Dear China Friends,
THANKSGIVING
CELEBRATION
Thanksgiving in the United
States is one of its major holidays. It
is celebrated on the 4th Thursday in November.
It has been officially celebrated since 1873 when Abraham Lincoln
proclaimed a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father
who dwelleth in the Heavens.”
The first Thanksgiving dates
back to 1621when the Pilgrims celebrated their first harvest in the New World. In attendance were 53 Pilgrims and 90
American Indians. They had much to be
thankful for. The Indians had come to
their rescue by teaching them how to plant corn, hunt game and fish for
food. One of those Indians even spoke
English. It had been a bitter sweet
winter when half their number died. I
say bitter sweet because they believed that their dead had gone to their reward
in heaven.
The Pilgrims had come to this
new country to escape religious persecution.
Now they were free to worship God according to their own beliefs. They also thankfully discovered individual prosperity. At first they had
planted a community garden which did not encourage individual effort. This was one reason why they didn’t have
enough food that first year. But when
they decided that each family should plant their own garden then they had plenty
of food. Also, they discovered the
secret of self-government. No longer
were they at the mercy of a king who thought only of his own welfare rather than
that of the people. Now their elected
authorities were answerable to meeting the needs of the people.
Today, baked or roasted turkey
is at the center of the Thanksgiving feast. .
The rest of the meal consists of stuffing, mashed potatoes with gravy,
sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, sweet corn, vegetables and pumpkin pie. At
this time the less fortunate are often given food by charitable organizations
such as churches.
Other activities include
special church services, Thanksgiving parades with their colorful floats and
balloon characters, and professional football games. Oftentimes prayers ares said at the dinner
table thanking God for his many blessings.
Then each person around the table is asked what they have to be thankful
for. Their answers range from work,
peace, health, education, family ties and God’s grace. What
are you thankful for?
“When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost, Count your many blessings. Name them one by
one, And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.”
Your Friend,
Tom Atkinson
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