November 27 — Thanksgiving Day in the USA: main events, traditional dishes

Thanksgiving is one of the main family holidays in the United States of America. It is celebrated annually at the end of autumn. Traditionally, large-scale parades and charity events are held in the country's cities, and the president holds a turkey pardon ceremony. In 2025, the celebration falls on November 27. Izvestia tells about the history and traditions of Thanksgiving and how Americans celebrate it.

Thanksgiving Day on November 27 — what kind of holiday is it?

Thanksgiving Day is a federal holiday in the United States. It is celebrated every fourth Thursday in November. Initially, it was an expression of gratitude to God for a bountiful harvest, but today it has turned into a secular event.

This is an extremely important celebration for Americans. In terms of importance, it is often compared to Christmas. Many people strive to spend it with their family and loved ones. Therefore, the pre-holidays are becoming the busiest for air transportation. In addition, the number of road travelers will increase dramatically.

Thanksgiving is also celebrated in Canada, but two months earlier. There it falls on the second Monday of October (October 13 in 2025). This is due to the weather and the earlier start of the harvest season. In other countries, Thanksgiving is not celebrated, although they know about it from American films.

The History of Thanksgiving

The history of the holiday dates back to the beginning of the 17th century, the era of the development of America. In 1620, a group of English Puritan settlers, known as the Pilgrim Fathers, arrived on the shores of the continent on the ship Mayflower. Having survived the harsh winter and hardships, half of the colonists died. The survivors founded the Plymouth Colony on Novaya Zemlya.

With the help of the Indians, the settlers learned how to grow pumpkins, barley, beans, maize (corn), cultivate the land and fish. This knowledge helped them to harvest a rich harvest next fall. The first governor of the colony, William Bradford, organized a three-day feast on this occasion. The Indians who helped the settlers survive were invited to it. This event in the autumn of 1621 is considered to be the first Thanksgiving Day.

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The official status of the holiday was acquired many years later. In 1789, the first President of the United States, George Washington, declared November 26 a national Thanksgiving Day. However, the date has changed more than once in the future. It was finally established by the US Congress in 1941 to legally celebrate the holiday on the fourth Thursday of November.

Thanksgiving Day traditions in the USA

The traditions of the holiday have remained unchanged for decades and are strictly observed in most American families. A family dinner becomes the center of the celebration, bringing together the closest people at the table. Before the meal, each of those present says words of gratitude for all the good things that happened in the past year, and only after that they start eating.

Another important tradition is the "Turkey Pardon" ceremony. It is held annually by the President of the United States. One of the turkeys specially raised for the holiday is given an official "pardon", and she avoids becoming the main dish on the table. The bird goes to live out its life on the farm.

Costume parades with giant inflatable figures of cartoon and comic book characters are held in different states on this day. The most famous of them is the Macy's parade in New York. In 2025, as in previous years, it will start at 8:30 a.m. local time (16:30 Moscow time). His route starts from Central Park and runs through Manhattan. Major parades are held in Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit and other cities.

Many Americans also dedicate the day to charity. They help cook and distribute free lunches for the homeless, donate food and money to charities.

The day after Thanksgiving, Black Friday starts, which marks the beginning of Christmas shopping. On this day, stores across the country offer significant discounts, causing unprecedented excitement among customers.

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What they cook for Thanksgiving

The menu of the festive table consists of dishes that, according to legend, were served at that very first feast in 1621. Among them:

• baked turkey. This is the main symbol and an invariable attribute of the holiday. The bird is usually stuffed with bread, onions, celery and herbs, and then baked in the oven until golden brown.;

• cranberry sauce. Its sweet and sour taste perfectly complements poultry meat. Sometimes it contains orange peel or cinnamon.;

• mashed potatoes. It is served as a side dish, often with a thick sauce (grevi), which is made from the juice released during the roasting of the turkey.;

• sweet potato (sweet potato). A classic item on the Americans' Thanksgiving Day menu, served as a side dish to turkey;

• pumpkin pie. A dessert that no festive dinner can do without. It is often decorated with whipped cream or ice cream.

In addition to these dishes, vegetable casseroles, such as green beans or corn, and apple cider are often present on the table.

Earlier, Izvestia reported that before Black Friday, stores began purchasing electronics, plumbing and spare parts.

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