We thought we’d go America-themed today in honour of the annual day in the calendar when the USA shuts up shop and spends an inordinately lengthy time around the dinner table tackling huge hunks of turkey.
It’s a day looked upon fondly for most busy Americans as it means going home to spend quality time with family and friends. But you might not know that beyond the turkey with copious trimmings, Thanksgiving has its roots in Plymouth in Massachusetts. For woolly legend has it that in the early fall of 1621 the very first Thanksgiving was held in this little spot of New England, when Pilgrims celebrated a good harvest by inviting the native Wampanoag Indians to a good old knees up.
Plymouth is still renowned for its colonial history and the sense of unification and harmony symbolised in that first Thanksgiving feast. As one of America’s first settlements and coined ‘America’s Hometown’, tourists make a beeline to the town on Thanksgiving holidays to visit Plymouth Rock, the site where the Pilgrims – the passengers of the famous ship the Mayflower - jumped off ship and set up home in the spot that would ultimately lead to a day synonymous with turkey, pumpkin pie and American football.
Further south and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade is the event to head to in New York today. Marking the start of the festive season, this is the day when New York goes a bit bonkers and parties like it’s 1999, with a frenzy of colour-clashing floats, marching bands and enormous inflatable Big Birds taking over the streets. Now in its 85th year, take a look at the parade through the ages.
So to anyone from across the Pond today, happy Thanksgiving! To anyone else, why not get into the spirit with a traditional Thanksgiving recipe. Or spend this all-American day getting inspired to see the big old USA for yourself.
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