6 Things Every Visitor to the USA Should Know About Thanksgiving

People in the United States gather with family and loved ones around tables filled with food and drink to celebrate Thanksgiving every fourth Thursday in November.

The Thanksgiving holiday is a time to give thanks and spend time with family and friends, and it is rich in traditions. Holiday décor brightens homes and dining tables with pictures of autumn leaves, cornucopias, and turkeys adorning festive napkins, bowls, and centerpieces. To fit extended families, extra chairs are brought up from the basement. As families who may not see each other always reunite for the day, there is a sense of happiness and joy in the air. They eat a large meal, then watch football and parades before eating some more. Thanksgiving is one of the most commonly observed secular holidays in the United States. As people come from near and far to be with their families, schools, banks, government offices, and most businesses close for the day. Here are six things you should know about this famous American holiday.

It’s an Almost 400-Year-Old Tradition

It is believed that the holiday began in 1621 near what is now Cape Cod, Massachusetts. Pilgrims, English colonists, are said to have invited Wampanoag Indians to a meal to celebrate their first harvest, which they had cultivated with the Indians' assistance. Despite the fact that the narrative is widely accepted, some historians doubt the exact version of events. Food-centered customs and celebrations were not always the norm. The holiday did not become an official national holiday until 1863, when U.S. President Abraham Lincoln declared November 22nd to be National Thanksgiving Day.

People Eat Large Amounts of Turkey and Pie

Families gather in comfortable surroundings as dinnertime arrives, often in a dining room illuminated by candles and painted in the season's colors of red, gold, orange, and brown. A roasted turkey is traditionally the highlight of Thanksgiving dinner. The turkey is usually eaten with sweet potatoes or yams, as well as stuffing, which is a combination of bread cubes, onions, celery, and herbs stuffed into the turkey as it roasts. Foods like cranberries, which are abundant in Massachusetts and have historical significance, are also popular.

Families can also serve dishes that represent their ethnic origins, such as couscous, pasta, or curries, thanks to the United States' rich cultural diversity. Many people serve beer and wine, and some even make holiday-themed cocktails.

Dessert is without a doubt the highlight of Thanksgiving dinner. Many meals conclude with slices of apple or pumpkin pie filled with whipped cream or ice cream.

Families can want to get together and eat at a restaurant. Thanksgiving Day menus are often created at national chains like Cracker Barrel and in larger cities throughout the United States. As a result, visitors and locals alike will enjoy turkey and pie without the hassle of cooking at home. For many families, this is a common choice. Reservations may be made directly with the restaurant or by Open Table.

People Also Do More Than Eat

Many people get up early on Thanksgiving morning to participate in turkey trots, which are local races held for charity. Others attend or watch a Thanksgiving parade on television. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City is the largest and most popular.

On Thanksgiving, football is as much a part of the celebration as the meal. Many families spend hours in person or on television watching NFL (National Football League), college, and even high school football games. NFL teams in Dallas, Texas, and Detroit, Michigan, have traditionally hosted games.

The President Pardons a Turkey

In the United States, Thanksgiving is a sad time for turkeys. The president of the United States pardoning one turkey is one of the country's funnier rituals. The life of the lucky bird is saved, and it lives out its days at Mount Vernon, Virginia, the former estate of the nation's first president, George Washington.

People Shop 'Til They Drop

The day after Thanksgiving is known as Black Friday in the United States, and it is a distinct form of holiday for many people. Stores all over the country have extended hours and are running special sales and discounts. People participate in a holiday shopping spree. Since Black Friday sales have become so well-known, many stores open much earlier than normal. Some companies don't even wait until Friday to start selling. On Thanksgiving evening, they open their doors. Dedicated shoppers have been known to queue up hours before stores open to take advantage of deep discounts.

Thanksgiving Travel Can Be Tricky

On Thanksgiving, millions of people fly around the country to see their families. Thanksgiving Day, the day before, and the day after are among the busiest travel days in the United States. Travel delays on planes and trains are normal, and road traffic is often congested. Though plane tickets on the days leading up to Thanksgiving can be more expensive, traveling on Thanksgiving itself can be less costly and less crowded.

Related: Thanksgiving Day in the United States