Traditions Of Thanksgiving Recipes Food Cooking International
Guide
Traditions Of Thanksgiving Celebrated With Family And Friends
By Imogen T Stubbs
It is that time of year again, when the traditions of Thanksgiving
start to enter our collective consciousness and people make plans
to be with family and friends.
As people look forward to celebrating family holiday traditions,
it adds a little extra something to recall previous holidays spent
with loved ones, as well as incorporating the different Thanksgiving
customs of our ancestors.
While some of these traditions are unique to individual families
or specific regions, there are many that have similar elements
across the nation.
Special Decorations For Thanksgiving
One way in which to evoke those wonderful memories of previous
Thanksgivings is by using special decorations. Using holiday decorations
has a way of creating new memories and possibly even a new family
tradition.
Sometimes just a small touch, such as adding a cornucopia full
of the fruits and flowers of the season can become something that
is an anticipated event every year. Beginning with the first Thanksgiving,
there are decorations and images that have continued to shape
our customs.
Giving Thanks For An Abundant Harvest
As most everyone knows, the original Thanksgiving in America
was a celebration to give thanks for a plentiful harvest; however,
Thanksgiving history goes back even further to different cultures
and their ways of celebrating during ancient times.
Those abundant harvests of food that were celebrated are still
considered key to our traditions of Thanksgiving. For example,
the cornucopias that we use today actually date as far back as
the 5th century, B.C., and were considered symbols of food, fertility
and abundance.
The Tradition Of Turkey For The Main Meal
While our present day celebrations are a direct way of re-enacting
the way our ancestors celebrated, they have continued to evolve
over the years.
When Thanksgiving was first declared a national holiday by President
Lincoln in 1863, the tradition of turkey for the meal was considered
enough of a decoration for most; if there were any type of ornamental
accessories added, they were usually the different vegetables
and fruits from the family’s garden.
Creation Of Elaborate Centerpieces
It was during the 20th century when many manufacturers started
to create different items that were intended for use on the Thanksgiving
Day dinner table. They originally were items like candy dishes
in the shape of turkeys and similar items.
During the 1920’s, elaborate centerpieces, place card holders
and even Kewpie dolls were dressed up in the clothing styles of
bye-gone eras. Paper napkins and plates first appeared around
the 1940’s, with items such as holiday candles showing up in the
50’s.
The rich and warm traditions of Thanksgiving can be created in
your home, as well as adding a few more modern embellishments.
About the Author:
Imogen T Stubbs has written a number of articles on kitchen, food
and cooking including First
Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving
Feast, Hot
Water, Refrigerator
Water Filter, Water
Filtering System, Whole
House Water.
Keep a lookout for more of her articles on this website.
Did You Know?
What are varying Thanksgiving traditions around the world?
Not every country has a Thanksgiving Day
but they do celebrate similar days in similar fashions. Most countries
have a harvest day that they celebrate each year.
Though they may not be having turkey and
stuffing, they each celebrate the end of summer and the coming
of winter. Some countries have dances and festivals while others
use it more as a religious observance and are thankful for the
bounty that has been given to them.
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