Thanksgiving or Día de Acción de Gracias is a national holiday celebrated in the United States and Canada. It falls on the fourth Thursday of November. On this day, family and friends get together for the Thanksgiving meal, which includes turkey (pavo), cranberry sauce (salsa de arándanos), stuffing (relleno), potatoes (patatas) and pumpkin pie (pastel de calabaza).
Why do people celebrate Thanksgiving?
Thanksgiving has its origins in the 16th century, when a group of colonists from England, known as the Pilgrim Fathers (Padres perigrinos) first landed in Plymouth Rock. The colonists shared a harvest feast with the Wampanoag Indians, who contributed with their knowledge of the surrounding environment. The Indians also contributed venison (carne de venado) and supposedly shellfish (mariscos), stews (guisos), vegetables (verduras) and beer (cerveza).
When did it become an official holiday?
In 1863, president Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving as a national holiday (fiesta nacional). This happened after Sarah Josepha Hale, the editor of a popular magazine, campaigned for a day of national unity after the horrors of the American Civil War. This year, Thanksgiving will take place on Thursday 22nd November.
What do people eat on Thanksgiving?
Below are some of the most popular dishes eaten on Thanksgiving:
Main course and side dishes plato principal y acompañamientos
Turkey = pavo
Sweet potatoes =guarnición de patatas
Green bean casserole = judías verdes
Yams = boniatos
Stuffing = relleno de pavo
Cranberry sauce (usually eaten with the turkey) = salsa de arándanos
Desserts postres
Sweet potato pie = tarta de batata
Pumpkin pie = pastel de calabaza
Apple pie = tarta de manzana
Pecan pie = pastel de pacanas
Beverages bebidas
Apple cider = sidra de manzana
Wine = vino
Cerveza = beer
Sweet tea (in the Southern United States) = = té dulce
What is Black Friday?
Black Friday, (literally viernes negro) takes place on the day after Thanksgiving. It is seen as the first day of the Christmas shopping season. On Black Friday, retailers offer huge discounts (descuentos) on many of their products as a way of encouraging buyers to start their Christmas shopping early. The tradition has spread to the UK and many other European countries. A recent addition to the festivities is Cyber Monday. A term that refers to the Monday after Thanksgiving, Cyber Monday allows smaller online retailers to compete with the larger chains, who are traditionally make more sales than them on Black Friday.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Spanish to English translation services.
Thanksgiving