Thanksgiving Day 2021: All you need to know about significance, history & celebrations

As people all year round wait for Thanksgiving, the special day is marked as a national holiday on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. Thanksgiving 2021 celebrates the harvest and other blessings of the past year. American believes that the festival is modelled on a harvest feast shared by the English colonists (Pilgrims) of Plymouth and the Wampanoag people in 1621.

With the festival being celebrated widely today, let us dwell on the history of the day and learn about the significance and reasons behind the celebrations. The day generally includes a traditional Thanksgiving meal that typically includes turkey, bread stuffing, potatoes, cranberries, and pumpkin pie. It is one of the busiest holidays as families get together and celebrate this day with a hearty meal.

Thanksgiving history & significance

The festival of Thanksgiving is celebrated to recognise the sacrifices and blessings of the past year. The annual feast of Thanksgiving is to honour the 'first Thanksgiving' in America, in 1619 in Virginia, and in 1621. During this time, the colonists in Plymouth, Massachusetts, later known as the Pilgrims, shared a meal with the Wampanoag Indians. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln had proclaimed a National Day of Thanksgiving to be celebrated on Thursday, November 26. Later, with more urbanisation, the special day became a reason for the people to get together with their friends and family and celebrate the day with a scrumptious feast. People also decorate their homes to add more charm to the festive fervour.

Thanksgiving celebrations

To celebrate Thanksgiving, Americans gather and express their thanks through food, or family, and the football sport. Thanksgiving Day is a special day as people write down the things they are thankful for and then read them aloud from the pieces of paper. Apart from this, the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is held in New York City along with the other celebrations of Thanksgiving Day. It is considered to be the world's largest Thanksgiving parade, which consists of huge balloons that float above the sky accompanied by dancers and marching bands. This year, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade kicks off at 9 am ET in Manhattan at West 77h Street and Central Park West. 

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