About Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States and commemorates a three-day harvest feast held by the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag people in the autumn of 1621 — though the day was only formalised as a national observance by President Lincoln in 1863, in the depths of the Civil War, and fixed to the fourth Thursday by Congress in 1941. It is one of the most universally celebrated days in American life, observed regardless of religion or political stance, and effectively launches the holiday season that runs through Christmas and New Year. The Wednesday before is the busiest travel day of the year as families scatter across the country to gather around the dinner table.
The central ritual is the Thanksgiving dinner: roast turkey with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole, green-bean casserole and pumpkin pie. The president pardons a turkey at the White House. Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York, broadcast since 1924 with giant balloons floating down Sixth Avenue, draws tens of millions of viewers. NFL football fills the afternoon — the Detroit Lions and Dallas Cowboys always play. Many families go around the table saying what they are thankful for. The day after, Black Friday, opens the Christmas shopping season with deep discounts and overnight queues. Most federal offices, banks and schools are closed Thursday and Friday, making it effectively a four-day weekend.