A Small History

Thanksgiving origins date back to 1620 when the ship “Mayflower” left Plymouth, carrying 102 passengers. Individuals and families sought to start anew in the “New
World.” A year later, they had survived brutal winters and terrible diseases. They had also managed to create a stable relationship with the Patuxet tribe and a specific member named Squanto. Squanto had helped the pilgrims create their first harvest in the “New World,” and in turn, the pilgrims decided to share their harvest with the Native Americans, celebrating the first harvest to “give thanks” to the tribe that helped them through hard times.

Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

The Thanksgiving parade first appeared in 1924 as a celebration, not of Thanksgiving, but of the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. The original route was six miles long, much longer than the current route, with much fewer floats and live animals borrowed from the Central Park Zoo. It wasn’t until 1927, that the big helium balloons joined the parade, replacing the animals so that they would not have to be borrowed every year. This year, the parade will feature: 22 balloons, seven Balloonicles, 34 floats, 11 Marching Bands, 28 Live performers, 28 Clown Crews, and 11 performance groups.

Turkey and Cranberry Sauce

The Thanksgiving feast is one of the most well-known traditions. A large variety of food can be found worldwide, but the most common is the Thanksgiving turkey. Other customary foods include cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes, and pumpkin pie.

Giving Thanks

The common saying for this holiday is “I am thankful for…” while passing out turkey cuttings. It started by giving thanks for prayers having been answered. Many would pray to God throughout the year and thank God during Thanksgiving as they were having a feast in His honor. Later, others celebrated it as the gratefulness of wars ending or having a roof over their head.

Black Friday

Black Friday wasn’t originally a day filled with savings and deals; it was the absolute opposite. This was the Crash of the Gold Market in the U.S. on Sept. 24, 1869. Two financiers decided to buy up all the gold in the U.S., driving the cost higher than before, then selling it for even higher prices. However, their plan backfired when the Stock Market crashed and caused everyone to go bankrupt. In the late 1980s, retailers decided to pick up Black Friday causing the nationwide spread of shopping. This also began to create other retail holidays such as Small Business Saturday/Sunday, established in October 2010, and Cyber Monday boosted into action in 2005. Except, one small take of caution is needed, the first Black Friday death was a Walmart employee in 2008, being unable to breathe and eventually being trampled to death. Since then, there have been 11 deaths and 108 Injuries.