Why Is Thanksgiving A National Holiday?

[JimGinPA]

Due in large part to this woman's effort.

https://womenyoushouldknow.net/giving-thanks-sarah-josepha-hale-crusading-thanksgiving-national-holiday/?fbclid=IwAR3hXhPE8wJA8Qt7dVNKKsKmXMh8xjjtdK3zrObxIGMLGZGbvzIM_SAfJMc

Giving Thanks To Sarah Josepha Hale For Crusading To Make Thanksgiving A National Holiday

~snip

A staunch advocate for women’s education and economic independence, Sarah became a pioneering editor and prolific writer who published nearly fifty volumes of work – novels, short stories, cookbooks, poems – throughout her life, one of which included her most famous nursery rhyme, ‘Mary Had A Little Lamb’ (1830). She’s also known as the “Godmother of Thanksgiving” for her tireless campaign to establish the day as a national holiday in America.

~snip

It was Sarah’s reverence for the domestic arts that brings us to how she became known as the “Godmother of Thanksgiving”. Thanksgiving had been celebrated in the U.S. since the 1600s, but not in all States and with no set date. Sarah set out to change this. So in her first year running Godey’s Lady’s Book, Sarah wrote the first of her Thanksgiving editorials, “praising the holiday for its domestic and moral influence.”

“…might, without inconvenience, be observed on the same day of November, say the last Thursday in the month, throughout all New England; and also in our sister states, who have engrafted it upon their social system. It would then have a national character, which would, eventually, induce all the states to join in the commemoration of ‘Ingathering,’ which it celebrates. It is a festival which will never become obsolete, for it cherishes the best affections of the heart – the social and domestic ties. It calls together the dispersed members of the family circle, and brings plenty, joy and gladness to the dwellings of the poor and lowly.”

This kicked off her nearly 26-year long, one-woman crusade to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. In addition to using the pages of Godey’s Lady’s Book to campaign, Sarah also wrote letters to any and every politician she could reach, and lobbied no fewer than four U.S. presidents.

Finally, on October 3, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln issued a proclamation making the last Thursday in November Thanksgiving Day.

[YOHABLO]

1. Now they want to make 'Black Friday' a national holiday.

[Boomerproud]

3. Yes. When they squeal about the War on Christmas

why don't they ever mention the obsession with how much is being spent on presents? The rich getting richer and retail workers being worked to death.

[ProfessorGAC]

2. Nice Find

But, my wife and I refer to the day as Thursday.
Not big into the holiday thing.

[LanternWaste]

4. Naming a day one imaginary thing over another imaginary thing is certainly a strong stand to take.

[ProfessorGAC]

5. Yawn!

[Mc Mike]

6. Interesting, thanks Jim. rec, nt

[lastlib]

7. Damn, I thought it was because Arlo had dinner with Alice!.....

Remember Alice? It was a song about Alice. And her restaurant......

[DFW]

8. Because of Kilometres Deboutish, of course.

From my late, great friend, Art Buchwald, in 1952:

This confidential column was leaked to me by a high government official in the Plymouth colony on the condition that I not reveal his name.


One of our most important holidays is Thanksgiving Day, known in France as le Jour de Merci Donnant.

Le Jour de Merci Donnant was first started by a group of Pilgrims (Pèlerins) who fled from l’Angleterre before the McCarran Act to found a colony in the New World (le Nouveau Monde) where they could shoot Indians (les Peaux-Rouges) and eat turkey (dinde) to their hearts’ content.

They landed at a place called Plymouth (now a famous voiture Americaine ) in a wooden sailing ship called the Mayflower (or Fleur de Mai ) in 1620. But while the Pèlerins were killing the dindes, the Peaux-Rouges were killing the Pèlerins, and there were several hard winters ahead for both of them. The only way the Peaux-Rouges helped the Pèlerins was when they taught them to grow corn (mais). The reason they did this was because they liked corn with their Pèlerins.

In 1623, after another harsh year, the Pèlerins’ crops were so good that they decided to have a celebration and give thanks because more mais was raised by the Pèlerins than Pèlerins were killed by Peaux-Rouges.

Every year on the Jour de Merci Donnant, parents tell their children an amusing story about the first celebration.

It concerns a brave capitaine named Miles Standish (known in France as Kilomètres Deboutish) and a young, shy lieutenant named Jean Alden. Both of them were in love with a flower of Plymouth called Priscilla Mullens (no translation). The vieux capitaine said to the jeune lieutenant :

“Go to the damsel Priscilla ( allez tres vite chez Priscilla), the loveliest maiden of Plymouth ( la plus jolie demoiselle de Plymouth). Say that a blunt old captain, a man not of words but of action (un vieux Fanfan la Tulipe), offers his hand and his heart, the hand and heart of a soldier. Not in these words, you know, but this, in short, is my meaning.

“I am a maker of war (je suis un fabricant de la guerre) and not a maker of phrases. You, bred as a scholar (vous, qui êtes pain comme un étudiant), can say it in elegant language, such as you read in your books of the pleadings and wooings of lovers, such as you think best adapted to win the heart of the maiden.”

Although Jean was fit to be tied (convenable à être emballé), friendship prevailed over love and he went to his duty. But instead of using elegant language, he blurted out his mission. Priscilla was muted with amazement and sorrow (rendue muette par l’étonnement et la tristesse).

At length she exclaimed, interrupting the ominous silence: “If the great captain of Plymouth is so very eager to wed me, why does he not come himself and take the trouble to woo me?” (Où est-il, le vieux Kilomètres? Pourquoi ne vient-il pas auprès de moi pour tenter sa chance?)

Jean said that Kilomètres Deboutish was very busy and didn’t have time for those things. He staggered on, telling what a wonderful husband Kilomètres would make. Finally Priscilla arched her eyebrows and said in a tremulous voice, “Why don’t you speak for yourself, Jean?” (Chacun à son goût.)

And so, on the fourth Thursday in November, American families sit down at a large table brimming with tasty dishes and, for the only time during the year, eat better than the French do.

No one can deny that le Jour de Merci Donnant is a grande fête and no matter how well fed American families are, they never forget to give thanks to Kilomètres Deboutish, who made this great day possible.

[Raine]

9. Very interesting ... THANKS

I had never heard about the woman who worked so tirelessly to make Thanksgiving a national holiday.

[DFW]

10. I thought it was because Peppridge Faaam remembahs

Gotta sell all that stuffing mix somehow, after all.

[Cha]

11. So we have Sarah Josepha Hale & Lincoln to

thank.. in 1863 no less!

I like it 'cause it about love, gratitude, and family '

It's weird 'cause I was just thinking about this today.. like "who do we have to thank for this National Holiday?"