You are starting to see the signs: the Christmas decorations coming up in the stores, the turkeys going on sale, cranberries back in the grocery aisle, pumpkins everywhere you turn. Yep, it’s Thanksgiving once again, the beginning of our Holiday Season in the U.S. Believe it or not, it actually took a woman editor, 36 years to get this for us. Ah the perseverance of a woman is to thank for all that food and feasting. Welcome to the “History of our Thanksgiving Celebration.”
So we all know the traditional story of how the Governor of the Jamestown colony, William Bradford, declared the first day Thanksgiving to offer praise to God for the bountiful harvest that would see them through the winter months in 1623. What most of us don’t realize is that Abraham Lincoln was the first to declare it a national holiday in 1863. His presidential proclamation stated that we were to “set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.” The in between story is also of interest.
Although there were numerous state and city observances of a ‘Day of Thanksgiving’, there was not a traditional date or 
observance set until 1863. This came as the result of a 36-year campaign by Sarah Josepha Hale, to have the day designated as a national holiday. At the time she began her campaign there were only a few states that annually celebrated the holiday, and the South did not have any ‘Thanksgiving’ celebrations at all. Lincoln designated it as the last Thursday of November, but during the Great Depression, FDR sought to move it a week earlier to encourage a longer shopping season. He finally gave into pressure and in 1941 signed a bill designating it as the fourth Thursday of November.
Today, the most famous recognition of this holiday is still the Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York. Each year, every president since the mid-20th century has pardoned one or two turkeys to live in retirement on a farm. The majority of U.S. citizens will gather with family and friends and eat a traditional Thanksgiving meal consisting of turkey and stuffing or dressing, cranberries, corn, and potatoes.
New traditions now include people who will volunteer to serve the less fortunate a Thanksgiving meal. You can click here to see how you can contribute locally to our Food Pantry.
At Manhattan’s American Bar and Grill we will be celebrating from 11am until 7pm with a Thanksgiving Meal just like Grandma used to make. Make your reservations now (630) 871-2991, and come with you friends and family, and celebrate Thanksgiving with us while you give thanks for all your friends and family and celebrate this truly American holiday.
Happy Thanksgiving From Manhattan’s American Bar and Grill!
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