A Day for Thanksgiving

ALL >> When people think of Thanksgiving, they usually think of pilgrims, Native Americans and a whole lot of turkey. Since the early 1600s, Americans have been unofficially celebrating the holiday of Thanksgiving, partly in thanks to the Native Americans who taught them self-sustenance and partly in thanks to God for providence. According to History.com, though George Washington and subsequent presidents issued proclamations designating days of thanks, it was not until Abraham Lincoln stepped into the presidency that an official day was set aside for thanksgiving. In 1863, as per the request of writer Sarah Josepha Hale, who had campaigned for a thanksgiving day for years, President Lincoln established Thanksgiving Day on the final Thursday in November. It was celebrated as such until 1939, when President Franklin D. Roosevelt attempted to move the holiday up a week so the National Retail Dry Goods Association would be appeased. It was the height of the Great Depression and sales were down, and they thought the change would be financially beneficial. The American people met this proclamation with derision, and President Roosevelt soon after signed another bill which made the fourth Thursday in November Thanksgiving Day. Today, Thanksgiving means the four F’s: friends, family, food and football. It means tripping out on tryptophan at 3 p.m., watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and taking an early nap so you can hit the stores for Black Friday sales at midnight. The religious undertones have been lost in the commercialism of the holiday, but the community aspect still remains. The Inland Empire not only celebrates Thanksgiving on an individual level, but on a community level, as well. In the past, cities like Moreno Valley, Colton and San Bernardino have provided Thanksgiving dinners to those in need, where people have given of their resources, time and efforts to make sure everyone can have something to be thankful for. This year, millions of turkeys will be consumed and billions of dollars spent. Knowing the history of how and why the holiday first got started, however, might bring things into an important perspective for a nation that sometimes forgets just how fortunate it is, even 250 years after its inception. Have a happy Thanksgiving!