Thanksgiving is a national holiday in the United States. People from all different locations celebrate the past and other blessings from the harvest year. Thanksgiving dates back all the way to the 1600 and 1700s. Colonists in New England and Canada took “thanksgiving” days of prayer. These days of prayer were observations of things like military victories, safe journeys, and profuse harvest. In 1621 there was a harvest feast between the English pilgrims (colonists) of Plymouth and the Wampanoag people. Thanksgiving began with the Plymouth pilgrims going out to hunt. The Wampanoag people provided goods for the feast such as fish, stews, vegetables, and more. The Plymouth pilgrims had manufactured goods. This brought a treaty between the two groups until King Philip’s War (1675-76). However, Thanksgiving Day did not become an official national holiday until Northerners dominated the federal government. On October 3rd, 1863, Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving Day a national holiday. It was to be celebrated Thursday, November 26.

“It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people,” Abraham Lincoln said in his Proclamation of Thanksgiving. “I do, therefore, invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a Day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.”

Every president after Lincoln proclaimed the holiday and its date until Franklin D. Roosevelt designated the fourth Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day. As time went on, Thanksgiving grew further away from its roots and became a day of tradition and celebration. 

Various students at the school have many things they are thankful for. 

“This Thanksgiving I am thankful for all my friends and family and all my pets as well,” senior Lindsey Babcock said.

“This Thanksgiving I am thankful for my cat, Mojo, and my plants,” senior Cayla Peacher said. 

Thanksgiving evolved into a tradition. People from all over the United States celebrate and don’t celebrate Thanksgiving. However, many students and staff here at the school have their own Thanksgiving traditions. 

“We have some Thanksgiving traditions,” Activities Director Michael Simpson said. “Since I was a little boy I have always made a lemonade pie for thanksgiving, I always do that. And my wife doesn’t like it so I get to eat lemonade pie for a week.”

Many other students and staff were interviewed and responded.

“I am thankful for my best friend, for Thanksgiving, we always do a pie baking contest,” junior Lily Godsil said. 

“I am thankful for family, good health, good friendships, and Blazer Nation,” Principal Frank Bell said. 

Thanksgiving Day of 2021 is Thursday, November 25.