What Are You Thankful For?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Pumpkin pie, turkey, cranberry sauce, merry spirits, and most importantly, family--these words combined make almost every American think of the same blissful holiday: Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is not just a time where we fill our bellies to the max, but rather, a time where we all go through certain lengths to be reunited with our loved ones, again. Families share a grand meal, laughter, memories, and some even treat themselves to shopping sprees. What is it about the holiday that brings us together and gives us a new sense of “thankfulness?” Perhaps the answer is the rich history behind the holiday.

Our great history began in the year 1620, when the historic Mayflower ship left England and set sail for the New World, carrying an array of passengers. There were 102 passengers, each hopeful of the religious and political freedom and opportunity that awaited them; however, not all of them were ready for the great struggle that was to come in setting the foundation for what would be America. After nearly a hundred day journey, the group arrived in Massachusetts Bay and began colonizing the famous colony of Plymouth. The winter was brutal; by the time Spring came, only half of the passengers were still alive. When it seemed like the pilgrims would not survive, two individuals came to their rescue. Both Natives, Abenaki and Squanto are famously attributed for helping the pilgrims survive in the New World by teaching them a variety of skills, such as cultivating and hunting and even enabled them to ally with a nearby tribe. In November 1621, the corn that Squanto taught the pilgrims to graze, grew. To celebrate and give thanks, Governor William Bradford invited the nearby tribe to join them in a feast. The feast was celebrated once more by the Pilgrims in 1623 to celebrate the end of a drought. While they may not have called it “Thanksgiving” in the 17th century, the holiday has always embodied a time of gratitude for both God and loved ones.

Thanksgiving was not always a national holiday in the United States. In fact, George Washington acknowledged the holiday in 1789 to celebrate America’s independence and the ratification of the Constitution. Thanksgiving became a federal holiday in 1863, thanks to President Abraham Lincoln. What is less known, however, is that President Franklin D. Roosevelt moved the holiday one week sooner in 1939 to boost the economy amid the Great Depression. People were outraged at first, and for a while, they cleverly renamed the holiday to “Franksgiving.”

Whatever name or time, the holiday has been monumental at reuniting and reminding us of all the things we should be grateful for. We are thankful for God and the vision He has given us, our nation, Government, and our partners around the country! On behalf of all of us at the National Women’s Prayer and Voting Army, Happy Thanksgiving!