I learned something interesting today…
If you research the first Thanksgiving, you will find that several states, including Florida, Virginia and Texas, don’t exactly agree with the claim that the first Thanksgiving was held in Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts. Since I’m about to leave for a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner with my own family, I’ll leave any further research up to you. But what I did find interesting is that in 1863, it was President Lincoln who proclaimed the 4th Thursday in November to be a national day of Thanksgiving, hence what Americans still celebrate today. After the Civil War, times were turbulent and Lincoln hoped this national holiday might be a way of bringing the county together. Something to hope for and think about today as we gather to celebrate across the nation.
How does any of this relate to Italy? Well another thing I learned recently is how to say Happy Thanksgiving in Italian. Of course, this being an American holiday, the Italians don’t exactly have a phrase, but several offered the following:
Felice Giorno di Ringraziamento
Happy Day of Thanksgiving
In a way, Italians celebrate Thanksgiving every Sunday as they sit around the table and dine and talk, often for hours at a time, sharing food, telling stories, making new memories, enjoying life, debating issues – often with multiple generations, extended family, friends, and sometimes even strangers. Not a bad idea…Thanksgiving every Sunday…something to think about.
Wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving!
Ciao,
Judy
Blogging In Italy 