Thanksgiving is an annual harvest festival celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada, observed as a time to give thanks for the year's blessings.
The American Thanksgiving tradition traces to the autumn of 1621, when the Pilgrims of Plymouth Colony shared a harvest meal with the Wampanoag people. It was declared a national holiday in 1863 by President Abraham Lincoln, fixed to the fourth Thursday of November.
Thanksgiving centres on a large family dinner — traditionally featuring roast turkey, stuffing, mashed potato, sweet potato, cranberry sauce, green beans and pumpkin pie. The day is also associated with gratitude, family gathering, the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, and American football.
Plan the dinner with our free Thanksgiving planner.