With Halloween behind us, it’s finally time to start one of the most anticipated times of the year. The Thanksgiving holiday kicks off a season filled with food, festivities, family and fun. We are all aware that the Pilgrims and Indians were involved in the very first Thanksgiving, but here are some fun facts that you may not know about
The first Thanksgiving was held in Plymouth. After a disastrous first winter in the New World, when nearly half of the settlers died, the Pilgrims were celebrating abundance, health and a successful harvest. The dinner was modeled after a traditional English feast, but offered different kinds of food. The Indians, who had been instrumental in teaching the settlers how to farm, brought 5 deer, turkey and waterfowl. The settlers would have provided the food they had grown – corn, wheat and barley – as well as some of the local foods, including oysters and lobster.
After the inaugural celebration, the pilgrims and Indians never actually celebrated the feast again, at least not officially. It was not instituted as a national holiday until Abraham Lincoln did so in 1863; in 1939, Franklin Roosevelt established the fourth Thursday of November as the annual holiday.
While Americans watch football and march in parades, the meal remains the main event of Thanksgiving. Holiday tables are lovingly set and arranged with all the bounty of the season – and if you are looking for an amazing seasonal centerpiece, Billy Heroman’s can provide the perfect arrangement!
Just as the original settlers wished to celebrate their blessings, people across America still declare their gratitude for all things good. Thanksgiving is the perfect way to kick off this season of family gatherings and special get togethers. For all your fall decorating needs, Billy Heroman’s is your go-to florist – orange lilies, yellow roses, cheery sunflowers, cattails and sheaves of wheat all combine for the most memorable bouquets you have ever seen – come in today to create your Thanksgiving centerpiece just in time for dinner!
