Thanksgiving Essay

Thanksgiving is a time of food, family, and tradition, and though the day of celebration may
not be as traditional as you think, the ideas and feelings behind thanksgiving are shared throughout
many times in many cultures. The idealistic version of the first thanksgiving feast is the epitome of why
thanksgiving has become such a popular holiday. Simply put, the feelings of financial and familial
stability are those which any person is wont to celebrate.

Extensively written and very persuasive, Sarah Joseph Hale is to thank for the cementing of
thanksgiving’s place in the American collection of holidays. As the civil war dragged on, and many
families were separated and financially struggling it was clear to Mary Joseph Hale that the only thing
that could reverse the dismal spell that swept the U.S. was a celebration of the plenty that families still
had to hold on to. Though it took her years and many letters, finally with a compelling letter writ to both
Secretary of State Seward and President Lincoln a bill was signed stating that the third Thursday of
November would be set aside as a holiday to give thanks.

People simply do not fly across the country or drive for hours to relatives houses because they feel a
connection to the the thanksgiving turkey, no, what draws people to cram a ridiculous number of people
into a single house is family. And that is a large portion of what makes thanksgiving such a singular
holiday. There are precious few things in life that are guaranteed in life, and a connection to family and
community members is one of them. So when given the opportunity to celebrate just how important their
selfsame family is to them there is no other proper celebration than a feast.

At this point one might say “What are weddings, birthdays, christmases etc. but times to see family,
eat and drink. What makes thanksgiving so special?” To which the answer is, thanksgiving also gives
people a time to celebrate the wealth and stability in their life. Positioned in the year to match the time of
the harvest, the time of plenty since before thanksgiving was institutionalized, further than the first
“Thanksgiving” itself, it is the perfect time to realize what plethera, or should I say cornucopia of things
there are to be thankful for. This feeling of abundance is the cherry on top of seeing family that makes
thanksgiving as popular as it is.