Skip to content
Thanksgiving is a holiday steeped in tradition and celebrated for centuries. It has long been associated with gathering around a table with family and friends to share a delicious meal. But do you know the origins of this beloved holiday? Thanksgiving's origins date back hundreds of years and are rooted in the early days of the European colonization of America. Let's take a closer look at the origin of Thanksgiving and explore the first feast that marks its beginning.
The first winter the colonists faced in Plymouth was brutal. During this time, only half of the 60 crew of the Mayflower survived. When spring emerged, the colonists met with a new friend from the Wampanoag tribe who imparted farming skills. Following their first successful harvest, the colonists held a harvest celebration in November 1621 to mark the event. Over three days, the colonists and the Wampanoag feasted on venison, corn, and wildfowl. Notably, honey pumpkin pie, cranberry relish, and Thanksgiving pecan pie were not yet part of the feast. These popular dishes were still yet to be invented due to the lack of sugar during that time. This made me question if colonists raised bees; as it turns out, they did.
European colonists introduced honey bees to North America in the 1620s. They raised bees for honey, beeswax, mead, and pollination. Early colonists used straw skeps before Reverend Lorenzo Langstroth's 1852 invention of the movable frame hive revolutionized beekeeping.
Although this first feast was a show of friendship between the Native Americans and the colonists, the conflict between the occupying Europeans and the local nations devastated the latter. As Europeans colonized the Americas, millions of natives were displaced from their ancestral homes or died in conflicts. Still, the importance of this first feast remains as a celebration of colonists’ success amidst the unfamiliarity of the new land.
By 1863, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday, although it wasn’t declared an official federal holiday until 1941. This introduction to American culture transformed Thanksgiving into a holiday centered around gatherings of loved ones and sharing a meal of turkey, gravy, and cranberry sauce, to name a few staples.
Sadly, this first feast was one of the only shows of friendship between the native tribes and the colonists in the colonies’ early days. As Europeans colonized the Americas, millions of natives were exiled or killed in conflicts. It is important to remember this, as the traditional story of Thanksgiving often leaves out these events.
Our limited edition Cranberry Honey is a Thanksgiving hit!
Early History of Thanksgiving
Days of thanksgiving in early America
Before the Pilgrims celebrated their first Thanksgiving in 1621, Thanksgiving was already a well-established tradition in various parts of the world. These days were set aside to give thanks to God for blessings such as bountiful harvests, safe journeys, and military victories, and in what is now the United States, documented Thanksgiving services date back to the 16th century, conducted by Spanish explorers and French settlers.
One of the earliest recorded Thanksgiving meals took place on September 8, 1565, in St. Augustine, Florida, where Spanish settlers shared a feast with the local Timucua tribe. Similarly, Thanksgiving services were routine in the Commonwealth of Virginia as early as 1607. The Jamestown, Virginia, settlers held a Thanksgiving in 1610 after surviving a harsh winter. Another notable event occurred on December 4, 1619, when 38 English settlers celebrated a Thanksgiving upon landing at Berkeley Hundred in Charles City, Virginia.
These early Thanksgiving celebrations were marked by gratitude and communal meals, setting the stage for the more widely recognized Thanksgiving feast that would come later. The tradition of gathering for a Thanksgiving meal has deep roots in American history, reflecting a long-standing practice of giving thanks for the blessings of the harvest and the community.
The Road to a National Holiday
Sarah Hale’s Campaign for a National Thanksgiving
In the 19th century, one woman’s vision and determination played a pivotal role in transforming Thanksgiving from a regional celebration into a national holiday. Sarah Josepha Hale, the longtime editor of Godey’s Lady’s Book, was a passionate advocate for establishing Thanksgiving as a national day of gratitude and unity.
Hale envisioned Thanksgiving as a patriotic holiday that would unite Americans, transcend regional differences, and foster a sense of national unity. She believed the holiday should be centered around family, domesticity, and rural simplicity, with traditional foods and decorations playing a key role in the celebrations. Through her magazine, Hale promoted the idea of a Thanksgiving feast featuring dishes such as turkey, stuffing, and pumpkin pie, which have since become staples of the modern Thanksgiving meal.
Hale’s campaign for a national Thanksgiving was relentless. She wrote numerous editorials and articles advocating for the holiday and directly appealed to several U.S. presidents. Her efforts finally bore fruit when President Abraham Lincoln, influenced by her persistent advocacy, proclaimed Thanksgiving a national holiday in 1863. Hale’s vision of a unified, grateful nation celebrating a common holiday finally became a reality.
The Establishment of a National Holiday
Lincoln’s Proclamation and the Civil War Era
The establishment of Thanksgiving as a national holiday is closely tied to one of the most tumultuous periods in American history—the Civil War. In 1863, amidst the ongoing conflict, President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation that would forever change how Americans celebrate Thanksgiving.
Drafted by Secretary of State William H. Seward, Lincoln’s proclamation recommended that the last Thursday of November be observed as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise. Signed on October 3, 1863, the proclamation was a call for unity and reflection during a time of great division and strife. By designating a national day of thanks, Lincoln aimed to unite the country, encouraging Americans to pause and give thanks for their blessings despite the hardships of war.
Lincoln’s proclamation marked the beginning of Thanksgiving as a national holiday, a tradition that has endured and evolved over the years. Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, a time for families to gather, share a Thanksgiving meal, and express gratitude for the blessings in their lives. The national Thanksgiving holiday serves as a reminder of the enduring spirit of unity and gratitude that Lincoln sought to foster during one of the darkest chapters in American history.
The modern Thanksgiving holiday
It wasn’t until the Civil War that Thanksgiving was established as a national holiday in the United States. President Lincoln established the Day of Thanks in 1863 to memorialize those lost in the war. From this, the holiday became a day of feasting and celebrating family. Today, we gather around tables filled with food and spend time with family to show gratitude for everything we have. The modern Thanksgiving holiday, shaped significantly in the 19th century by figures like Sarah Josepha Hale, emphasizes unity, piety, and patriotism.
Thanksgiving is a holiday that has gone through many changes throughout the decades. A tradition born of hardship and gratitude for the harvest has become a day centered on sharing meals and creating fond memories with loved ones. Today, Thanksgiving remains one of the most celebrated holidays in the United States, thanks to the first feast that started it all. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, held annually since 1924, has become a significant cultural event, featuring elaborate floats, giant balloons, and performances that attract millions of spectators and a national television audience. As we gather, share meals, and create memories with our friends and family this Thanksgiving, let’s take a moment to reflect on the origins of the holiday and express gratitude and respect for all the individuals who made the first feast possible.
