If you’re living in the USA then you’re probably celebrating Thanksgiving today! In celebration of the holiday let’s look at it's history and traditions.

History

Thanksgiving is celebrated in the USA on the forth Thursday in November. The holiday commemorates a harvest festival celebrated by the Pilgrims in 1620 but it has officially been an annual tradition since 1863, when during the Civil War President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving to be celebrated on the final Thursday in November of that year.

Traditions

Dinner - One of the main traditions of Thanksgiving is a large dinner usually consisting of roast turkey, stuffing, yams, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and other side dishes. For desert usually a pie such as apple, pumpkin, mincemeat or pecan pie is served.

Parades - There are lots of parades taking place in the USA today, one of the main ones being the Macy's Thanksgiving day parade which is taking place in Manhattan. 

Football - The NFL holds games every year and the tradition is called the Thanksgiving classic. This year American families will be able to see teams such as the New England Patriots, New York Jets, Dallas Cowboys and others in action in various football games.

Family - The main tradition of Thanksgiving is to spend time with your family and relatives to give thanks for everything you have in life and to show your gratitude for all the blessings you've had in the year gone by.

(image deaflion.com)