除了美國、加拿大，世界上還有埃及、希臘等國家有自己獨特的感恩節，但英國、法國等歐洲國家卻與感恩節絕緣 ，也有學者倡議設立"中華感恩節"，以弘揚傳統文化。
【美國感恩節的由來英文版】
Thanksgiving Day, as celebrated in No rth America, is a time to gather with family and friends to give thanks for the many blessings enjoyed by these nations and their citizens. However, to many people, its meaning is lost.
It has become simply another day fo r huge meals, dinner parties, get-togethers o r reunions. What does Thanksgiving mean to you?
Turkey dinners, cranberries, candied yams, stuffing, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie and family gatherings—these are all commonly associated with most Americans and Canadians yearly celebration of giving thanks—Thanksgiving Day!
In the United States, Thanksgiving is on the fourth Thursday of November.
In Canada, it is the second Monday in October. On this holiday, a Thanksgiving meal is prepared with all the trimmings; families gather together and talk, while others watch a game or a parade filled with pilgrims, Indians and other colonial figures. Some families may even have their own yearly Thanksgiving traditions.
What comes to mind when you think of Thanksgiving? Do you picture a time of thankfulness towards God—o r is it merely one of eating, partying o r watching football?
Sadly, the latter is what Thanksgiving has become to most. They have fo rgotten why the day was established.
Its meaning has slowly deterio rated, and is now almost completely lost under a cloud of media hype, sales pitches, marketing tactics and blitz commercialism.
While many are familiar with the traditional representation of the o riginal Thanksgiving, it is helpful to examine the purpose for which it was first celebrated. By doing this, the days meaning will be firmly established.
【感恩節火雞的由來】
Of all the symbols of thanksgiving, the turkey is most familiar and widespread.
It is considered as the most famous exemplary might be due to its sharp features, bright hues and majestic appearance.
Turkey is a common breed and a native of northern Mexico and the eastern United States.
Now it is being raised in large numbers and some of the commonplace species that are popular are Bronze, Narragansett, White Holland, and Bourbon Red.
Though there is no evidence that Turkey was available to the pilgrims, Massachusetts from where the practice originated, has a legend that it was served in the first Thanksgiving Dinner.
In a book written by the Pilgrim's Governor Bradford, he mentions of wild turkeys while another Pilgrim describes in a letter sent to England how the governor sent 'four men out fowling' who returned with turkeys, ducks and geese for the feast.
Though no accurate reports were found, a tale goes where turkey was their original choice but they could not find it. They cooked crow instead and served the local Indians.
As a part of tradition, turkey remains of central importance in the Thanksgiving menu surrounded by several other delicious dishes.
During the dinners, the family members may also utter a few lines of thanks or chant a special prayer.
首先熟悉一些雞類的`單詞，在英語中被廣為人知的turkey(火雞)，我們為什麼在感恩節吃火雞?因為十月裡的火雞，膘肥體壯，“正是火雞欲上時”。自然成為了人們的首選目標。
火雞曾被哥倫布誤認為是珍珠雞。事實上，早在中世紀就有“印度雞”這種叫法。但是“印度”在這裡指的是阿比西亞，珍珠雞在那裡是野禽。
當哥倫布在墨西哥上岸，並相信自己到達的是印度時，他眼中的火雞就無辜被叫成了“印度雞”。所以後來“印度雞”就成了火雞的第一個正式說法。到了16世紀上半葉，火雞才被歐洲人擺上餐桌。
拿火雞做為感恩節的象徵是再貼切不過了。因為火雞在北美印第安人眼中象徵著男子漢的力量與女人的繁殖能力。
