Have a VERY Merry Thanksgiving, Ya'll.....we STILL live in the greatest country in the world.... and remember we have three folk to thank for Thanksgiving -

Sarah Josephia Hale, editor of Godey's Lady's Book; President Lincoln who made the proclamation and William H. Seward who drafted it.....

   

   

....and here's this year's silly card....

Happy, Happy Thanksgiving to all of our Forum Friends!!

   

   
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

Does anyone know why Thursday had become the day to celebrate Thanksgiving, not Sunday?

(11-21-2015 09:42 PM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  Does anyone know why Thursday had become the day to celebrate Thanksgiving, not Sunday?

I like the Old Farmer's Almanac's version, Eva. It skips over the final meddling by the retailers in the 1930s, however, which caused the fourth Thursday of November to be carved in stone as the precise day. http://www.almanac.com/fact/why-is-thank...-thursdayr

Thanks, Laurie. It's in October or late September here, too - at harvest time.

---

Is it a religious holiday?

Considering that the colonists were spread along the Atlantic coast, harvest times varied by several months due to the differences in climate. The last of the harvests would be in November in the southern climes, so I guess some "official" somewhere decided to wait until everyone could find a time to rest and eat themselves silly!

Some churches do hold services, but it is not a recognized religious holiday (so far as I know). It is more family traditions. Eating, watching football, and waiting for Black Friday sales to begin!

I inevitably link Thanksgiving to this traditional 1783 song by Matthias Claudius, sung in schools, kindergartens and services around Thanksgiving time: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yqdgUm9tOfI .

(11-22-2015 11:22 AM)Eva Elisabeth Wrote:  Whom do you thank then on Thanksgiving? (This is a serious, neutral question out if curiosity!)
(I inevitably link Thanksgiving to this traditional 1783 song by Matthias Claudius, sung in schools, kindergartens and services around Thanksgiving time: http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yqdgUm9tOfI )

Thanks for the reminder of that lovely hymn. I spent 26 years as a church organist, and it was sung at least 3-4 times a year. Much of the time, it was sung by the congregation (or just our children's choir) while the offering was being taken up, and then we would go right into "Praise God from whom all blessings flow" as the plates were offered up.

Forget to say thanks for explaining - a common date awaiting southern harvest, too, does make sense to me!

Many thanks to Betty for sending this!!

(11-22-2015 04:10 PM)RJNorton Wrote:  Many thanks to Betty for sending this!!

Thanks for this important reminder. My nephew, Sam, will celebrate Thanksgiving somewhere under an ocean (not sure which one) in a naval submarine.

(11-22-2015 04:10 PM)RJNorton Wrote:  Many thanks to Betty for sending this!!

Thank you Betty! I was invited by some friends to attend the celebration here in Germany. They work for the USO and will be hosting a great party for those that cannot be home that day. This is such an important family thing in the US and I hope we can add just a little holiday cheer while they miss out on all that is going on at home.

Happy Thanksgiving to all! Jack the Turkey loves you!

And we love him

We are truly blessed. Happy Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving Proclamation
Issued by President George Washington, at the request of Congress, on October 3, 1789

By the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation.

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and—Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favor, able interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other trangressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally, to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

Go. Washington