Thanksgiving is upon us! However, many of our ancestors did not celebrate the modern Thanksgiving we know today.
Yes, the first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Pilgrims in 1621. Not until George Washington was President, was another Thanksgiving celebrated in 1779.
President Abraham Lincoln re-instituted the Thanksgiving holiday during the Civil War in 1863. Afterwards, the holiday was celebrated annually.
Yet, the holiday was not made a National Holiday until President Franklin D. Roosevelt passed the law in 1939, setting the celebration permanently on the 4th Thursday of November.
Teaching children about the importance and history of this holiday will provide them with a better understanding and appreciation.
Some ways to do this may include:
- Dressing as a Pilgrim or Indian
- Giving a speech as a Pilgrim or Indian
- Enact the Thanksgiving laws accordingly of one of the three Presidents mentioned above
How do you celebrate Thanksgiving?