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Thanksgiving: what goes around, comes around
By Kara Martin
¿Qué es lo que celebras durante las fiestas de Thanksgiving? If you have been in Spain during late November, chances are you have been asked what the holiday is about. So you won't find yourself stammering for a response, here are some of the origins of Thanksgiving and ways to celebrate in a country where Butterball turkeys are hard to find.
Most Spaniards would be surprised to learn that this traditional North American holiday has its roots in Western Europe. Long before the pilgrims and Native Americans first celebrated Thanksgiving in 1621 in Plymouth, Massachusetts, Europeans gathered in the autumn to celebrate the harvest.
European farmers filled a curved goat's horn with fruit and grains to signify the abundance of the year's harvest. This horn of plenty or cornucopia has become a symbol shared by North Americans for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Early Americans continued the tradition of Thanksgiving upon arriving in Plymouth and extended the hospitality to the Native American tribe of Wampanoags. The tribe led by Massasoit was instrumental in teaching the pilgrims the principles of surviving off the land. Feasting on the bounty of crops indigenous to the area, early settlers enjoyed their harvest of corns and beans as well as fish and game during the first Thanksgiving celebration.
Today, Americans celebrate Thanksgiving on the third Thursday of November. The day centers not only around the turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie that can be found on the table, but also around the television, where lavish parades and football games hosted by the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions entertain families and friends gathered together.
The Canadian celebration of Thanksgiving on the second Monday in October shares many of the same characteristics as the American holiday. The Canadian Parliament declared the official holiday as "A day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed."
Here in Spain, why not celebrate Thanksgiving the old fashioned way? Order a turkey from the polleria and ask for the feathers and head to be removed, or order a pre-cooked roasted turkey from most large supermarkets. Invite your friends and celebrate all the things we have to be thankful for? good friends, good food and the beginning of the holiday season.
Information for this article from, and to learn more about Thanksgiving: "Thanksgiving Day," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2003, http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2003 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.)
Paulette's Thanksgiving Recipes:
MAPLE GINGER ROASTED TURKEY
MAPLE GINGER HONEY GLAZE
CORNBREAD CHORIZO STUFFING
Looking for that perfect Holiday recipe? Check out these websites:
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