Thanksgiving

[AngloScot]

What is it and why dont we brits celebrate it?

 

[TracyJ]

Isn't it a big thank you to the Pilgrims for getting over there and pinching the land off the natives? Hence we don't celebrate it cos if we celebrated all the times we've pinched land off folk we'd be partying 24-7.....(christ, I think I've turned into Ben Elton)

[Ouisch]

Thanksgiving is a remembrance of the celebratory dinner the Pilgrims had with the Native Americans after their first successful harvest.  Samoset and Squanto had met the Pilgrims after their first winter, (during which many of the Pilgrims had died) and taught them how to plant crops and tap trees for maple syrup, things like that.  That Autumn the Pilgrims had a huge harvest, and they had a three-day long dinner/celebration with their Native American friends to celebrate.

 

Inasmuch as the Pilgrims left England to escape religious persecution, that's probably why the UK doesn't celebrate Thanksgiving with us.  <g>

[Natalie7890]

wow, good question. i never knew that either.

[Zen82]

I live in the U.S. and it's basically turned into an excuse to eat way too much, drink too much, and watch too much football -- that's american football, not soccer.