It is hard to believe that the numerous Thanksgiving traditions that many Americans celebrate, from eating turkey to watching football and going to Black Friday sales, come from a harvest celebrated by the Pilgrims and the Native Americans almost 400 years ago. It is equally hard to imagine that this iconic celebration did not even become a national holiday in the United States until the nineteenth century. For many people today, the holiday is marked by crazy family gatherings and large Thanksgiving feasts rather than a simple meal for giving thanks for a good harvest.  

Modern Thanksgiving traditions, accompanied by food, football, and unique family gatherings, differ greatly from the first American Thanksgiving celebrated in 1621. At this first Thanksgiving, Pilgrims and Native Americans united to help one another, and celebrated their successes with a massive feast. Every year we celebrate this cooperation, but for a long time it was celebrated unofficially. Actually, Thanksgiving was not even recognized as a national holiday until Abraham Lincoln declared it one during the height of the Civil War in an attempt to unite the splintering nation. Although this simple meal of thanks has become a huge commercial holiday, for many it still maintains its roots as a day of appreciation.

The commercial aspect of Thanksgiving was incorporated as part of the Thanksgiving tradition when President Franklin Delano Roosevelt moved the date of Thanksgiving during the Great Depression to increase sales on merchandise and better the economy. Since then, this tradition has evolved into the mass commercial holiday we have today, with popular Black Friday Sales and holiday themed merchandise.

“My cousin and I like to go to Black Friday sales and we usually stay up until about four in the morning and then we go to the sales. We regret it when we’re driving there at five, but in the end it ends up being worth it,” said sophomore Samhitha Josyula.

Sophomore Grace Rubin celebrates with her family friends, but puts a unique spin on the traditional Thanksgiving feast. “[My family friend] has a very strange Thanksgiving dinner every year: she makes her own wrapping paper and gives us gifts and has a tofurkey, which is a tofu turkey,” said Grace.

For many people, the holiday is marked with funny traditions and amusing family gatherings, but it still has the same underlying message of giving thanks and spending time with those whom one appreciates. “[My family] gets to celebrate the values of “coming together” because it is not often that we can all be together especially now that my brother is off at college,” said senior Erin Jung.

Thanksgiving reminds people to give thanks for what they have and appreciate their values.  Many people across the globe are not as fortunate, which Americans sometimes forget in our busy, materialistic society.  It also provides people rare chances to spend time with their families. “[We’re] grateful for my mom for making meals for us all year so on Thanksgiving the rest of [my family] helps to cook the meal, said Erin.  

While Thanksgiving has become much more commercialized, it is still an essential part of the American tradition. It allows people to spend time with family and friends, but more importantly it reminds people to give thanks for what they have.

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