What is Thanksgiving?

Soon it's that time again: millions of American citizens travel to their families to celebrate Thanksgiving together. For Americans, the festival is even more important than Christmas. But what exactly is Thanksgiving anyway? Where does it come from and when is it celebrated?

If you translate the word "Thanksgiving" into one of the online translators, the result is "Thanksgiving.". But can American Thanksgiving really be equated with our Thanksgiving?

The origin

From Asia to Europe to Africa: ritual harvest festivals already existed in many different religions and cultures in pre-Christian times. Often these were associated with offerings, exuberant dances and sumptuous feasts. The rituals mostly developed through dependence on nature and its arbitrary yield. So they thanked the gods in order to be able to harvest a rich yield again in the future in order to survive. In Europe, a form of Thanksgiving was then gradually adopted by the Christian churches. According to tradition, European immigrants later shared their festival with Indians in America and celebrated Thanksgiving for the first time there. In 1541, Spanish settlers celebrated the first known Thanksgiving in the USA.

The timing

Depending on the region or climate zone and the harvest that depends on it, the times of the harvest festivals differ greatly. In German-speaking countries, it has gradually been agreed on the 1st Sunday in October for Thanksgiving. Abraham Lincoln, on the other hand, set the date for Thanksgiving in America on the last Thursday in November.

The difference

The word "harvest" is not directly included in the English variant "Thanksgiving". Here, only the "thanksgiving" is in the foreground. And this is exactly where the biggest difference to our harvest festival in Germany exists. In this country, Thanksgiving is a religious holiday that is mainly celebrated in church, schools or kindergartens. God is thanked for the abundant harvest. In addition, many parishes today call for environmental protection and development aid on Thanksgiving. After all, we can only reap a good harvest in the future if we are grateful and frugal with our resources and do not exploit them.

In the US, on the other hand, Thanksgiving is a public holiday. You meet in the circle of your loved ones and thank each other. They thank less for the harvest as is the case with us. Rather, you thank for life, for health, success and for everything good that has happened to you. At the heart of Thanksgiving is family. In contrast to our Thanksgiving, the whole festival is very familiar and less religious. From all parts of the world, the emigrants then travel home, to America. But even within the big country, long distances are covered to see his loved ones. A bit like us at Christmas you come together here and enjoy a nice time with good food.

The feast

Of course, the traditional "Thanksgiving Turkey", as they say in English for Thanksgiving turkey, should not be missing. Hours before the feast, the roast smells from the kitchen. Due to the pleasant smell, everyone is slowly prepared for the upcoming feast. Over time, countless recipes have evolved specifically for Thanksgiving. Traditionally, the turkey is filled with a"stuffing"and served, for example, with vegetables such as pumpkin or sweet potatoes as a side dish. For the entire Thanksgiving menu you often pass a cranberry / cranberry sauce. By the way, cranberry is often equated with cranberries. In terms of taste, the two are also hardly distinguishable. Nevertheless, they are two different plants. However, both are descended from the same family. Also interesting is a custom that Americans like to perform after eating: Two people pull each with their little finger on the fork leg of the turkey. Anyone who holds the longer piece in their hands at the end is allowed to express a wish.

In addition to Valentine's Day and Halloween, Thanksgiving is also enjoying growing popularity. But American families living in Germany also continue their tradition here. We can confirm this trend as a turkey farm. Every year, the number of turkeys sold increases at Thanksgiving. If you are also looking for a turkey, then you have come to the right place. In addition to turkey, we also offer fillings and side dishes such as homemade sauces and dumplings.