Traditional Thanksgiving blessings

Many of us understand the meaning of Thanksgiving and where it came from, the original pilgrims eating with the native Americans. The 1612 Harvest Feast shared by English colonists (Pilgrims) and the Wampanoag People (native Americans) was how Thanksgiving started. The American holiday is rich in legend and symbolism, and the traditional Thanksgiving meal typically includes turkey, bread stuffing, potatoes, cranberries and pumpkin pie.

It is not clearly known if they were eating turkey or other type of fowl, since it was more prevalent to kill what you ate that day so, it could have been ducks or geese. Approximately 90 or some Native Americans arrived and brought venison and other food, which could have also included fish, eels, shellfish, stews, vegetables and beer. Since Plymouth had few buildings or manufactured goods, most people ate outside while sitting on the ground or on barrels with plates on their laps. The men fired guns, ran races, drank liquor, struggling to speak in broken English and Wampanoag.

When we think of Thanksgiving, we think of a feast around the table, lots of good food and entertainment. We don't have to go out and hunt for our own food, we have the option of going right down the road to the grocery store and buying anything we choose. We also don't sit outside, in the cold around a barrel. We don't have near the sacrifices they made hundreds of years ago.

Today, we are free to hop in our car, drive to the grocery store or restaurant. While you are enjoying your Thanksgiving meal in your warm home, with the choices you have made for dinner, don't forget to be thankful for what the founders of this country endured. They lived in tough conditions so today, we could all have a blessed Thanksgiving meal with family and friends.

Happy Thanksgiving 2022 from the Lewis County News.