每逢感恩節這一天，散居在他鄉外地的家人也會回家過節，一家人團團圍坐在一起，大嚼美味火雞，並且對家人說：“謝謝!”。感恩節後，學校會讓同學們畫一張感恩節的畫，大部分學生都畫的是火雞。
【感恩節來源英文】
Thanksgiving Day in America is a time to offer thanks, of family gatherings and holiday meals.
A time of turkeys, stuffing, and pumpkin pie. A time for Indian corn, holidayparades and giant balloons.
在美國，感恩節是一個感謝恩賜，家庭團聚，閤家歡宴的日子;是一個家家餐桌上都有火雞、填料、南瓜餡餅的日子;是一個充滿了印第安玉米、假日遊行和巨型氣球的日子。
The Pilgrims who sailed tothis country aboard the Mayflower were originally members of the EnglishSeparatist Church (a Puritan sect).
They had earlier fled their home in England and sailed to Holland (The Netherlands) to escape religiouspersecution.
There, they enjoyed more religious tolerance, but they eventuallybecame disenchanted with the Dutch way of life, thinking it ungodly.
Seeking abetter life, the Separatists negotiated with a London stock company to financea pilgrimage to America.
Most of those making the trip aboard the Mayflowerwere non-Separatists, but were hired to protect the company's interests. Onlyabout one-third of the original colonists were Separatists.
乘 “五月花”來到這個國度的旅行者(朝聖者)原本是英國分離者地下清教徒，他們的家在英國，因不堪忍受國內的宗教迫害，他們逃亡到荷蘭。
在荷蘭，他們享受了更多的宗教信仰自由，但最終卻意識到在荷蘭的這種生活方式是對他們的主的褻瀆。為了尋求更好的生活，他們與倫敦貿易公司協商，由該公司資助他們到美國。
在這趟旅途中，船上只有大約1/3的`乘客是清教徒，其他大多數人並非分離派清教徒，而是公司僱傭來保護其利益的人員(契約奴)。
The Pilgrims set ground at Plymouth Rock onDecember 11, 1620. Their first winter was devastating.
At the beginning of thefollowing fall, they had lost 46 of the original 102 who sailed on theMayflower. But the harvest of 1621 was a bountiful one.
And the remainingcolonists decided to celebrate with a feast ——including 91 Indians who had helped the Pilgrims survive their first year.
Itis believed that the Pilgrims would not have made it through the year withoutthe help of the natives.
The feast was more of a traditional English harvestfestival than a true “thanksgiving” observance. It lasted three days.
1620年 12月11日，旅行者們在“普利茅斯石”登陸。他們的第一個冬季是災難性的，第二年秋天來臨時，原來的102名乘客只剩下56人。
但1621年他們獲得了大豐收，這些倖存的殖民者們決定和幫助他們度過困難的91名印第安人一起饗宴慶祝。
他們相信，若沒有當地居民的幫助，他們是不可能度過這一年的。這次節日的盛宴不僅僅是一個“感恩”儀式，它更像英國傳統的豐收慶典。慶典持續了三天。
Governor William Bradford sent “four men fowling” after wild ducks andgeese.
It is not certain that wild turkey was part of their feast. However, itis certain that they had venison.
The term “turkey” was used by the Pilgrims to mean any sort of wild fowl.
總督佈雷德福派了“四人捕鳥隊”去捕捉野鴨和野鵝。我們現在並不能確定是否有野生火雞在當時的筵席上，但筵席上肯定有鹿肉。當時，朝聖者用“火雞”一詞來代表各種野禽。
Another modern staple at almost every Thanksgivingtable is pumpkin pie. But it is unlikely that the first feast included thattreat. The supply of flour had been long diminished, so there was no bread orpastries of any kind.
However, they did eat boiled pumpkin, and they produced atype of fried bread from their corn crop. There was also no milk, cider,potatoes, or butter.
There was no domestic cattle for dairy products, and thenewly-discovered potato was still considered by many Europeans to be the feast did include fish, berries, watercress, lobster, dried fruit,clams, venison, and plums.
現在，幾乎每家感恩節餐桌上都有南瓜餡餅――感恩節的另一種主食。但在當年的第一次慶典上卻不可能有這種食品。因為麵粉奇缺，所以麵包、餡餅、糕點等食物都沒有。
但他們卻吃了煮南瓜，並用收穫的玉米制成了一種油炸麵包。也沒有牛奶、蘋果酒、土豆和黃油。
沒有馴養的奶牛，自然沒有牛奶;而新發現的土豆被很多歐洲人認為是有毒的。第一次慶典上有魚、草莓、豆瓣菜、龍蝦、乾果、蛤、鹿肉、李子等。
This “thanksgiving” feast was not repeated the following year. But in 1623, during asevere drought, the pilgrims gathered in a prayer service, praying for rain.
When a long, steady rain followed the very next day, Governor Bradfordproclaimed another day of Thanksgiving, again inviting their Indian friends. Itwasn't until June of 1676 that another Day of Thanksgiving was proclaimed.
緊接著的第二年(1622)卻沒有舉行“感恩”慶典。到了1623年，發生了一場嚴重的旱災，朝聖者們聚集到一起，舉行了虔誠的祁雨儀式，剛好在第二天，一場充沛的大雨從天而降。威廉佈雷德福總督宣佈再次慶祝感恩節，並再次邀請了他們的印第安朋友。
之後數年無感恩節，直到1676年6月，感恩節才再次被提出。
【感恩節英文祝福語】
1. Though we are not with you but we miss you all on this Thanksgiving Day.
雖然感恩節你不能和我們在一起，但是我們會想念你的。
2. Love you all this Thanksgiving Day.
感恩節裡更加愛你。
3. Thanksgiving wishes for you and your family.
給你們全家感恩節的祝福。
4. May your life be blessed with joy, love and miracles.
希望你的生活裡充滿了歡樂、關愛和奇蹟。
5. Thanksgiving just won't be the same without you.
沒有你感恩節就不會一樣了。
6. God bless you and your family at Thanksgiving and always!
上帝會保佑你和你的家人。
7. I wish you could be here on Thanksgiving.
但願你能來陪我過感恩節。
8. A card can say more than a thousand words. Happy Thanksgiving day!
千言萬語敵不過卡片的祝福。
9. It will be sad not to see you during the holiday when families get together.
沒有你的節日我會感到難過。
10. Have a full Thanksgiving day!
感恩節快樂!好好吃一頓吧。
11. Thanksgiving is a great time to tell you that we love you kids.
感恩節要說我們都愛你們。
12. Joy and fun, wish fulfillment and blessing, come to your home this Thanksgiving!
感恩節裡盡情享受快樂吧。
13. I wouldn't want to spend Thanksgiving with anyone else.
我只願和你共度感恩節。
14. Have a mid-full Thanksgiving!
感恩節請不要暴飲暴食。
15. What a wonderful time to be together.
在一起的時光多麼快樂。
