Bill Sykes' Newsletter
from America.
(December 2004)
An ex-Brit gives his views-(without fear
or favor)---of the American Scene
Thanksgiving
Day, 25th of November 2004:
 Applicable
Historic Information:
According to research sources,
the Pilgrims had a feast in 1621 at a location close
to Plymouth, Massachusetts after their first harvest,
which has been referred to as "The first thanksgiving".
But as the feast was never repeated and the Pilgrims,
who were devoutly religious people, were known to
celebrate a day of thanksgiving by prayer and fasting
it undermines the current day over indigence of the
gorging of food which has become a traditional method
of celebrating thanksgiving, so it cannot be said that
the 1621 feast became the model for the current day
celebrations.
 The first known proclamation regarding
the celebration of thanksgiving was issued by the United
States Congress in Philadelphia on the eleventh day
of October, 1782 following the Revolutionary War, when
the Continental Congress recognised the need to give
thanks for delivering the country from war and establishing
its independence. The Congressional proclamation recommended
that the inhabitants of the States in general observe
Thursday the twenty-eighth day of November as a day
of solemn Thanksgiving.
On November 26th 1941, President Roosevelt signed
a bill establishing the fourth Thursday in November
as Thanksgiving Day, due to the fact that in two years
out of every seven there are five Thursdays in November.
Comment:
I was recently asked if I knew the reason why America holds its Presidential
elections in November.
The answer of course is that it is held then to ensure that they have a turkey
in the White House by Thanksgiving.
Well - they sure have one in the White House this Thanksgiving, and the last
one also!
We welcome feedback about any of the contents of these
newsletters. Please send all correspondence to bill_sykes@huddersfield1.co.uk
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