:
.....It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. 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 next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.
So our Thanksgiving celebrations began all around the Nations. Solely based on giving thanks to God Almighty for the blessing he has bestowed on each one of us.
So Now question to you today is:
Do you, at your Family gathering, on your "Thanksgiving Day" do something special with the family?
We will go around the table and have everyone answer a question" What are you thankful for the year?". My Mother started that at our table. We always had a guess or two and they still had to answer the question.. then My Dad would give thanks to the Lord God Almighty and we would eat.
Hi! Thanks for stopping by, and I'd say we've been following each other for a while :) As far as your question when the kids were little & I wasn't working yes I'd ask them what they were thankful for, but being a single mother I worked a lot, and holidays were my money days. I was a waitress before I went back to school. Now a days Thanksgiving is just getting together with family like my step-brother & his family whom I love dearly and my daughter & her family is usually there. He deep fries a turkey and bakes one, and there's so much food there. We hug, kiss, feed our face and go home stuffed like a turkey.
ReplyDeleteThrough the years, a family member would be chosen to say a prayer and grace.
ReplyDeleteWe go around the table and ask everyone what they are thankful for. It is intersting.. Especially when we get t othe kids. Its usually a toy they are thankful for.
ReplyDeleteNot really...:(
ReplyDeleteWe usually go around the table and say what we're thankful for.
ReplyDeleteWe hold hands, my sons and I go around saying what we are each thankful for & then I say a prayer/blessing! We do it for Christmas too!
ReplyDeleteHave a Wonderful Thanksgiving!!
Blessings & Hugs,
Coreen
We are Military and always far away from family at Thanksgiving. We spend the day with friends. We have not done anything like that in previous years. Great idea though!
ReplyDeleteWe just say something.
ReplyDeleteWe have my grandad bless the food...
ReplyDeletethen we eat and are so very thankful for those that are there with us
We do the same, everyone tells what they are thankful for.
ReplyDeleteMy father reads the poem, "When the Frost is On the Punkin'" We also say a prayer giving thanks, but what most special is the gathering of family who are not normally all together throughout the year.
ReplyDeleteI do remember one Thanksgiving growing up when my parents had us go around the table and say what we were thankful for. My little sister's answer was that she was thankful for everything except me, lol! I was a bit of an instigator and had been teasing her earlier in the day. She was dead serious and my mom sent her to her room. Poor thing. She's never lived that one down.