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Thanksgiving celebrations 2024: When and why?

This year, Thanksgiving will be celebrated on Thursday, November 28, 2024, in the United States. The holiday is marked on the fourth Thursday of November every year with the tradition’s roots planted in 1941. This system was fixed by President Franklin Dr. Roosevelt who wanted to ensure consistency in the celebrations of the occasion.

Dr. Roosevelt proposed the third Thursday be celebrated as Thanksgiving Day during the Great Depression to extend the holiday shopping period, however, the change was unwelcome in 1939. A few years later, Congress cemented the idea of celebrating the festival on the fourth Thursday for the sake of uniformity.

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How is Thanksgiving celebrated?

Though the traditions of the festival have changed over time, the central value remains the same– family gatherings and delicious feasts. The central food on the dinner table has evolved to be Turkey as 90% of the American population carves up the bird along with their favourite mashed potatoes. Other customs of the day include Thanksgiving Day parades, especially the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade, donating essentials to those in need and the Presidential Turkey Pardons.

The Presidential Turkey Pardon is a fun U.S. tradition where the President spares a turkey from being slaughtered for Thanksgiving. The ceremony, held at the White House just before the holiday, involves the turkey being presented to the President, who officially pardons it, allowing it to live out its life at a farm or sanctuary.

A typical Thanksgiving Day dinner table includes dishes such as turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pie, as reported by CNBC TV18.

Thanksgiving historical background

The origins of America’s first Thanksgiving are linked to a 1621 feast in Plymouth, Massachusetts after the Pilgrims received help from the Wampanoag Indians. The Pilgrims, struggling to survive after their harsh first winter, celebrated a successful harvest with a three-day festival, which likely included both English and Native American traditions. Though it’s commonly believed to be a gesture of thanks to the Wampanoag, the true nature of the event is complex due to the later history of conflict between Native Americans and European settlers.