Thursday, October 1, 2026
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United States (WNN) - Every year, during November, our country celebrates Thanksgiving. It's a time for everyone to come together, eat food, and eventually get so full from all you've eaten that you might take a nap to relax.
What a traditional Thanksgiving meal might look like
Public Domain
Although when we stop and think about it, how did Thanksgiving start? Is there a reason we eat turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, corn, etc? Well, wonder no further; we will explore how this holiday originated and how it evolved into the tradition we know today.
We all know the story that begins in the fall of 1621, when the Plymouth settlers and Wampanoag natives came together. People often refer to this event as the First Thanksgiving, but it was actually an English harvest festival to celebrate the colonists' first good crop after a challenging year.
Historians use a letter by settler Edward Winslow to learn about this three-day feast. The letter tells us that around 50 colonists and 90 Wampanoag men, including their chief Ousamequin (Massasoit), joined in. The Wampanoag brought five deer to share. While we now focus on turkey, the colonists most likely ate different local birds (ducks, geese, and swans), plus corn and other vegetables.
Portrait of Edward Winslow
Public Domain
It's worth noting that many sides we love today—such as mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, and cranberry sauce—weren't available because the settlers did not have access to sugar and flour yet. The Pilgrims saw a real "Thanksgiving" as a serious religious time to pray and fast, not to feast. The 1621 gathering was a rare moment of collaboration and shared enjoyment, but it wasn't intended to become an annual national tradition.
After the 1621 gathering, the concept of a yearly Thanksgiving celebration disappeared. In the 18th century, presidents and Congresses sometimes declared one-time "days of thanksgiving" to celebrate big events, like military wins. George Washington issued a proclamation in 1789, but it was not consistently observed.
Sarah Josepha Hale was the real hero in making Thanksgiving a yearly set national holiday. She was the author of "Mary Had a Little Lamb." Hale spent more than 30 years writing tons of editorials, essays, and letters to governors, senators, and presidents. She never gave up in her fight for a single day of gratitude for everyone.
Portriat of Sarah Josepha Hale
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The chaos of the Civil War finally made Hale's dream come true. President Abraham Lincoln recognized the need to unite a country that was torn apart. He issued a proclamation in 1863 setting the last Thursday of November as an annual National Day of Thanksgiving.
The Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC
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Lincoln set the date, but the exact Thanksgiving date was still up for debate. The confusion started almost 80 years later when President Franklin D. Roosevelt chose to change the schedule.
Former U.S President Franklin D. Roosevelt on a U.S postage stamp.
Public Domain
In 1939, Roosevelt moved Thanksgiving up by one week. He had an economic reason: to extend the Christmas shopping season by a week would, he thought, help retail sales during the Great Depression. This change was not popular, earning the nickname "Franksgiving," and led to chaos. Some states went along with the federal change, while others refused.
To fix the two-year calendar mess, Congress stepped in. They passed a joint resolution in 1941, and Roosevelt signed it, putting the federal holiday on the fourth Thursday in November.
The wide variety of foods we now enjoy for Thanksgiving became the norm much later, during the late 19th century, long after the Pilgrims' time.
Turkey became popular because it could feed an entire family, was affordable, and easy to find. People like Sarah Josepha Hale played a significant role in making turkey the centerpiece by incorporating it into their recipes and writings. Many of the sides we love today—such as mashed potatoes with dressing and pumpkin pie—gained popularity during the Victorian era.
A pumpkin pie.
Public Domain
During this time, cookbook writers worked on perfecting holiday meals, shaping them into the tradition that's now recognized as the classic American Thanksgiving feast.
Now, we know the story of how Thanksgiving came to be. This year, if you are able to spend the day with loved ones— whether that be family members or the close friends you consider family—take that opportunity.
In the end, this holiday isn't just about food; it's about being present with those you love and truly enjoying those moments together.
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