Thanksgiving
I still remember my first Thanksgiving dinner. It was in 1958, the year in which I arrived in Saint Louis for my otological training. I was invited by Dr. Walter Covell, my teacher of otolaryngological anatomy, who would later become my adviser when I applied for my Master’s degree.
I had no idea of what was the Thanksgiving day. Nowadays many people in Brazil commemorate it, but at that time it was totally unknown to me. And of course I tried to find out what it was all about.
I know that there are many doubts concerning the historical veracity of the legend, but the attempts to modify it are equally difficult to prove and are definitely less satisfying to our souls than the original one.
It all began with a harvest. Harvest festivals are not uncommon, but they happen immediately after the harvest. This one is different. We celebrate one specific occasion that happened a long time ago.
It seems that the Pilgrims had had some bad harvests. And since they were attempting to live in a previously uninhabited area, food was a definite necessity.
This time they were blessed with plenty of grains and fruits. They were very happy and, following Protestant traditions, they decided to thank God for providing them with plenty of food.
So they organized a feast of Thanksgiving, that lasted for three days. This happened in 1621; there were 53 Pilgrims and 90 Native Americans present. The Native Americans brought turkeys – unknown to the Pilgrims. And they danced, and prayed, and ate the turkeys and the cranberries and the pumpkins, and the Pilgrim’s ladies made sweets and pies.
The idea of expressing our thanks to God for different things that happen in our lives apparently had some appeal. And people began to ask for a day of Thanksgiving. George Washington, when he was the President of the United States, designated some days of Thanksgiving that definitely pleased the population. President John Adams did the same. And so did James Madison, perhaps for a very special reason: it was during his Presidency that Great Britain decided to reconquer the United States, and he wanted to thank God for winning the battle.
But it was President Abraham Lincoln who made Thanksgiving a yearly commemoration, setting the date for the fourth Thursday of the month of November. This happened in 1863.
Since then Thanksgiving Day has become more and more important every year. It is now the second most important American holiday – second only to Christmas. Strangely enough, however, in spite of the fact that the idea of giving thanks to God is somehow religious, Thanksgiving is not linked to any specific religion. Everybody has have reasons to thank God and it does not matter to which religious organization we belong. This is a day that is coomemmorated by Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Buddhists, etc. We all have to thank the God with 1000 names – regardless of the name we choose for Him – for the things that He gives us, for creating the world we live in, for protecting it from Man’s aggressiveness and attempts to destroy it.
But the Pilgrims have not been forgotten, for our commemoration includes their special foods. Turkeys, and cranberries, and pumpkin pies are an important part of it.
I remember being fascinated with the special taste of the Thanksgiving turkey. So much so, in fact, that I learned to prepare them. And some years ago my wife and I began to invite friends for a Thanksgiving dinner. It became a tradition, until two years ago, when very special friends asked us to proceed with the tradition in their home – but my wife and I still prepare the turkey.
My first Thanksgiving dinner had another reason to become unforgettable. It was the first time that I saw snow. It was not snowing when I arrived at Dr. Covell’s house, but during the dinner the snow began to fall. I walked home with snow flakes falling over me and covering the streets and sidewalks, making the world all white. I know that White Christmases are common. But once I had a White Thanksgiving – only one.
I had no idea of what was the Thanksgiving day. Nowadays many people in Brazil commemorate it, but at that time it was totally unknown to me. And of course I tried to find out what it was all about.
I know that there are many doubts concerning the historical veracity of the legend, but the attempts to modify it are equally difficult to prove and are definitely less satisfying to our souls than the original one.
It all began with a harvest. Harvest festivals are not uncommon, but they happen immediately after the harvest. This one is different. We celebrate one specific occasion that happened a long time ago.
It seems that the Pilgrims had had some bad harvests. And since they were attempting to live in a previously uninhabited area, food was a definite necessity.
This time they were blessed with plenty of grains and fruits. They were very happy and, following Protestant traditions, they decided to thank God for providing them with plenty of food.
So they organized a feast of Thanksgiving, that lasted for three days. This happened in 1621; there were 53 Pilgrims and 90 Native Americans present. The Native Americans brought turkeys – unknown to the Pilgrims. And they danced, and prayed, and ate the turkeys and the cranberries and the pumpkins, and the Pilgrim’s ladies made sweets and pies.
The idea of expressing our thanks to God for different things that happen in our lives apparently had some appeal. And people began to ask for a day of Thanksgiving. George Washington, when he was the President of the United States, designated some days of Thanksgiving that definitely pleased the population. President John Adams did the same. And so did James Madison, perhaps for a very special reason: it was during his Presidency that Great Britain decided to reconquer the United States, and he wanted to thank God for winning the battle.
But it was President Abraham Lincoln who made Thanksgiving a yearly commemoration, setting the date for the fourth Thursday of the month of November. This happened in 1863.
Since then Thanksgiving Day has become more and more important every year. It is now the second most important American holiday – second only to Christmas. Strangely enough, however, in spite of the fact that the idea of giving thanks to God is somehow religious, Thanksgiving is not linked to any specific religion. Everybody has have reasons to thank God and it does not matter to which religious organization we belong. This is a day that is coomemmorated by Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Buddhists, etc. We all have to thank the God with 1000 names – regardless of the name we choose for Him – for the things that He gives us, for creating the world we live in, for protecting it from Man’s aggressiveness and attempts to destroy it.
But the Pilgrims have not been forgotten, for our commemoration includes their special foods. Turkeys, and cranberries, and pumpkin pies are an important part of it.
I remember being fascinated with the special taste of the Thanksgiving turkey. So much so, in fact, that I learned to prepare them. And some years ago my wife and I began to invite friends for a Thanksgiving dinner. It became a tradition, until two years ago, when very special friends asked us to proceed with the tradition in their home – but my wife and I still prepare the turkey.
My first Thanksgiving dinner had another reason to become unforgettable. It was the first time that I saw snow. It was not snowing when I arrived at Dr. Covell’s house, but during the dinner the snow began to fall. I walked home with snow flakes falling over me and covering the streets and sidewalks, making the world all white. I know that White Christmases are common. But once I had a White Thanksgiving – only one.
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