Thanksgiving and why you shouldn't forget about it.

[Lilium Supermarine]

Now, it's November. Time for gathering with family to feast upon turkey and ham and various other foods. Sadly, people forget about this holiday and bring on the Christmas spirit early. Don't forget Thanksgiving, It's a amazing holiday with some pretty brutal history. Here are some short historys of thanksgiving like celebrations

The Egyptians

The ancient Egyptians celebrated their harvest festival in honor of Min, their god of vegetation and fertility. The festival was held in the springtime, the Egyptian's harvest season.

The festival of Min featured a parade in which the Pharaoh took part. After the parade a great feast was held. Music, dancing, and sports were also part of the celebration.

When the Egyptian farmers harvested their corn, they wept and pretended to be grief-stricken. This was to deceive the spirit which they believed lived in the corn. They feared the spirit would become angry when the farmers cut down the corn where it lived.

The Hebrews

Jewish families also celebrate a harvest festival called Sukkoth. Taking place each autumn, Sukkoth has been celebrated for over 3000 years.

Sukkoth is know by 2 names - Hag ha Succot - the Feast of the Tabernacles and Hag ha Asif - the Feast of Ingathering. Sukkoth begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Tishri, 5 days after Yom Kippur the most solemn day of the Jewish year.

Sukkoth is named for the huts (succots) that Moses and the Israelites lived in as they wandered the desert for 40 years before they reached the Promised Land. These huts were made of branches and were easy to assemble, take apart, and carry as the Israelites wandered through the desert.

When celebrating Sukkoth, which lasts for 8 days, the Jewish people build small huts of branches which recall the tabernacles of their ancestors. These huts are constructed as temporary shelters, as the branches are not driven into the ground and the roof is covered with foliage which is spaced to let the light in. Inside the huts are hung fruits and vegetables, including apples, grapes, corn, and pomegranates. On the first 2 nights of Sukkoth the families eat their meals in the huts under the evening sky.

The Chinese

The ancient Chinese celebrated their harvest festival, Chung Ch'ui, with the full moon that fell on the 15th day of the 8th month. This day was considered the birthday of the moon and special "moon cakes", round and yellow like the moon, would be baked. Each cake was stamped with the picture of a rabbit - as it was a rabbit, not a man, which the Chinese saw on the face of the moon.

The families ate a thanksgiving meal and feasted on roasted pig, harvested fruits and the "moon cakes". It was believed that during the 3 day festival flowers would fall from the moon and those who saw them would be rewarded with good fortune.

According to legend Chung Ch'ui also gave thanks for another special occasion. China had been conquered by enemy armies who took control of the Chinese homes and food. The Chinese found themselves homeless and with no food. Many staved. In order to free themselves they decided to attack the invaders.

The women baked special moon cakes which were distributed to every family. In each cake was a secret message which contained the time for the attack. When the time came the invaders were surprised and easily defeated. Every year moon cakes are eaten in memory of this victory.

The Greeks

The ancient Greeks worshipped many gods and goddesses. Their goddess of corn (actually all grains) was Demeter who was honored at the festival of Thesmosphoria held each autumn.

The Romans

The Romans also celebrated a harvest festival called Cerelia, which honored Ceres their goddess of corn (from which the word cereal comes). The festival was held each year on October 4th and offerings of the first fruits of the harvest and pigs were offered to Ceres. Their celebration included music, parades, games and sports and a thanksgiving feast.

The United States

In 1621, after a hard and devastating first year in the New World the Pilgrim's fall harvest was very successful and plentiful. There was corn, fruits, vegetables, along with fish which was packed in salt, and meat that was smoke cured over fires. They found they had enough food to put away for the winter.

The Pilgrims had beaten the odds. They built homes in the wilderness, they raised enough crops to keep them alive during the long coming winter, and they were at peace with their Indian neighbors. Their Governor, William Bradford, proclaimed a day of thanksgiving that was to be shared by all the colonists and the neighboring Native American Indians.

The custom of an annually celebrated thanksgiving, held after the harvest, continued through the years. During the American Revolution (late 1770's) a day of national thanksgiving was suggested by the Continental Congress.

In 1817 New York State adopted Thanksgiving Day as an annual custom. By the middle of the 19th century many other states also celebrated a Thanksgiving Day. In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln appointed a national day of thanksgiving. Since then each president has issued a Thanksgiving Day proclamation, usually designating the fourth Thursday of each November as the holiday.

So please, don't forget this holiday. It's a good holiday. So a happy early thanks giving to you all :D

[Butthole Magic]

No.

[Stalin Taurog]

'cause im a brit I can forget if I want to

*forgets*

[Krow Ames]

Yes. I love me some turkey.

[Keystone Gray]

Thanksgiving = Turkey.

Mainly because I'm not patriotic in the slightest. Haha. I'm here, that's all that matters. ;P

[Kytec Switchblade]

but now we have controlled environments and mass harvesting by big companies, maby we should celebrate every time the trucks and ships move food all around the world because im pretty sure somewhere on earth is still harvesting something 365 days of the year.

But only if it counts as a paid vacation.

That would be nice.

[Aryte]

That was touching, Lilium. And because I am fiercely patriotic (and love PTO), I will be sure to honor this fine holiday.

But I hate turkey.

[Aryte]

That was touching, Lilium. And because I am fiercely patriotic (and love PTO), I will be sure to honor this fine holiday.

But I hate turkey.

[Akurei Sieyes]

You guys are slow, we had thanksgiving back in October ;)

[Diablos Korobase]

Happy Thanks Giving My friends, have a good one.

[Aelus]

Great post.

Many fond memories of thanksgiving; it's one of my favorite holidays.

[Gunau Sodwind]

I r patriotic, cuz i in da armyz lul.

But yeah even if you're some communist bitch you can still take a day to appreciate everything you have, friends, internets, a dick that still works, food, parents, the abilty to poop regularly etc.

I love "before overs"

[Aelus]

friends, internets, a dick that still works, food, parents, the abilty to poop regularly

Words of wisdom.

[Keystone Gray]

I appreciate everything I have every day. Everyone should. :P There's no reason not to.

[Devastator Bluebird]

i am emo sad all the time and therefore i only appreciate my tears...thanks guys ;_;

[Jester Spearmann]

TL;DR

[Krow Ames]

Gunau Sodwind wrote:

I love "before overs"

HAHAHA! I remember that!

[Mack Rachter]

I hate Thanksgiving. Once again a holiday has been turned into a meaningless commercial extravaganza (Not to mention by that time, Christmas is already overrunning it). I was going to my Grandma's to see my cousin before he got sent back to Iraq, but it looks like he already had to go. So I will most likely sit at home and brood. >.>

[Gunau Sodwind]

it's only meaningless if you let it be. gotta not puss out and play the victum all the time!

[Lilium Supermarine]

Thanksgiving is what you make it. Apparently you view it as a store holiday.

Thanksgiving is a time for family to get together and have a nice dinner and spend time together, Rather or not you want to do that is up to you. The point of this thread was to wish a happy thanksgiving and remind people christmas is next month, not this month. :P