Thanksgiving is an American national holiday recognized each November. However, the day has its roots in many traditions. Thanksgiving is essentially a historic day of remembrance and thanks for the aid given to early American colonists by natives. The difficult relationship between colonists and natives over the following years makes the celebration controversial.
The Real Story of Thanksgiving
You can share the true story of Thanksgiving with your children, in a fair and honest way, providing the facts we know about the 1621 harvest celebration marked as the first Thanksgiving, without the bias of one perspective. Consider sharing the story from multiple viewpoints, i.e., the native Wampanoag people, the English pilgrims of Plymouth Plantation, and the descendants of both peoples.
Perhaps, like many American families, yours has lineage from both colonists and natives. How might your ancestry affect your story? Did you know that the Wampanoag were largely against helping the pilgrims and the aid given to them came mostly from one man known as Squanto?
Ways to Celebrate and Learn About Thanksgiving History
How about a historically accurate Thanksgiving feast? Turkey is traditionally the centerpiece of the modern American Thanksgiving meal. However, the pilgrims would have celebrated with lobster, seal, and swan at their 1621 Thanksgiving feast.
Holding a celebratory feast of thanksgiving for a plentiful harvest is an ancient tradition, at least since the dawn of agriculture. Both the Wampanoag and the English would have had long histories of honoring the harvest. The English colonists, however, were coming from a city environment, lending to their lack of wilderness survival skills and their need for aid from the knowledgeable natives.
Try some easy Thanksgiving recipes with your kids. While you're getting the meal together, your children may appreciate some Thanksgiving coloring pages and printable activities.
Give a Thanksgiving Address. Harvest celebrations thank the land, spirits, and gods for the food. Thanksgiving is an act of gratitude for the life-giving foods and medicines provided by earth and gods.
A Traditional Iroquois Thanksgiving Address
We return thanks to our mother, the earth, who sustain us.
We return thanks to the rivers and streams, who supply us with water.
We return thanks to all herbs, who furnish medicines for the cure of our diseases.
We return thanks to the moon and stars, who have given to us their light when the sun was gone.
We return thanks to the sun, who has looked upon the earth with a beneficent eye.
Lastly, we return thanks to the Great Spirit, in whom is embodied all goodness, and who directs all things for the good of her children.
A Children's Thanksgiving Prayer
Earth who gives to us this food
Sun who makes it ripe and good
Dear Earth, Dear Sun
By you we live
Our loving thanks
To you we give
The thanksgiving addresses above, as well as your family's favorite prayers of gratitude, honor the spirit of a harvest celebration. Historic events can mar Thanksgiving, dividing people, or the common practice of gratitude can bring us all together. Isn't that the real purpose of Thanksgiving?
More Thanksgiving Ideas:
Coming up: Happy Birthday, Mark Twain!
Sara McGrath - Sara is a veteran homeschool mom of three, Usborne consultant, and the author of Unschooling: A Lifestyle of Learning.
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