It’s known that there are lots of American Holidays successfully implemented into Russian celebration tradition last years. Such of them is, of course, The Thanksgiving Day. All of us have to hear about it at least once in his life. Nevertheless not everybody knows the main tips of this holiday, its history when it was founded and traditions of its celebration today. So when is Thanksgiving Day in 2022?
The Thanksgiving Day is one of the most favorite holidays beside the American people. It’s pretty recognizable and widely celebrated in the United States of America and Canada. The date of celebration depends on the country, but the main idea of this Holiday is to unite people not at one time, but in their faith and gratitude to God. Official time in the USA for celebration is the fourth Novembers Thursday. People in Canada have this holiday always on the second Novembers, Thursday.
As an official national holiday, The Thanksgiving Day was proclaimed by the President of America George Washington in 1789. But the date of modern celebration was established after – in 1941 and defined in the federal law. So what is the date of Thanksgiving Day in the coming 2022? According to the tradition it will be celebrated on 26th of November.
Before understanding what The Thanksgiving Day for now is and why it is celebrated by such a big variety of people, it would be great to dive deeply in its American history, which is the best source for us in this case. Many years ago in the far-far 1621 the first settler of the British colony of Plymouth named «Mayflower» met with huge obstacles. There were hunger and diseases caused by a few months which people from the old part of America spent in a new place. That one who could survive contacted with local Indians for getting their support. Indians trained the survivors in crop cultivation, hunting in the local woods, tillage land, and fishing. As a gratitude for their help immigrants (survivors) organized a big celebration and invited Indians and their leader.
Regarding the fact that mentioned celebration was made at the time of seasonal work end, it was at the same also dedicated to The God and harvest. Holiday was considered more as a religious ritual than a holiday celebration in our modern understanding. In the second half of 1600 years, such meetings and celebration became widely spread and appeared rapidly as an usual annual event. However, in those times the traditions of its celebration were different in separated communities. Some of the traditions performed in our days in thanks. For today The Thanksgiving Day is more family holiday, than a religious one as it used to be. The main vision of this holiday for today is to be gratitude and thankful to your family and people, who provide you and others with support, warmth and help in difficult moments.
What day is the Thanksgiving Day in 2022? It is time for thanks for all that you have to people you know. Also, on this day people try to sacrifice something what they need. Some people take vacation for the four days to go for this holiday somewhere outside to travel with family and friends.
Holiday celebration (traditions)
It should be mentioned that people in the USA and Canada have different tradition in the celebration of The Thanksgiving Day and it’s not only to the date of celebration. For instance, American people visit firstly a church and just after start to prepare the food, decorate a table and invite guests. Also, there are some important issues about the holiday table and there is a special list of obligatory dishes, which should traditionally be on it. So, imagine the big table fully covered by turkey, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, baked potato and salad of autumn vegetable. Turkey and pumpkin pie are actually the most common one.
Canadian prepare also for their holiday celebration meet and sweet pie. But unlike American they make not Turkey as it is, but dumplings from the meat of turkey and their pie is apple one.
The Thanksgiving Day for Americans and Canadians means the beginning of preparation for Christmas and New Year celebration. They really love this holiday and each of them happily waits when the next Thanksgiving Day 2022 is coming.
Interesting facts about holiday celebration
- Every year on this holiday American and Canadian citizens buy and prepare about 280 million turkeys.
- There is a tradition that US President has to pardon a turkey. He has to promise, that its life will be in good and it will not appear on the holiday table. President Truman in 1947 established a tradition: each year to choose two turkeys by populations vote and send them to live out their remaining days on any farm celebrities.
- When the settlers and the Indians for the first time gathered to celebrate, they ate the meat of swans, seals, lobsters and corn. So originally The Thanksgiving Day was the day of seafood.
- Since 1934 Americans traditionally watch football match on this day
- State agencies, schools and other public organizations close on The Thanksgiving Day due to the national status of this holiday. Some office staff and even whole enterprises have four days off
- Public transport usually doesn’t work in these days on the schedule.
- Traditional dishes for holiday table are Turkey (or dishes from its meat) and cranberries. Also, for this holiday in the USA it is specially cultivated pumpkin and sweet potato. There is a legend about Queen Elizabeth. Once she ate roast goose meat when she was informed about Spanish Armada is on the way to England. To celebrate this news the Queen ordered another goose, and since that the goose meat became a favorite dish for Englishmen. At the first Thanksgiving Day holiday with Indians, the colonists replaced goose meat with Turkey because the goose simply wasn’t there. Ever since the concept of “Turkey” and “Thanksgiving Day” are stable. Sometimes the Thanksgiving Day is called the Turkey Day.
So, The Thanksgiving Day opens the winter holiday season. And the next day starts another show, which is called Black Friday. In general, this is a great day once a year, when all shops have huge discounts for all their products. In the America, the traditional Christmas sales season starts on this day and shops open very early from 5 a.m. and some of the largest retail chains even at midnight.
Every true citizen should know when Thanksgiving Day is in 2022 to the calendar. This is a very warm family holiday, which gives reason to come together and to thank everybody who you love and God.