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It is a North American tradition to celebrate the holiday we know in the United States as Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving is about recognizing all the things you are fortunate to have and relishing in a lavish feast topped off with a huge turkey. Besides giving thanks, what are the other elements that made Thanksgiving the premier feasting time of the year?
Thanksgiving was the driving force for one of the most popular products in modern America — the TV dinner. In 1953, the Swanson Company overestimated how much turkey Americans would consume during Thanksgiving. The company faced the dilemma of trying to get rid of 260 pounds of frozen turkey. One of the salesmen had the bright idea to get workers together to fill aluminum trays with helpings of turkey, cornbread-based dressing, sweet potatoes and peas. The result was the birth of the first ever TV dinner.
Thanksgiving and football go together like two peas in a pod. If there is football, food is sure to follow. The American Intercollegiate Football Association held its first championship game on Thanksgiving in 1876. A decade later, a total of 5,000 college and high school football teams played games on Thanksgiving. One of the longest-running rivalries in sports, the annual game between Princeton University and Yale University, is played on Thanksgiving. The first NFL game held on Thanksgiving occurred in 1934 between the Detroit Lions and the Chicago Bears. The Detroit Lions have played football on Thanksgiving every year since.
The Great Depression was a low point in American history and had many Americans living in poverty. As a result President Franklin Delano Roosevelt decided to disrupt tradition and declared Thanksgiving be celebrated a week early in 1939. He thought the change of routine would boost retail sales and get the economy working. American citizens did not take kindly to the change, though, and were very vocal in their opposition. After two years of arguing, the date was set to always be the fourth Thursday of November.
Tradition dictates families eat turkey on Thanksgiving, so much so, that the turkey has become the symbol of Thanksgiving. Turkey is still a favorite of many Americans, but as the times change so do the traditions. Instead of baking the bird, a new trend involves stuffing the turkey with duck and chicken. This new age concoction is known as the Turducken. The other two strong contenders are the tofu based “tofurkey” and the “deep fried” turkey.
Be thankful for the important things in life, but also be thankful you were born in modern times. The original settlers of Plymouth Rock did not intend to make Thanksgiving what it is today. The settlers saw “giving thanks” as actively participating in prayer and refraining from food. It is said the Wampanoag Indians joined the settlers during their three day celebration. While congregating with the settlers the Indians incorporated their own original harvest traditions of games, dancing and feasting. These traditions stemmed from an ancient festival called Nickommoh, which means, “to give away” or “exchange.”
Make this Thanksgiving not only a day of thanks, but also a day of remembrance. So many historical factors have affected this holiday and there are surely many more to come. Whether you are munching on some turducken or watching the football game, be thankful for family, friends and the day that shaped the idea of selflessness in America.