Happy Thanksgiving from the HR Doctors LLC
The story of Thanksgiving’s origins is based on a combination of fact and fiction, and the holiday’s meaning has evolved:
The traditional story of the first Thanksgiving is that the Pilgrims and Wampanoag celebrated a successful harvest together in 1621. The feast lasted three days and included deer, corn, shellfish, and roasted meat. The Wampanoag chief Massasoit and about 90 Wampanoag people attended the feast. However, the term “Thanksgiving” was not used at the time, and much of the story was created decades later.
The first recorded religious Thanksgiving in Plymouth took place in 1623. The Pilgrims gave thanks to God for a bountiful harvest after a two-month drought.
The holiday’s evolution
Thanksgiving has evolved over time from a religious celebration to a time to gather together and celebrate intercultural peace. The holiday has also moved away from its religious roots to allow immigrants to participate. Today, Thanksgiving symbolizes America’s opportunity for newcomers, the sanctity of home and family, and intercultural peace.
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