Here in the United States we have a holiday in the fall called Thanksgiving
which is a continuation of the idea of a Harvest festival found in many cultures.
It is a time to gather together with friend and family to feed our faces
with lots of delicious food and spend the day in fellowship together.

Our Thanksgiving is set for the 4^th Thursday in November
having been declared a holiday about 1863.
This year that day falls on Thursday, November 26.
Our neighbor Canada celebrates Thanksgiving a month before us.

The first Thanksgiving in this county was  at Plymouth Rock. Mass. in 1621.
With the immigrant  Pilgrims and their visitors the local Indians.
The menus was quite different from the ones we enjoy today.
Stories tell that they ate Venison that the Indians provided.
Wild fowl were on the menu , which could have meant swans
and other birds instead of turkeys.
The meal consisted of meat and lobsters, puddings and  sweets.
With no ovens ,they probably did not have any pies or cakes or even bread.
All of which are some of our favorites holiday  indulgences
 It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving with out the Pumpkin Pie
and hot home- made rolls on our tables.
With no refrigeration,
they would have had a lot of dried food on the menu,
such as corn, meat, fish and herbs.
 It is said that the pilgrims ate regular meals,
while their guests the Indians ate when they got hungry,
so that first Thanksgiving lasted for several days.
Today we have refrigerators so we spend several days eating the leftovers.
 Sometimes the food is even better the second time around.

Thanksgiving helps to bring out the best in people.
They will go out of the way to donate their time to help feed the needy.
Those that would can't afford a meal sometimes because they are ill, or out of work
It is a great time  for  sharing our blessings.
 All most everybody has something good in their lives or family to be thankful for.
It helps to sit down in a quiet place and count your blessings.

But first of all we should take time out of our busy lives
and pause to thank God for our friends and family.
Many  say a prayer before they eat, to ask God's blessing on table.
 We should  also remember what  we are told in Deuteronomy
 that when we have eaten and are full,
 we should bless the Lord thy God for all the good he has given us.
Happy Thanksgiving
Have a warm, safe, and happy day full of lots of good things to eat.