Thanksgiving does not go back to 1621. Oh, don't get me wrong, the Pilgrims feasted with the Native Americans (specifically, the Wampanoag Indians) during a three-day party, grateful that they harvested enough food to get them through another harsh New England winter, but Thanksgiving didn't become a national holiday until much later. Almost three hundred years later. Here's what happened.

A Puritan sect of the English Separatist Church hated England; England was too strict in their religious views. So they left. They went to Holland, and spent some time there. They were pretty free in how they practiced their religion, but didn't approve of the Dutch way of life, thinking that the Dutch were sinners. So, they got on the next boat to the New World.

The first bit of land they saw after a rough 2 1/2 month trip was Cape Cod. And as beautiful as Cape Cod is, they kept going and eventually landed at Plymouth, which Captain John Smith named after an English port town. They decided to settle here, because of the harbor and the peaceful Natives. But the first winter they had in the New World was horrendous. They had no idea how to survive such a harsh climate and were not prepared for the cold and the bleak weather. The Wampanoags took pity on them and showed them how to survive. The following Autumn, they had harvested enough to keep them alive through their second winter, and they decided to celebrate. The Pilgrims had a huge feast and invited the Wampanoags, and they ate wild fowl (turkey) and corn and pumpkins and peas; though nothing like what we eat today during a modern Thanksgiving feast.

But despite this celebration, this did not become an annual feast. It wasn't until June of 1676, over 50 years later, that another Thanksgiving party was given. This one was in honor of the town of Charleston, MA being securely established, and also a victory celebration against their now enemies, the Native Americans. My how things change...But again, this did not become a yearly celebration.

George Washington, in 1789, tried to make Thanksgiving a national holiday, but the colonists disagreed, thinking that one hard winter didn't qualify the Pilgrims such a high honor. Thomas Jefferson also disagreed with George, so no such luck.

It was a woman-- Sarah Josepha Hale, a writer and magazine editor during the 1800's-- that convinced America (or, more specifically, Abraham Lincoln) to proclaim Thanksgiving an American holiday. She had written many letters to presidents asking to honor the Pilgrims, but Lincoln finally acknowledged and agreed with her request.  In 1863, President Lincoln officially declared Thanksgiving a national holiday, to be celebrated on the last Thursday in November.

But Thanksgiving got off to a shaky start.  The date kept changing.  A few years later, President Franklin Roosevelt wanted to change the date in order to give some more time for Christmas, but the public didn't like that idea.  Finally, in 1941, Congress officially gave Thanksgiving the date of the 4th Thursday in November, and it has stayed that way ever since. 

So, everyone, enjoy your Thanksgiving!  It was a holiday hard fought for, from Geoge Washington to Sarah Josepha Hale to Franklin Roosevelt.  We all have much to be thankful for.  I wish you all a safe and happy holiday, and stuff yourselves silly!