Thanksgiving Day is a celebration of giving thanks for the blessings of God. Countries like the United States, Puerto Rico, Liberia and Norfolk Island Thanksgiving is celebrated in the month of November and for Canada, it is celebrated on the month of October. President Abraham Lincoln declared this celebration during the Civil War. It has officially been a yearly tradition since 1863 and in every fourth Thursday of November.
In the United States, Thanksgiving Day is a huge celebration. The Americans serve variety of food especially turkeys and pies during the festivity. Almost all Americans travel a lot of miles just to attend this gathering. A department store in Midtown Manhattan, New York City has an annual parade with a marching band and huge balloons of cartoon characters since 1924. Some stores offer a huge discount on their items during Black Friday (Friday after Thanksgiving Day).
In some Asian countries, there is no particular month or date that people are gathering for Thanksgiving. The feast of saints is like the Thanksgiving Day in the Philippines. Every patron saint is celebrated in different months and in different ways. For example: the feast of Saint John the Baptist (Fiesta ni San Juan Bautista), people in every town or city that has Saint John the Baptist as their patron saint throw water to the passing cars and people in the streets of their place. Some towns or cities have the same patron saint like in Cagayan de Oro City and Bacolod City; they both have Saint Augustine (San Agustin) as their saint.
Christmas day in the Philippines is celebrated not only for the birth of Christ; it is also an opportunity for the family members to have a reunion. Family members go to their parent’s home to give thanks to the Lord Jesus Christ for another year has passed and another is coming.
There are a lot of reasons to celebrate Thanksgiving and there are many things people can be thankful for. It could be their success of their careers, job promotions, having a successful business, having a good harvest and etc... Specific dates aren’t really necessary. In fact, we should be thankful each day that another day has come and will come into your life. Parties, food, turkeys and drinks are not necessary if there is something you are thankful for. During bedtime, you should pray and be thankful for another day has passed.
Contributed by: Jezreel Jann V. Yañez
