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Dateline:
Wednesday November 21, 2001 01:03 AM
The
History of Thanksgiving and its Celebrations
Throughout history mankind has
celebrated the bountiful harvest with thanksgiving ceremonies.
 Before
the establishment of formal religions many ancient farmers believed that
their crops contained spirits which caused the crops to grow and die. Many
believed that these spirits would be released when the crops were
harvested and they had to be destroyed or they would take revenge on the
farmers who harvested them. Some of the harvest festivals celebrated the
defeat of these spirits.
Harvest
festivals and thanksgiving celebrations were held by the ancient Greeks,
the Romans, the Hebrews, the Chinese, and the Egyptians.
The Greeks
The
ancient Greeks worshipped many gods and goddesses. Their goddess of corn
(actually all grains) was Demeter who was
honored at the festival of Thesmosphoria held
each autumn.
On
the first day of the festival married women (possibility connecting
childbearing and the raising of crops) would build leafy shelters and
furnish them with couches made with plants. On the second day they fasted.
On the third day a feast was held and offerings to the goddess Demeter
were made - gifts of seed corn, cakes, fruit, and pigs. It was hoped that
Demeter's gratitude would grant them a good harvest.
The Romans
The
Romans also celebrated a harvest festival called Cerelia, which
honored Ceres their goddess of corn (from which
the word cereal comes). The festival was held each year on October 4th and
offerings of the first fruits of the harvest and pigs were offered to
Ceres. Their celebration included music, parades, games and sports and a
thanksgiving feast.
The Chinese
The
ancient Chinese celebrated their harvest festival, Chung Ch'ui,
with the full moon that fell on the 15th day of the 8th month. This day
was considered the birthday of the moon and special "moon
cakes", round and yellow like the moon, would be baked. Each cake was
stamped with the picture of a rabbit - as it was a rabbit, not a man,
which the Chinese saw on the face of the moon.
The
families ate a thanksgiving meal and feasted on roasted pig, harvested
fruits and the "moon cakes". It was believed that during the 3
day festival flowers would fall from the moon and those who saw them would
be rewarded with good fortune.
According
to legend Chung Ch'ui also gave thanks for another special occasion. China
had been conquered by enemy armies who took control of the Chinese homes
and food. The Chinese found themselves homeless and with no food. Many
staved. In order to free themselves they decided to attack the invaders.
The
women baked special moon cakes which were distributed to every family. In
each cake was a secret message which contained the time for the attack.
When the time came the invaders were surprised and easily defeated. Every
year moon cakes are eaten in memory of this victory.
The Hebrews
Jewish
families also celebrate a harvest festival called Sukkoth.
Taking place each autumn, Sukkoth has been celebrated for over 3000 years.
Sukkoth is know by 2 names - Hag ha Succot -
the Feast of the Tabernacles and Hag ha Asif -
the Feast of Ingathering. Sukkoth begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew
month of Tishri, 5 days after Yom
Kippur the most solemn day of the Jewish year.
Sukkoth
is named for the huts (succots) that Moses and the Israelites lived in as
they wandered the desert for 40 years before they reached the Promised
Land. These huts were made of branches and were easy to assemble, take
apart, and carry as the Israelites wandered through the desert.
When
celebrating Sukkoth, which lasts for 8 days, the Jewish people build small
huts of branches which recall the tabernacles of their ancestors. These
huts are constructed as temporary shelters, as the branches are not driven
into the ground and the roof is covered with foliage which is spaced to
let the light in. Inside the huts are hung fruits and vegetables,
including apples, grapes, corn, and pomegranates. On the first 2 nights of
Sukkoth the families eat their meals in the huts under the evening sky.
The Egyptians
The
ancient Egyptians celebrated their harvest festival in honor of Min,
their god of vegetation and fertility. The festival was held in the
springtime, the Egyptian's harvest season.
The
festival of Min featured a parade in which the Pharaoh took part. After
the parade a great feast was held. Music, dancing, and sports were also
part of the celebration.
When
the Egyptian farmers harvested their corn, they wept and pretended to be
grief-stricken. This was to deceive the spirit which they believed lived
in the corn. They feared the spirit would become angry when the farmers
cut down the corn where it lived.
The United States
In
1621, after a hard and devastating first year in the New World the
Pilgrim's fall harvest was very successful and plentiful. There was corn,
fruits, vegetables, along with fish which was packed in salt, and meat
that was smoke cured over fires. They found they had enough food to put
away for the winter.
The
Pilgrims had beaten the odds. They built homes in the wilderness, they
raised enough crops to keep them alive during the long coming winter, and
they were at peace with their Indian neighbors. Their Governor, William
Bradford, proclaimed a day of thanksgiving that was to be shared by all
the colonists and the neighboring Native American Indians.
The
custom of an annually celebrated thanksgiving, held after the harvest,
continued through the years. During the American Revolution (late 1770's)
a day of national thanksgiving was suggested by the Continental Congress.
In
1817 New York State adopted Thanksgiving Day as an annual custom. By the
middle of the 19th century many other states also celebrated a
Thanksgiving Day. In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln appointed a national
day of thanksgiving. Since then each president has issued a Thanksgiving
Day proclamation, usually designating the fourth Thursday of each November
as the holiday.
Canada
Thanksgiving
in Canada is celebrated on the second Monday in October. Observance of the
day began in 1879.
Copyright LNO 2001 - All
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