Thanksgiving Day in the United States is observed every year on the fourth Thursday of November. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the second Monday of October. Most people celebrate Thanksgiving by gathering with family or friends for a holiday feast.

According to tradition, the first American Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621 by the English Pilgrims who came seeking religious freedom. They sailed on the Mayflower from England on September 16, The Pilgrims landed on December 11, 1620.

Their first winter in New England was devastating — nearly half of the 102 passengers who had arrived on the Mayflower died of illness before spring. But in spring, when it was time to plant crops, the Indians, whom they had feared, came to their aid.

One day, the tall, powerful warrior Samoset walked unexpectedly into their camp. To the Pilgrims ’ surprise, Samoset greeted them with the word, “ Welcome! ” He had learned it from some English-speaking fishermen in his native land. Later, he introduced the Pilgrims to the chief of the local Indian tribe and to Squanto.

Squanto, who had been kidnaped and had lived for a while in England, spoke English, too. It was Squanto who taught the Pilgrims where to trap fish and how to plant corn. He taught them which plants were poisonous and which ones could heal. Their unexpected help made the difference between survival and starvation for the Pilgrims.

The harvest of 1621 was good and the Pilgrims found themselves with enough food to put away for the winter. The dying had stopped, and trade had begun with the Indians. The Pilgrim governor proclaimed a day of thanksgiving. To celebrate, the Pilgrims invited the Indians to a harvest festival. It lasted three days.

Two years later, during a period of drought, the Pilgrims gathered to pray for rain. When it rained the next day, another day of thanksgiving was proclaimed. Gradually, the tradition of holding annual thanksgiving holidays spread throughout New England and into other states.

In 1941 President Franklin Roosevelt signed a bill that established the fourth Thursday of November as the national Thanks- giving holiday. In keeping with the idea of celebrating a successful harvest, preparing and eating a large meal is a central part of Thanksgiving celebration. Thanks- giving menus usually include turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin pie.

During the 20th century, new Thanksgiving traditions that catered to people who lived in cities emerged. The day following Thanksgiving gradually became known as the first day of the Christmas shopping season. To attract customers, large companies, such as Macy ’ s in New York, began to sponsor lavish parades, which often draw millions of spectators.

The custom of watching football games on Thanksgiving Day also evolved during the early 20th century. As football became increasingly popular in the 1920s and 1930s, many people began to go to a football game as part of their holiday. Teams in the National Football League eventually established traditions of playing nationally televised games on Thanksgiving afternoon.

Thanksgiving is also a legal holiday in Canada. Unlike the American tradition of remembering the Pilgrim arrival in the New World, Canadians merely give thanks for a successful harvest. Since Canada is north of the United States, their harvest comes earlier in the year. Thanksgiving Day, therefore, is celebrated on the second Monday in October.