Thanksgiving is a federal holiday in the United States, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. Thanksgiving is seen as the beginning of the holiday season. It originated as a harvest festival, celebrated by the Pilgrims after their first harvest in the New World in October 1621. This feast lasted three days. The New England colonists were accustomed to regularly celebrating “thanksgivings” – days of prayer thanking God for blessings such as military victory or the end of a drought.
Thanksgiving has been celebrated nationally (on and off) since 1789, with a proclamation by George Washington after a request by Congress. Thomas Jefferson chose not to observe the holiday, and the celebration was intermittent until the presidency of Abraham Lincoln, when Thanksgiving became a federal holiday in 1863 during the American Civil War.
Lincoln proclaimed a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens,” to be celebrated on the last Thursday in November. From 1942 onwards, Thanksgiving has been declared by Congress as being on the fourth Thursday in November. The change of Thanksgiving’s date was intended to extend the shopping period before Christmas and help bring the country out of The Great Depression.
Now, for many Americans, friends and family gather every year to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal featuring seasonal dishes such as roast turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and pecan pie.
Chicago
Plenty of people turn out for the Windy City’s annual Thanksgiving morning parade, which travels down State Street and features floats, balloons, and bands. Whether you choose to join the crowd or watch from your hotel room, the event is guaranteed to get you into the holiday spirit! Take in the lights at Millennium Park, and visit the annual ‘Christkindlmarket’; inspired by the Christmas markets of Germany, there will be plenty of outdoor stalls, glistening lights, traditional entertainment, and, of course, delicious snacks and drinks.
New York
New York boasts the renowned Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. Hundreds of thousands will turn out for the event that features marching bands, giant balloons, and fancy floats. The city starts to feel a lot like Christmas in late November, with the Rockefeller Center tree decorated, department-store window displays popping up, and the world-famous Radio City Rockettes shows. After your big dinner, head to Central Park to join in with the Turkey Trot. There’s no place like New York City to get into the holiday spirit.
Mission Inn Hotel, California
California’s Mission Inn Restaurant is renowned for its yearly ‘Festival of Lights’. It features falling (faux) snow, a fireworks show, and over 400 light up, animated figures, as well as Dickens carolers to kick off the holiday season. For the big day itself, the hotel’s Grand Parisian Ballroom presents a delectable feast, including bottomless mimosas; seafood; carving stations featuring prime rib and ham; an assortment of farmer’s market vegetables and salads; seasonal fruits; cheeses; and charcuterie; plus breakfast favourites such as eggs benedicts, Belgian waffles and buttermilk pancakes, not forgetting a dessert display including a copious selection of tarts, pies, cakes!
Miami
To escape the cold and load up on sunshine, visit Miami for a sunnier Thanksgiving. Enjoy the sand, sea, boutiques, and art deco architecture in South Beach, check out the food scene in Little Havana, or consider a dinner cruise of Biscayne Bay with all the trimmings. Of course, there’s plenty of luxury Black Friday shopping to be had, with premium designer offerings at Brickell City Centre and the Miami Design District.
Las Vegas
There’s certainly no shortage of places to eat, drink, and gamble during the Thanksgiving weekend in Las Vegas. Check out the Ice Rink at Boulevard Pool, where visitors can skate, roast s’mores at the fire pit, and sip hot chocolate while taking in the incredible views of the Las Vegas Strip. There are plenty of shows offered during the weekend too, and most hotels and casinos offer a Thanksgiving buffet.
