The Meaning of Thanksgiving

When it comes to the history of Thanksgiving, fact and myth have blended together like mashed potatoes and gravy.

The holiday is generally believed to have begun as an unplanned harvest feast shared by the English colonists (Pilgrims) of Plymouth, Massachusetts and the native Wampanoag people in 1621. The Pilgrims contributed fowl of some kind (although it might have been goose instead of turkey!), and the Wapanoags contributed a variety of foods—from fish to vegetables. We do know that there was no pumpkin pie! (Can you imagine?)

People ate outside sitting on the ground or on barrels with plates on their laps. They played games, danced, prayed, and learned to communicate with one another. The first Thanksgiving was a disorganized event (our modern celebrations are often no different!), but the feast sealed a peace treaty between the two groups. 

On October 3, 1863, during the Civil War, President Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving to be celebrated on Thursday, November 26. Ever since, Thanksgiving has been recognized as a national holiday on the fourth Thursday in November.

The annual feast moved beyond colonists and Native Americans to allow immigrants of every background to participate in a common tradition. Thanksgiving has now come to symbolize intercultural peace, the welcoming of newcomers, and the value of home and family. Regardless of the historical details, it’s that meaning that we celebrate today (with pumpkin pie, of course).

At Small Strides, we celebrate the diversity of traditions that our kids come from, incorporating them into a “feast” on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving. For this feast, kids bring their favorite dish to share with their classmates. Like the first Thanksgiving, this is our way of joining different people together to make new friends, share a meal, and play.