Thanksgiving is commonly known as a holiday in the United States where families gather to express gratitude and enjoy a feast together. However, the origins of Thanksgiving as a holiday can be traced back to ancient pagan celebrations. In ancient times, many cultures celebrated harvest festivals to give thanks for a successful farming season and to honor the gods or nature spirits who were believed to provide the harvest. These celebrations often included feasting, dancing, and offering sacrifices to ensure a bountiful harvest in the future. One of the earliest recorded instances of a harvest festival similar to Thanksgiving is the Greek festival called Thesmophoria. This festival was dedicated to Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, and involved women fasting and performing rituals to honor her and ensure a good harvest.

Thanksgiving Day

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• World History Encyclopedia - Thanksgiving Day: A Brief History
• Live Science - Thanksgiving Science: Why Gratitude Is Good for You
• Ancient Origins - American Thanksgiving Origins and Roots in the Old World
• Smithsonian - Thanksgiving in North America: From Local Harvests to National Holiday
• Mayflower History - Brief History of Thanksgiving
• Christianity.com - The Meaning of Thanksgiving Day and History of the Holiday

• Thanksgiving - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
• Thanksgiving - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

• World History Encyclopedia - Thanksgiving Day: A Brief History
• Live Science - Thanksgiving Science: Why Gratitude Is Good for You
• Ancient Origins - American Thanksgiving Origins and Roots in the Old World
• Smithsonian - Thanksgiving in North America: From Local Harvests to National Holiday
• Mayflower History - Brief History of Thanksgiving
• Christianity.com - The Meaning of Thanksgiving Day and History of the Holiday

• Thanksgiving - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
• Thanksgiving - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)

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This festival was dedicated to Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, and involved women fasting and performing rituals to honor her and ensure a good harvest. Similarly, the Romans celebrated a festival called Cerelia, which honored the goddess Ceres, also associated with agriculture and harvest. During this festival, people would offer sacrifices to Ceres and participate in feasts and games.

Recent News

Thanksgiving is an annual national holiday in the United States and Canada that celebrates the blessings of the past year.

Colonists in New England and Canada regularly observed “thanksgivings,” days of prayer for such blessings as safe journeys, military victories, or abundant harvests. Americans model their holiday on a 1621 harvest feast shared between the Wampanoag people and the English colonists known as Pilgrims. Canadians trace their earliest thanksgiving celebration to 1578, when an expedition led by Martin Frobisher gave thanks for its safe passage.

In the United States, Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, as specified in a joint resolution passed by Congress in 1941 and a proclamation issued by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1942.

Since 1957, Thanksgiving Day has been celebrated in Canada on the second Monday in October.

In both Canada and America, family and friends gather for a meal and other celebrations on Thanksgiving. Traditional fare in America often includes turkey, cranberries, and pumpkin pie. Parades and football games also have long associations with Thanksgiving.

Sarah Josepha Hale campaigned for a national thanksgiving holiday in the United States during the 19th century, eventually winning President Abraham Lincoln’s support in 1863. He and subsequent presidents proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving annually until 1942, when a presidential proclamation specified that the fourth Thursday in November would be Thanksgiving Day.

In Canada, Parliament established a national Thanksgiving Day in 1879.

Thanksgiving Day, annual national holiday in the United States and Canada celebrating the harvest and other blessings of the past year. Americans generally believe that their Thanksgiving is modeled on a 1621 harvest feast shared by the English colonists ( Pilgrims) of Plymouth and the Wampanoag people. The American holiday is particularly rich in legend and symbolism, and the traditional fare of the Thanksgiving meal typically includes turkey, bread stuffing, potatoes, cranberries, and pumpkin pie. With respect to vehicular travel, the holiday is often the busiest of the year, as family members gather with one another.

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Plymouth’s Thanksgiving began with a few colonists going out “fowling,” possibly for turkeys but more probably for the easier prey of geese and ducks, since they “in one day killed as much as…served the company almost a week.” Next, 90 or so Wampanoag made a surprise appearance at the settlement’s gate, doubtlessly unnerving the 50 or so colonists. Nevertheless, over the next few days the two groups socialized without incident. The Wampanoag contributed venison to the feast, which included the fowl and probably fish, eels, shellfish, stews, vegetables, and beer. Since Plymouth had few buildings and manufactured goods, most people ate outside while sitting on the ground or on barrels with plates on their laps. The men fired guns, ran races, and drank liquor, struggling to speak in broken English and Wampanoag. This was a rather disorderly affair, but it sealed a treaty between the two groups that lasted until King Philip’s War (1675–76), in which hundreds of colonists and thousands of Native Americans lost their lives.

On the fourth Thursday of November, many Americans gather around the table with their families and fill their plates with turkey, cranberry sauce, and stuffing—but why? In this episode of On This Day, Encyclopaedia Britannica's Kurt Heintz explores the true history that lies beneath the myths and mysteries of this American custom (with a few glances at what Canadians do too). (more)

The New England colonists were accustomed to regularly celebrating “Thanksgivings,” days of prayer thanking God for blessings such as military victory or the end of a drought. The U.S. Continental Congress proclaimed a national Thanksgiving upon the enactment of the Constitution, for example. Yet, after 1798, the new U.S. Congress left Thanksgiving declarations to the states; some objected to the national government’s involvement in a religious observance, Southerners were slow to adopt a New England custom, and others took offense over the day’s being used to hold partisan speeches and parades. A national Thanksgiving Day seemed more like a lightning rod for controversy than a unifying force.

Thanksgiving Day did not become an official holiday until Northerners dominated the federal government. While sectional tensions prevailed in the mid-19th century, the editor of the popular magazine Godey’s Lady’s Book, Sarah Josepha Hale, campaigned for a national Thanksgiving Day to promote unity. She finally won the support of President Abraham Lincoln. On October 3, 1863, during the Civil War, Lincoln proclaimed a national day of thanksgiving to be celebrated on Thursday, November 26.

The holiday was annually proclaimed by every president thereafter, and the date chosen, with few exceptions, was the last Thursday in November. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, however, attempted to extend the Christmas shopping season, which generally begins with the Thanksgiving holiday, and to boost the economy by moving the date back a week, to the third week in November. But not all states complied, and, after a joint resolution of Congress in 1941, Roosevelt issued a proclamation in 1942 designating the fourth Thursday in November (which is not always the last Thursday) as Thanksgiving Day.

As the country became more urban and family members began to live farther apart, Thanksgiving became a time to gather together. The holiday moved away from its religious roots to allow immigrants of every background to participate in a common tradition. Thanksgiving Day football games, beginning with Yale versus Princeton in 1876, enabled fans to add some rowdiness to the holiday. In the late 1800s parades of costumed revelers became common. In 1920 Gimbel’s department store in Philadelphia staged a parade of about 50 people with Santa Claus at the rear of the procession. Since 1924 the annual Macy’s parade in New York City has continued the tradition, with huge balloons since 1927. The holiday associated with Pilgrims and Native Americans has come to symbolize intercultural peace, America’s opportunity for newcomers, and the sanctity of home and family.

Days of thanksgiving in Canada also originated in the colonial period, arising from the same European traditions, in gratitude for safe journeys, peace, and bountiful harvests. The earliest celebration was held in 1578, when an expedition led by Martin Frobisher held a ceremony in present-day Nunavut to give thanks for the safety of its fleet. In 1879 Parliament established a national Thanksgiving Day on November 6; the date has varied over the years. Since 1957 Thanksgiving Day has been celebrated in Canada on the second Monday in October.

American Thanksgiving Origins and Roots in the Old World

As the leaves turn beautiful golden and fiery red hues, the weather gets colder, and people prepare for the oncoming winter in the Northern Hemisphere, Americans enjoy the annual celebration of Thanksgiving. It is a time to be with family and friends, to remember the history of the country’s founders hundreds of years ago, and to be grateful for all they have. In effect, it is a time to count blessings and enjoy the bounty of the year – with a large focus on traditional foods such as roasted turkey and seasonal vegetables.

Now observed on the fourth Thursday in November annually, the history of Thanksgiving is taught to American children. For some families it is the biggest celebration of the year and the start of the holiday season, including Christmas and the New Year.

The holiday is considered a vital part of American history and identity, but much of the popular story told every year about Thanksgiving’s origins is said to be full of historical inaccuracies. What are the real origins of this holiday harvest festival?

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In Northern Europe, the pagan festival of Harvest Home was celebrated around the time of the autumn equinox. This festival involved a community coming together to give thanks for the harvest and to prepare for the winter months ahead. With the spread of Christianity, many of these pagan harvest festivals were incorporated into Christian traditions. One example is the English festival of Harvest Home, which eventually became a Christian holiday known as Harvest Festival or Harvest Thanksgiving. This holiday is still celebrated in many parts of the United Kingdom today, with churches decorated with fruits and vegetables and special services held to give thanks for the harvest. In the United States, the origins of Thanksgiving can be traced back to the early European settlers who arrived in the country in the 17th century. These settlers, known as Pilgrims, had experienced a difficult winter and were grateful for a successful harvest in 1621. To celebrate, they held a feast which has come to be known as the First Thanksgiving. Although the Pilgrims' Thanksgiving was influenced by their Christian beliefs, it also incorporated elements of the Native American harvest festivals they had witnessed. The Native Americans, who had been living off the land for centuries, played a crucial role in helping the Pilgrims survive and taught them many farming techniques. In conclusion, while Thanksgiving is now celebrated as a Christian holiday in the United States, its origins can be traced back to ancient pagan harvest festivals. It is a holiday that evolved over time, incorporating elements from different cultures and traditions. Regardless of its origins, the spirit of Thanksgiving remains the same – a time to come together and express gratitude for the blessings of the year..

Reviews for "How Pagan Practices Shaped Thanksgiving Traditions"

1. John Doe - 1 star - Origin Thanksgiving Pagan Holiday is a ridiculous and pointless film. The title itself is misleading, as it suggests that Thanksgiving is a pagan holiday when it is widely celebrated as a time of giving thanks and gratitude. The movie attempts to twist history and facts to fit its agenda, creating a distorted narrative that is both confusing and infuriating. Save yourself the time and skip this one.

2. Jane Smith - 2 stars - I was expecting an insightful documentary about the true origins of Thanksgiving, but Origin Thanksgiving Pagan Holiday fell short of delivering any meaningful information. The film lacked credibility and failed to present a balanced view. Instead, it seemed to be more interested in pushing a specific narrative, without considering alternative perspectives. Overall, I found it to be a disappointing and one-sided portrayal of a complex historical event.

3. Robert Johnson - 1 star - Origin Thanksgiving Pagan Holiday is a far-fetched attempt at rewriting history. It seems to be fueled by conspiracy theories and unsubstantiated claims. The film failed to provide any compelling evidence or credible sources to support its arguments. Instead, it relied on sensationalism and half-truths to push its agenda. I was highly disappointed by the lack of research and integrity in this documentary.

4. Sarah Thompson - 2 stars - I had high hopes for Origin Thanksgiving Pagan Holiday, but unfortunately, it fell short of my expectations. The film seemed heavily biased and lacked objectivity. It failed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the historical context and instead focused on promoting a specific viewpoint. I was hoping for a more nuanced exploration of the holiday's origins, but this documentary missed the mark.

5. Michael Anderson - 1 star - Origin Thanksgiving Pagan Holiday is nothing more than a poorly researched and misleading piece of propaganda. The film attempts to discredit the true origins of Thanksgiving without providing any substantial evidence to support its claims. It cherry-picks historical events and distorts them to fit its own agenda. I would not recommend wasting your time on this biased and unsubstantiated documentary.

Thanksgiving: A Pagan Celebration of Gratitude