Explain Thanksgiving, in detail, to an Aussie.
- Thread starter StBishop
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It's a holiday where families get together, eat lots of food, and hang out. Depending on the family, it can either be very traditional or extremely casual. Growing up, my family was rather casual about Thanksgiving; about the only thing we would eat that was traditional is the turkey. Nowadays, since my sisters prepare Thanksgiving dinner, the food is extremely traditional, i.e. Turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, biscuits, fresh cranberry sauce, etc.
Like most holidays, most people don't give a shit about the supposed meaning of Thanksgiving. If you really want to get technical about it, it's a holiday established by Abraham Lincoln that honors the time when American Indians saved the colonists from starvation, hence why we eat copious amounts of food to celebrate. In its modern incarnation however, everyone just uses it as an excuse to overeat and have fun, two things that Americans are really really good at. I can't speak for all Americans, as I'm sure that there are some bible-thumpers out there who do treat Thanksgiving as a sacred and religious holiday, but in my experience it's just a holiday like anything else.
Like most holidays, most people don't give a shit about the supposed meaning of Thanksgiving. If you really want to get technical about it, it's a holiday established by Abraham Lincoln that honors the time when American Indians saved the colonists from starvation, hence why we eat copious amounts of food to celebrate. In its modern incarnation however, everyone just uses it as an excuse to overeat and have fun, two things that Americans are really really good at. I can't speak for all Americans, as I'm sure that there are some bible-thumpers out there who do treat Thanksgiving as a sacred and religious holiday, but in my experience it's just a holiday like anything else.
clairedelune summed it up pretty well. It's all about being grateful for the blessings in your life, (whatever they may be,) having a feast, and spending time with family... whether you want to or not. 
The cornucopia is the traditional decorative centerpiece, but I rarely see one actually used.
And for the record: It has nothing to do with celebrating killing anyone, or stealing anything. So all you Debbie Downers can keep your cynical thoughts to yourselves, thank-you very much.
The cornucopia is the traditional decorative centerpiece, but I rarely see one actually used.
And for the record: It has nothing to do with celebrating killing anyone, or stealing anything. So all you Debbie Downers can keep your cynical thoughts to yourselves, thank-you very much.
stinkychops said:
mindclockwork said:
Wait, people think Thanksgiving is about victory over the Indians? I mean, yeah, we did do some horrible things to them, but you really think that's why we celebrate?Peachfuzz1000 said:
Jesus, no wonder people hate us.
actually i just randomly remembered that from one episode of "king of the hill"... is it really that ?sgtshock said:
ooooo
In canada we're supposed to give thanks for... things we are thankful for? I have no clue when it is because it's basically the most throwaway holiday of the year, besides possibly st. patricks. The real point is to eat a turkey then feel like an asshole when you can't think of anything to be thankful for. Also nobody anywhere has cornucopias.
Like everyone else has said, it's basically the opposite. Historically, we celebrate the one time we had good relations with the Indians, when they helped the Pilgrims through a harsh winter and celebrated with a feast. And culturally, it's just about getting together with family and being thankful for things like good health and family. Other people have explained it better than I have in this thread.stinkychops said:
It was originaly a harvest festival giving thanks that the harvest was big enough that we wouldn't starve through the winter. However now we can import and preserve enough food that starving durring the winter is no longer an issue. Also most of us are no longer engaged in food production. Still traditions being what they are 4th thursday of November is as good a time as any to spend time with the family and feast.
Also we give thanks for (American) football.
Also we give thanks for (American) football.
basically this, also the turkey was once nominated to be our national bird symbol (instead of the bald eagle) because of this holiday.ReincarnatedFTP said:
also the turkey must have stuffing, there must be mashed potatoes, something made from cranberries, wine for the adults, sweet potatoes (yams),pumpkin pie, pecan pie, or minced meat pie all served with whipped cream, also mashed squash or pumpkin is sometimes served.
The first Thanksgiving was a harvest celebration by the Separatists (very few of the settlers were Puritans) after having a decent harvest compared to the following year of death and starvation. No one knows if the local Indians were invited or just showed up, but in either case they joined the celebration s well. In 1863, Abraham Lincon proclaimed a national day of Thanksgiving, which was made a national holiday in 1942.
Today, families gather apparently to give thanks for something, but really its an excuse to get drunk, eat enormous amounts of horrible food and watch the Detroit Lions lose (again).
Oh, and the day after is the semi-official start of the Christmas/Holiday shopping season and an opportunity to get trampled to death for a big screen TV.
Today, families gather apparently to give thanks for something, but really its an excuse to get drunk, eat enormous amounts of horrible food and watch the Detroit Lions lose (again).
Oh, and the day after is the semi-official start of the Christmas/Holiday shopping season and an opportunity to get trampled to death for a big screen TV.
Firstly, Thanksgiving is not a religious holiday. Religious people might turn it into one, but first and foremost, there were no religious figures involved, and the majority of the Christian world does not celebrate this holiday. Thanksgiving is comparable to Oktoberfest, it is a national holiday to celebrate the harvest, and be thankful for having a good harvest, everyone being healthy etc. While previously it would be correct to say that it is a religious holiday, that is not true anymore, and it was religious in the sense that it was people giving thanks to god for a good harvest, which most people celebrated in the Christian world.
The story goes that pilgrims had landed here, but did not have enough supplies to grow food to last. The indians showed them how to grow corn (which the pilgrims hadn't seen before), and to fertilize the corn with fish, as well as other tricks to North American crop-growing. After the harvest, the native American tribe dined with the pilgrims, and it was all fun and games. This is actually based on historical truth, and it not entirely made up.
During the Great Depression, FDR made Thanksgiving a national holiday, and made it the 2nd to last Thursday in November mostly because of Black Friday and the shopping season. Black Friday is the day after, and kickstarts the holiday season, and FDR wanted it early enough (because it hadn't been before) so that people who could afford to would bolster the economy by buying stuff. In this time it was inappropriate to advertise for Christmas before Thanksgiving (this has since changed.) Later FDR made it the 4th Thursday of November to make it more regular.
The story goes that pilgrims had landed here, but did not have enough supplies to grow food to last. The indians showed them how to grow corn (which the pilgrims hadn't seen before), and to fertilize the corn with fish, as well as other tricks to North American crop-growing. After the harvest, the native American tribe dined with the pilgrims, and it was all fun and games. This is actually based on historical truth, and it not entirely made up.
During the Great Depression, FDR made Thanksgiving a national holiday, and made it the 2nd to last Thursday in November mostly because of Black Friday and the shopping season. Black Friday is the day after, and kickstarts the holiday season, and FDR wanted it early enough (because it hadn't been before) so that people who could afford to would bolster the economy by buying stuff. In this time it was inappropriate to advertise for Christmas before Thanksgiving (this has since changed.) Later FDR made it the 4th Thursday of November to make it more regular.
Speaking as Brit, as far as I can tell, it's celebrating a pact with the native Indians, which the American colonists later broke themselves and have since forced the natives into "reservations" as if they're fucking pandas or something
Once upon a time in a place called the new world there were settlers that decided that they needed something new and exciting because they were not happy with the chosen religion of their friends and neighbors. So one day they all got on a few boats and traveled to this New World. Well when they got their they realized they were all city folk and never actually farmed before and they didnt study how their plants would work with the local climate (because science and religion dont mix so well) they were facing famine in the face of winter.
Well the Indians as they were known were native folk and showed them how to grow corn and other such New Worldian food staples. Well after a few months of hard labor and toil they had a substantial crop to get them through the winter. So they decided to have a large feast with their Indian friends (there is also something to do with the almanac but I know nothing of crop rotation and the moon etc.) and they all sat down and ate.
At least thats what they told me in school. Whether thats the truth or not I guess read the wiki article because god only knows you need to be fully versed in the gossip about a handful of people who mostly ended up dieing because winter sucks.
If you want a context of what the holiday is now it is mostly based around a football game and a bunch of people argue over who is going to host it then the host who fought tooth and nail to have every go to the most impractical place complains that they now have to host a bunch of drunken people. Or in the case of my family we get together for a football game and essentially beat the crap out of eachother to get out all the frustration over the past year. Or in the case of my fiance's family they argue over where it is going to be hosted because one person likes a certain football team and the other people like another team.
The day after is black friday where there is a bunch of sales and people generally die because of trampling because all we could possibly want is to spend money and kill people. Such is the American way. Overall thanksgiving isnt a horrible holiday as long as you can spend it the way you want to. Basically its just a potluck and there is a turkey which a few people deep fry and start their houses on fire.
Well the Indians as they were known were native folk and showed them how to grow corn and other such New Worldian food staples. Well after a few months of hard labor and toil they had a substantial crop to get them through the winter. So they decided to have a large feast with their Indian friends (there is also something to do with the almanac but I know nothing of crop rotation and the moon etc.) and they all sat down and ate.
At least thats what they told me in school. Whether thats the truth or not I guess read the wiki article because god only knows you need to be fully versed in the gossip about a handful of people who mostly ended up dieing because winter sucks.
If you want a context of what the holiday is now it is mostly based around a football game and a bunch of people argue over who is going to host it then the host who fought tooth and nail to have every go to the most impractical place complains that they now have to host a bunch of drunken people. Or in the case of my family we get together for a football game and essentially beat the crap out of eachother to get out all the frustration over the past year. Or in the case of my fiance's family they argue over where it is going to be hosted because one person likes a certain football team and the other people like another team.
The day after is black friday where there is a bunch of sales and people generally die because of trampling because all we could possibly want is to spend money and kill people. Such is the American way. Overall thanksgiving isnt a horrible holiday as long as you can spend it the way you want to. Basically its just a potluck and there is a turkey which a few people deep fry and start their houses on fire.
what we give thanks for depends on the individual, it's kind of like a new years resolution thing, except on thanksgiving we celebrate it by acknowledging our prosperity, in a sort of effort to show we have much to be thankful for (at least that is how I view it)whereas on new years eve we celebrate our new years resolution by getting shit faced and having sex with a very ugly person. I have always viewed Thanksgiving as a holiday meant to make sure we never take our good fortune for granted.StBishop said:
It is not religious, and I'm very glad it's not. The holiday itself was started by some kind of feast had between the pilgrims and the indians (This is such a fucking third grade answer I know)
December holidays are all religious, and Christmas itself is kind of a BS holiday anyway, it is meant to celebrate the day Jesus Christ was born, but Jesus wasn't even born on December 25th. So while they are all meant to celebrate religious events which may or may not have even happened, and if they did they are only significant to that religious group, Thanksgiving is meant to celebrate something very tangible, our good fortune and psosperity as a people.
We generally have a large thanksgiving dinner, yes turkey is usually a part of it, traditional food has us eating turkey, cranberries, pumpkin pie, etc. Basically we celebrate it by eating a whole lot of very good food (it's also something of a tradition to celebrate it with your entire family.) It may seem a shallow or self-indulgent means of celebration but as its purpose is to make sure we don't forget how fortunate we really are it's a fairly fitting one.
Also pumpkin pie is the best kind of pie ever, and it alone makes thanksgiving worth it.
