THE THANKSGIVING STORY

Most stories of Thanksgiving history start with the harvest celebration of the pilgrims and the indians that took place in the autumn of 1621. Although they did have a three-day feast in celebration of a good harvest, and the local indians did participate, this "first Thanksgiving" was not a holiday, simply a gathering. There is little evidence that this feast of thanks led directly to our modern Thanksgiving Day holiday. Thanksgiving can, however, be traced back to 1863 when Pres. Lincoln became the first president to proclaim Thanksgiving Day. The holiday has been a fixture of late November ever since.

The Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock on December 11, 1620. Their first winter was devastating. At the beginning of the following fall, they had lost 46 of the original 102 who sailed on the Mayflower. But the harvest of 1621 was a bountiful one. And the remaining colonists decided to celebrate with a feast -- including 91 Indians who had helped the Pilgrims survive their first year. It is believed that the Pilgrims would not have made it through the year without the help of the natives. The feast was more of a traditional English harvest festival than a true "thanksgiving" observance. It lasted three days.

Governor William Bradford sent "four men fowling" after wild ducks and geese. It is not certain that wild turkey was part of their feast. However, it is certain that they had venison. The term "turkey" was used by the Pilgrims to mean any sort of wild fowl.

Another modern staple at almost every Thanksgiving table is pumpkin pie. However, it is unlikely that the first feast included that treat. The supply of flour had been long diminished, so there was no bread or pastries of any kind. However, they did eat boiled pumpkin, and they produced a type of fried bread from their corn crop. There was also no milk, cider, potatoes, or butter. There was no domestic cattle for dairy products, and the newly-discovered potato was still considered by many Europeans to be poisonous. But the feast did include fish, berries, watercress, lobster, dried fruit, clams, venison, and plums.

Nowadays, Thanksgiving is a holiday all over USA. This year, more 272 million turkeys will be eaten, along with stuffing, pumpking pie, green beans, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, and more. Each Thanksgiving there are football games and parade of hot-air ballons sponsored by Macy's, a department store. The day after Thanksgiving is the busiest shopping day of the year.

READING COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS:
1.- When was the first Thanksgiving celebrated?

2.- Why did the Pilgrims and Indians have a feast?

3.- What foods did the first feast include?

4.- Is Thanksgiving a religious holiday?

5.- Why were there no potatoes at the feast?

6.- What do you think is the most important part of Thanksgiving?

7.- What is your opinion of modern-day Thanksgiving?

HISTORY AND CUSTOMS OF HALLOWEEN

Halloween is an annual celebration, but just what is it actually a celebration of? And how did this peculiar custom originate? Is it, as some claim, a kind of demon worship? Or is it just a harmless vestige of some ancient pagan ritual?

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