Happy Thanksgiving from National Storage!
Thanksgiving is a holiday marked by the traditions we share with family and friends. Giving thanks for the many blessings we have in our lives and spending time with those we hold dear is the true meaning of the day, although feasting on the many delicious foods is also a big part of the celebration!
A Few Facts about the History of Thanksgiving
What was the first Thanksgiving like? Why do we eat turkey? Here are just a few interesting facts about the history of Thanksgiving:
- The first Thanksgiving was not celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. It was actually a feast that lasted three days, sometime between September and November of 1623 and was based on the harvest festivals the Pilgrims were accustomed to in England. The Wampanoag Indians taught the new settlers how to live and build off the land, although whether or not the tribe was invited to the first feast is up for debate. The Pilgrims were celebrating their successful harvest by shooting gunfire into the air, causing the Indians to believe they were under attack. Hence why they showed up at the gathering.
- Contrary to popular belief, the Pilgrims did not wear black and white clothing. Clothing colors were more earthy tones – lots of browns, greens and grays. Black clothing was something only worn on special occasions. They also did not have buckles adorning their shoes and hats; this fashion trend didn’t become popular until the 1700s.
- The first national celebration of Thanksgiving took place in 1775, but it was to celebrate the win at Saratoga during the American Revolution. It wasn’t until 1827 that with the persistence of Sarah Josepha Hale (also the author of “Mary Had a Little Lamb”), Thanksgiving was declared an annual holiday. In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt proclaimed that Thanksgiving would be officially held the third Thursday in November to lengthen the holiday shopping season- an idea that wasn’t extremely popular at the time.
- Thanksgiving Day marks the official start of the holiday shopping season. Since at least the 1930s, retailers have offered huge Black Friday sales the day after Thanksgiving. Within the past few years, some stores have begun opening their doors the evening of Thanksgiving, which has been causing some controversy since the employees essentially have to miss out on a holiday with their families.
- While today we consume over 280 million turkeys on Thanksgiving, there’s no specific reason why this bird was chosen as the main dish. Wild turkeys were quite plentiful during the 1600s, but it’s more likely that the original menu included things like venison, waterfowl, corn and barley.
We at National Storage just wanted to take a moment express our gratitude for all our current, past and future tenants this Thanksgiving week. We appreciate your business, and hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends.