Throughout history mankind has celebrated the bountiful
harvest with thanksgiving ceremonies.
Before the establishment of formal religions many ancient
farmers believed that their crops contained spirits which caused the crops to
grow and die. Many believed that these spirits would be released when the crops
were harvested and they had to be destroyed or they would take revenge on the
farmers who harvested them. Some of the harvest festivals celebrated the defeat
of these spirits.
Harvest festivals and thanksgiving celebrations were held by
the ancient Greeks, the Romans, the Hebrews, the Chinese, and the Egyptians.
The Greeks
The ancient Greeks worshipped many gods and goddesses. Their
goddess of grains was Demeter who was honored at the
festival of Thesmosphoriaheld each autumn.
On the first day of the festival married women (possibility
connecting childbearing and the raising of crops) would build leafy shelters
and furnish them with couches made with plants. On the second day they fasted.
On the third day a feast was held and offerings to the goddess Demeter were
made - gifts of seed corn, cakes, fruit, and pigs. It was hoped that Demeter's
gratitude would grant them a good harvest.
The Romans
The Romans also celebrated a harvest festival called Cerelia,
which honoredCeres their goddess of grains (from which the
word cereal comes). The festival was held each year on October 4th and
offerings of the first fruits of the harvest and pigs were offered to Ceres.
Their celebration included music, parades, games and sports and a thanksgiving
feast.
The Chinese
The ancient Chinese celebrated their harvest festival, Chung
Ch'ui, with the full moon that fell on the 15th day of the 8th month.
This day was considered the birthday of the moon and special "moon
cakes", round and yellow like the moon, would be baked. Each cake was
stamped with the picture of a rabbit - as it was a rabbit, not a man, which the
Chinese saw on the face of the moon.
The families ate a thanksgiving meal and feasted on roasted
pig, harvested fruits and the "moon cakes". It was believed that
during the 3 day festival flowers would fall from the moon and those who saw
them would be rewarded with good fortune.
According to legend Chung Ch'ui also gave thanks for another
special occasion. China had been conquered by enemy armies who took control of
the Chinese homes and food. The Chinese found themselves homeless and with no
food. Many staved. In order to free themselves they decided to attack the
invaders.
The women baked special moon cakes which were distributed to
every family. In each cake was a secret message which contained the time for
the attack. When the time came the invaders were surprised and easily defeated.
Every year moon cakes are eaten in memory of this victory.
The Hebrews
Jewish families also celebrate a harvest festival called Sukkoth.
Taking place each autumn, Sukkoth has been celebrated for over 3000 years.
Sukkoth is know by 2 names - Hag ha Succot -
the Feast of the Tabernacles and Hag ha Asif - the
Feast of Ingathering. Sukkoth begins
on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Tishri, 5 days after Yom Kippur the
most solemn day of the Jewish year.
Sukkoth is named for the huts (succots) that Moses and the
Israelites lived in as they wandered the desert for 40 years before they
reached the Promised Land. These huts were made of branches and were easy to
assemble, take apart, and carry as the Israelites wandered through the desert.
When celebrating Sukkoth, which lasts for 8 days, the Jewish
people build small huts of branches which recall the tabernacles of their
ancestors. These huts are constructed as temporary shelters, as the branches
are not driven into the ground and the roof is covered with foliage which is
spaced to let the light in. Inside the huts are hung fruits and vegetables,
including apples, grapes, corn, and pomegranates. On the first 2 nights of
Sukkoth the families eat their meals in the huts under the evening sky.
The Egyptians
The ancient Egyptians celebrated their harvest festival in
honor of Min, their god of vegetation and fertility. The
festival was held in the springtime, the Egyptian's harvest season.
The festival of Min featured a parade in which the Pharaoh
took part. After the parade a great feast was held. Music, dancing, and sports
were also part of the celebration.
When the Egyptian farmers harvested their corn, they wept
and pretended to be grief-stricken. This was to deceive the spirit which they
believed lived in the corn. They feared the spirit would become angry when the
farmers cut down the corn where it lived.
The United States
In 1621, after a hard and devastating first year in the New
World the Pilgrim's fall harvest was very successful and plentiful. There was
corn, fruits, vegetables, along with fish which was packed in salt, and meat
that was smoke cured over fires. They found they had enough food to put away
for the winter.
The Pilgrims had beaten the odds. They built homes in the
wilderness, they raised enough crops to keep them alive during the long coming
winter, and they were at peace with their Indian neighbors. Their Governor,
William Bradford, proclaimed a day of thanksgiving that was to be shared by all
the colonists and the neighboring Native American Indians.
The custom of an annually celebrated thanksgiving, held
after the harvest, continued through the years. During the American Revolution
(late 1770's) a day of national thanksgiving was suggested by the Continental
Congress.
In 1817 New York State adopted Thanksgiving Day as an annual
custom. By the middle of the 19th century many other states also celebrated a
Thanksgiving Day. In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln appointed a national day of
thanksgiving. Since then each president has issued a Thanksgiving Day
proclamation, usually designating the fourth Thursday of each November as the
holiday.
Canada
Thanksgiving
in Canada is celebrated on the second Monday in October.
Observance of the day began in 1879.
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