ThanksgivingDayisthemosttrulyAmericanofthenationalHolidaysintheUnitedStatesandismostcloselyconnectedwiththeearliesthistoryofthecountry.

　　In1620,thesettlers,orPilgrims,theysailedtoAmericaontheMayflower,seekingaplacewheretheycouldhavefreedomofworship.Afteratempestuoustwo-monthvoyagetheylandedatinicyNovember,whatisnowPlymouth,Massachusetts.

　　Duringtheirfirstwinter,overhalfofthesettlersdiedof[1]starvationorepidemics.Thosewhosurvivedbegansowinginthefirstspring.

　　Allsummerlongtheywaitedfortheharvestswithgreatanxiety,knowingthattheirlivesandthefutureexistenceofthecolonydependedonthecomingharvest.Finallythefieldsproducedayieldrichbeyondexpectations.AndthereforeitwasdecidedthatadayofthanksgivingtotheLordbefixed[2].Yearslater,PresidentoftheUnitedStatesproclaimedthefourthThursdayofNovemberasThanksgivingDayeveryyear.ThecelebrationofThanksgivingDayhasbeenobservedonthatdateuntiltoday.

　　ThepatternoftheThanksgivingcelebrationhasneverchangedthroughtheyears.Thebigfamilydinnerisplannedmonthsahead.Onthedinnertable,peoplewillfindapples,oranges,chestnuts,walnutsandgrapes.Therewillbeplumpudding,mincepie,othervarietiesoffoodandcranberryjuiceandsquash.Thebestandmostattractiveamongthemareroastturkeyandpumpkinpie.TheyhavebeenthemosttraditionalandfavoritefoodonThanksgivingDaythroughouttheyears.

　　Everyoneagreesthedinnermustbebuiltaroundroastturkeystuffedwithabreaddressing[3]toabsorbthetastyjuicesasitroasts.Butascookingvarieswithfamiliesandwiththeregionswhereonelives,itisnoteasytogetaconsensuson[4]theprecisekindofstuffingfortheroyalbird.

　　Thanksgivingtodayis,ineverysense,anationalannualholidayonwhichAmericansofallfaithsandbackgroundsjoinintoexpresstheirthanksfortheyear'sbountyandreverentlyaskforcontinued[5]blessings.