Thanksgiving

Other forms: Thanksgivings

Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated in the United States and Canada, traditionally observed through a meal featuring a roasted turkey and other traditional foods.

Although the date of the first Thanksgiving is subject to debate, holiday lore puts this meal in 1621 when early European settlers of North America gathered with Native Americans to give thanks for a plentiful harvest. In the United States, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November. In Canada, the celebration occurs on the second Monday in October. The holiday was celebrated regionally throughout early American history until Abraham Lincoln fixed a national date in 1863 in an attempt to create a feeling of national unity during the Civil War.