1. Thanksgiving Day

2. It is a national holiday.
On the fourth Thursday in November the Americans celebrate the holiday called Thanksgiving.
It is a national holiday.

3. Thanksgiving day symbolizes the joy of loving, caring, sharing.

4. Special thanksgiving symbols:
Cornucopia
Pumpkin
Beans
Turkey
Cranberry
Corn

5. Historically, Thanksgiving began as a tradition of celebrating a harvest feast to give thanks by the Pilgrims.

6. Once upon a time in the land of England, there lived a small group of people called Pilgrims. The Pilgrims were unhappy, and left England because they did not agree with the religion.

7. On September 6th, 1620 the Pilgrims, 102 men, women, and children, left England on a small ship, the Mayflower.

8. The Pilgrims came across the sea, And never thought of you and me;
We tell their story, old and true,
Of how they sailed across the blue,
And found a new land to be free
And built their homes near the sea.
They traveled many days and nights
To worship God as they thought right.
The people think that they were sad.
I’m sure they were very glad!

9. They went to America in 1620 and sailed for 66 dangerous days.

10. On December 11th , they landed at Cape Code where there was some cleared land, a stream with clear pure water, and a high hill that could be fortified.

11. After that The Mayflower Compact "the first plan for a self-determining government in America", was drawn up and signed by 41 men aboard the Mayflower on November 11th, 1620

12. They called their new home New England, but they were not the first people to live there. The Wampanoag Indians lived there. They were native to the area. j
The Wampanoag Indians

13. Only Squanto spoke English well
Only Squanto spoke English well. He became the interpreter between the Indians and the Pilgrims.

14. Indians helped the white men very much
Indians helped the white men very much. The Pilgrims, under the Indian’s direction, caught fish and used them as fertilizer in planting corn, pumpkins, and beans. They hunted and fished for food.

15. The Pilgrims’ first winter was very difficult
The Pilgrims’ first winter was very difficult. Many of them died because it was very cold and they had little food.

16. The Wampanoag Indians helped them
The Wampanoag Indians helped them. They brought vegetables and food, taught the Pilgrims to survive in New England.

17. The Indians showed the best way to catch fish, to hunt deer and turkeys.
They also taught the newcomers how to plant the corn.

18. In the autumn of 1621 the settlers had a great harvest.

19. The "first Thanksgiving" was celebrated by the Plymouth colonists in 1621 (somewhere between Sept.21 and Nov.9)

20. They gave thanks for their new home, first harvest and for surviving the first terrible Massachusetts winter.

21. They prepared a holiday dinner and invited their Indian friends to join them. The feast lasted three days. The Pilgrims and Indians ate outdoors and competed together in tests of skill and strength.

22. The feast probably consisted of the following items:
Seethed [boiled]
Lobster
Roasted Goose
Boiled Turkey
Fricase of Coney
Meal with dried
Whortleberries
Seethed Cod
Roasted Duck
Stewed Pumpkin
Savory Pudding of Hominy
Fruit and Holland Cheese

23. Thanksgiving remained a custom unsanctified by law until President Roosevelt signed a bill on 26 November 1941 that established the fourth Thursday in November as the national Thanksgiving public holiday .

24. Special church services are held оn Thanksgiving morning.

25. Dear Lord, on this Thanksgiving Day
The Prayer
Dear Lord, on this Thanksgiving Day
With grateful hearts we bow and pray
For blessings given from our birth,
Exceeding way beyond our worth,
For friends who’ve proven to be true,
For pets which count as friendships too,
For home and country, health and love
All sent to us from heaven above.
Lord, please, continue to be near
To guide us through another year!

26. The traditional dinner is big, with manу kinds of food - the same food that the puritans had centuries ago. Usually Thanksgiving Day is the day for a family meeting. Aunts, uncles and cousins gather round the dinner table to take part in the celebration.

27. Turkey is the traditional dish for the Thanksgiving feast
Turkey is the traditional dish for the Thanksgiving feast. In the US, about 280 million turkeys are sold for the Thanksgiving celebrations every year.

28. Pumpkin pie, Cranberry sauce, Corns are some of the dishes cooked everywhere to mark the day.

29. Thanksgiving also has a parade with bands, balloons, and cartoon characters.

30. Santa Claus arrives at the end
Santa Claus arrives at the end. His coming marks the beginning of the Christmas season.

31. Watching football during Thanksgiving is a popular tradition.

32. Thanksgiving Cards should be sent to everyone who has helped you in your life.