Thanksgiving: All you need to know about the festival in the US

Thanksgiving, you can ask any young adult and teenagers and they will tell all the stories about Thanksgiving from the American television series they have been watching. Words like 'Turkey' and 'American Festival' are used to describe the Thanksgiving festival. It is known to be a secular festival that has its origins in the 17th century when the Americans were colonised by the British and other European nations. Thanksgiving marks the beginning of the holiday season in the US. Here is all you need to know about the Thanksgiving festival.

The Pilgrims and the Natives

It is basically a festival related to harvest. People thank each other for the good things happenings in their life and share their joy with others. It is known that the first Thanksgiving festival was celebrated in the year 1621. The pilgrims from England had a successful harvest after having a tough time. They shared their joy and with the Native American tribes.

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The Presidential Pardon

This tradition is known to be started since the 1940's. The President is presented with a turkey or two. One of turkey is set free and one is a part of the Thanksgiving dinner at the White House. This is how hugely the festival is celebrated.

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All about the turkey

If you have been wondering about the important role of turkey at the festival, then you are in the right place. A Pilgrim mentioned a turkey hunt before the feast of the successful harvest. And since then, the turkey has played a major role in the festival. The turkey is prepared with various stuffings and sauces and is a major part of the meal.

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All about the menu for the day

A traditional Thanksgiving in the US is celebrated by roasting a whole bird- it can be turkey, goose, or a duck. The meal also includes pumpkin pies, various kinds of stuffing, and sauce. The turkey is usually stuffed with bread crumbs, onions, carrots, chestnuts, raisins, apples, and other stuffings. The meal ends with a delicious pumpkin pie. 

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