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I have to say my favorite Holiday of the year is Thanksgiving. I love that there is no hype with this holiday, no gifts being exchanged except for a Hello hug and a kiss goodbye and of course a pumpkin pie or 2! My favorite part of the holiday are the traditions we celebrate as a family. We, as a family make all different kinds of pies from scratch the night before the holiday. There is the traditional Apple and Pumpkin pies of course, Coconut Custard and Cherry pie has become the newest tradition as a request from my 7 year old son! After a restful night of sleeping from all that pie making we get up and relax Thanksgiving morning, with coffee in hand, we all sit on our comfy, warm and snuggly couch to watch the wonderful Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade and reminisce about the years we were able to attend the actual parade in NYC and how we were freezing but so excited to see all the glory of this parade. These are just a few of my favorite traditions for Thanksgiving, what are yours?
Traditions are a big part of the Thanksgiving holiday, and every American family has their own way of celebrating. From stuffing the turkey to watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving parade, here are the five most popular American Traditions.
1. Turkey and Trimmings
From the first Thanksgiving to today’s turkey burgers, turkeys are an American tradition dating back centuries. According to the National Turkey Federation, 95 percent of Americans eat turkey at Thanksgiving. Regional twists offer variations on the traditional roasted bird, including coffee rubbed turkey from Hawaii, salt encrusted turkey from New England, and deep fried turkey from the South.
2. Time Out for the Pigskin
Throughout the United States, football on Thanksgiving Day is as big a part of the celebration as turkey and pumpkin pie. Dating back to the first intercollegiate football championship held on Thanksgiving Day in 1876, traditional holiday football rivalries have become so popular that a reporter once called Thanksgiving “a holiday granted by the State and the Nation to see a game of football.”
3. Parading Around
The first American Thanksgiving Day parade was held in 1920, organized by Gimbel’s Department Store in Philadelphia, not Macy’s as most people believe. The NYC Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade tradition actually began in 1924, and has grown into an annual event of balloons, bands, and floats, enjoyed by more than 46 million people each year in person and on TV.
4. Making a Wish
Does your family fight over the wishbone from the Thanksgiving turkey? Known as a “lucky break” the tradition of tugging on either end of a fowl’s bone to win the larger piece and its accompanying “wish” dates back to the Etruscans of 322 B.C. The Romans brought the tradition with them when they conquered England and the English colonists carried the tradition on to America.
5. Giving Thanks
Last, but certainly not least, Thanksgiving is about giving thanks for the people and blessings of the past year. From pre-meal prayers to providing holiday meals to the homeless, the holiday is truly a celebration of praise and thanksgiving
Top 5 Traditions Article: About.Com: http://genealogy.about.com/od/holidays/tp/thanksgiving.htm By Kimberly Powell,Genealogy Expert
