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5 Tips in Preparing for Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving is an exciting time of the year that many families look forward to. Typically, for many, it revolves around the cycle of three activities; family time, watching football, and food-fancy dinner having the show stopper aka Turkey and other food including delicious pies.
After catching up on everyone either on Zoom or in reality, you have to keep the conversation going. After talking about how pleasant the weather is this year, how thankful you are, how your favorite Rugby team isn’t doing well- you often think about what to talk about next?
No worries! This article has got everything you need to know about Thanksgiving, from history to facts and helpful tips to celebrate this holiday to the fullest.

The early history of Thanksgiving celebration

In the 1600s, the first-ever Thanksgiving had nothing to do with turkey, football, or even a holiday. It took place during the fall season. Soon after the crops in the field were harvested, many people shared an extravagant feast.
Thanksgiving is an annual celebration and a national holiday which commemorates a harvest festival celebrated by the pilgrims in 1621. In the United States, it is held on the 4th Thursday in November.

Thanksgiving is often remembered by religious observances and a traditional meal. Today it includes Turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and gravy. But we can’t miss pumpkin pies here.

The present Thanksgiving holiday didn’t become official until 1863; it was limited to state observances and celebrations.
Many people at that time believed that Thanksgiving should become a national holiday. Finally, in 1863 president Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving as a national holiday and signed the proclamation that every November would be celebrated as Thanksgiving. Since then, Americans have celebrated Thanksgiving every year with a traditional meal.

Often, it’s a warm gathering of family and friends and giving thanks to the blessings and taking time off from work and school.

5 Tips in Preparing for Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving is the most perfect occasion to gather with friends and family around the table.

Here are some tips so you can enjoy a great night of gratitude:

Virtual Invitation

Because of the pandemic, even though most of us are vaccinated, we still can’t go door to door to invite people. Virtual invitations are also great if you have a friend living quite a distance from your place.
It can be something fancy or straightforward; it all depends on you. Send them through the most simple and effective means of communication between your family members. An email, a text message, or a WhatsApp video call.
The important thing is that everyone should be aware of the details and feels that the tradition of being together during Thanksgiving is still latent.

Be creative with the Decorations

Thanksgiving becomes more special with festive items and seasonal decorations.

Make sure your home looks well organized and clean overall. You can be creative with the decor, like setting autumnal flowers and scented candles as a table centerpiece. Put your favorite tablecloth, dishes, and cutlery. Make delicious food and the showstopper turkey, and you are good to go.

Plan ahead and work in small portions

If you are inviting a limited number of guests, you should plan to buy a bird accordingly. Another great benefit is that it takes less time to cook. Or instead of cooking the whole bird, you can be wise by roasting the breast only.
Also, try to keep half-cooked or fully prepared dishes in your freezer to save time, like preparing the gravy, mashed potatoes, pie crusts, etc.
A simple yet tasty menu can do the job.

Make a grocery list and shop ahead

Watch for sales at the grocery stores and save some money. Shopping ahead of time is essential to get hands-on harder to find items. Check your kitchen wares and cutlery beforehand.

Facts about Thanksgiving Day

Once the briefly mentioned occasion, over the years, has gained popularity and is widely celebrated. Each passing generation adding its touch has made this holiday versatile in terms of celebrations. We’ve pulled together some fun facts so you can look cool around the Thanksgiving dinner table this fall.
We’ve got some interesting Thanksgiving facts to share around the dinner table.

When was the first Thanksgiving celebrated, and who was invited?
Thanksgiving was first celebrated in 1621, comprising three days of a harvest festival. 90 Wampanoag Indians, 50 pilgrims, and only five women were invited.

Where exactly was the first Thanksgiving?
In 1621 Colonists and Wampanoag Indians celebrated the harvest feast in the fall. This first thanksgiving celebration was held in Plymouth, Massachusetts.

What was on the menu? Turkey, right?
People are often surprised to know that at the first-ever Thanksgiving, Turkey wasn’t on the menu. Venison, goose, duck, oysters, eel, lobster, and fish were served. But instead of serving pumpkin pie and cranberry sauce that we do now, pumpkins and cranberries were served.

What “Mary Had A Little Lamb” Author has to do with Thanksgiving?
Sarah Josepha Hale, the poetess who wrote the famous poem “Mary Had A Little Lamb,” tried hard by writing letters for 17 years to convince Abraham to declare Thanksgiving a national holiday. Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving Day as a national holiday on October 3, 1863.

Why pardon Turkey?
The turkey pardoning tradition by the US presidents has been a thing. John F. Kennedy was the first to say goodbye to the Thanksgiving turkey, followed by Richard Nixon, who is apparently known to send his turkey to a petting zoo. George H.W. Bush is the US president who made the turkey pardoning tradition a thing in 1989.

What’s this obsession with Turkey?
In the United States, there are four towns named “Turkey.” These towns are found in Arizona, Louisiana, Texas, and North Carolina.

How many calories are, on average, consumed on Thanksgiving?
The average number of calories an individual consumes on Thanksgiving day is 4,500.

How are Football and Thanksgiving linked?
Whenever we think about Thanksgiving, the only sport that comes to our mind is football. The game between Yale and Princeton held in 1876 led to the tradition of football on Thanksgiving. In the 1920s, Thanksgiving, the first NFL games were played.

Conclusion

This Thanksgiving, don’t let heated discussions on politics and sports ruin the family gathering. Talk about the origin, history, and fun facts about Thanksgiving and make this holiday a learning experience.

Need urgent help for your interpreting and translation needs?

Today, you can get help for your interpreting and translation needs from native-speaking linguists of eTranslation Services easily. Send a Thanksgiving Day message to your family and friends in different languages. Get in touch with us via email at [email protected] or call us at (800) 882-6058.

Like you, we at eTranslation Services, want to thank our families, colleagues, and valued clients for the wonderful blessings we continue to receive. Happy Thanksgiving Day, everyone!

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