Happy Thanksgiving!
A few years ago, 383 more or less to be more precise, a bunch of british came to the now known America, running away, so to speak, from the beliefs of the Church of England, which they weren’t that happy with. The pilgrims settled on a piece of land that is now called the State of Massachusetts.
During their first winter everything was a mess: they had no food (they got there too late and winter made things more difficult), and without it, half of their settled colony died from diseases. Later on, the indians or native americans (Iroquois) –yes, the same one’s they would later kill– taugh them how to grow corn, hunt for food and fish.
By the next autumn food overflowed their barns. The colonist had a lot to be thankful for, so a feast was in order. The local native american chief was invited, along with a group from his tribe. The indians brought deer to roast with the turkeys and other wild animals hunted by the colonists. And the first thanksgiving happened.
The following years, many colonists celebrated the autumn harvest with a feast of thanks. After the United States independence (from the british, of course), the Congress recommended one yearly day of thanksgiving for the whole nation to celebrate. George Washington suggested the date November 26th as “Thanksgiving Day”. In 1863, at the end of a long and bloody civil war, Abraham Lincoln asked all Americans to set aside the last Thursday in November as a day of thanksgiving. And so it has been until these days.
Enough of well known history! A four day weekend is ahead and we are headed to Miami tomorrow morning. It will be a surprise for my parents, to whom we have not mentioned our plans. The rest of the family is waiting, though. Whatever you do on this Thanksgiving, please be safe and.. be thankful for everything we have.
Update
Today is my brother’s Martin birthday. Please, do take a time and congratulate him on this milestone. Oh, and Happy Thanksgiving Day everyone!