The feast consisted of maze, corn, pumpkins, corn bread, squash, and types of fowl, deer, fish and more. It also included many wild turkeys. This was all spread out on a long table where Captain Miles Standish sat at one end and Chief Massasoit sat at the other. The Indian women gathered around the table with the others while the Pilgrim women stood behind the men waiting for them to finish before they would sit. This would be the first time the Indian people sat at a table instead of upon furs placed on the ground. It was truly a joyous time and definitely one to give thanks. It looked like this would become a grand friendship.

Unfortunately, the second harvest was not as bountiful as the first and the Pilgrims had given some of their shared food to newcomers. The newcomers did not feel the need to befriend the Native Americans and mistrust came shortly after. Without the great friendship, there became a shortage in the Pilgrim’s food supply. The third harvest was even worse. The crops dried out in the fields due to the intense heat of the summer season. The governor at the time, William Bradford, demanded a day of fasting and prayer among the colony. Not long after this day the rain finally came. Once again, the Pilgrims decided to have Thanksgiving. They celebrated on November 29th. Some look at this as being the actual first Thanksgiving.

In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared Thanksgiving to be the fourth Thursday of November. Congress approved this holiday in 1941.

Today, we celebrate by gathering family and friends around a table filled with all sorts of goodness from food to friendship to all that we are thankful for. We prepare turkey, corn, bread and other items just as the Pilgrims did back in 1621. We take the time to play games, or at least watch them from our living rooms. It may not last 3 days, and women may not wait to eat until the men are through, but the general concept is still alive. We celebrate Thanksgiving to give thanks.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!