The first Thanksgiving was celebrated by pilgrims in the fall of 1621. They celebrated by firing guns and cannons in Plymouth, Massachusetts and they had a huge feast to celebrate the first harvest. At the first Thanksgiving they served clams, lobster, berries, pumpkins, and squash. In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln made Thanksgiving an official holiday and then on December 26th, 1941, President Roosevelt signed the resolution establishing the fourth Thursday in November as a federal Thanksgiving holiday.

Today, America is a very diverse country and each group of people celebrates in their own way. Many Americans celebrate Thanksgiving by eating roast turkey, stuffing, potatoes, vegetables, cranberry sauce, and gravy. Many people have pumpkin or apple pie for desert.

My family is from Mexico, and I want to share with you how we celebrate Thanksgiving. Sometimes we call Thanksgiving “Dia de Accion de Gracia” or “Dia de Dar Gracias”. For many Mexicans, Thanksgiving is a day where we thank God and spend time with our loved ones. Some Mexicans celebrate Thanksgiving by eating turkey and pies, but most of us prefer more traditional Mexican food such as pozole, tacos, tamales, and corn. We usually drink  champurrado or atole de elote. Usually we each bring a dish to share with everyone and show off our cooking skills. We also love shopping together on Black Friday!

No matter what culture you come from, Thanksgiving is a day to hang out with your family and loved ones and celebrate all the things in life you are thankful for….and eat good food!