Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is an holiday celebrated in North America. It is traditionally designated as a time to give thanks for the autumn harvest, and the holiday occurs during the late autumn. In the United States, the holiday is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. In Canada, where the harvest is generally earlier in the year, the holiday is celebrated on the second Monday in October.

Thanksgiving is traditionally celebrated by a family feast. In the United States, it is an important family holiday, and people often travel across the country to be with family members for the holiday. Although the holiday is celebrated on Thursday, it is common for employees to have Friday off as well.

American tradition associates their holiday with a feast carried out by the Pilgrims who settled in Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1621. Canadians trace their Thanksgiving holiday to a feast held by Martin Frobisher in Newfoundland in 1578. It is also probable that American loyalists who emigrated to Canada after American indpendence brought with them many of their Thanksgiving traditions.