Spring Break
Remember true concept of holiday
J.L. Bailey
Issue date: 11/20/07 Section: Opinion
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J.L Bailey is an unclassified graduate student. He can be contacted at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.
In two days, we celebrate Thanksgiving. This day unites families as homes are decorated with harvest themes and stoves are running overtime preparing for Thursday's traditional meal.
Such food as turkey, cranberries, candied yams, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie are associated with this special holiday. On this holiday, many families prepare a Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings, and catch up on family news while others watch a football game or a parade filled with pilgrims, Native Americans and large Disney character balloons.
What is Thanksgiving Day all about? Do we view it as a time to offer gratitude and thanks, or is it merely a day of eating, partying or watching sports?
The origins of Thanksgiving are often forgotten amid constant bombardments of commercialism, sales pitches and media hype.
Can you imagine the multitude of difficulties faced by those who came from England to establish our first colonies?
In August 1620, the Mayflower, a 180-ton ship, set sail from Southampton, England. After difficulties with the vessel resulting in her return to port, finally the voyage began. Her 103 passengers were to become some of the founding pilgrims of the United States.
After weeks of plowing through the tumultuous Atlantic waters, battling strong winds, pounding waves and a number of problems with their vessel, the pilgrims spotted Cape Cod, off the coast of Massachusetts. The stormy weather caused their ship to veer off course and arrived there by accident. Their intended location was off the Virginia coast, where other pilgrims had begun colonies.
They encountered a severe and trying winter. Of the original 103 pilgrims, only 56 survived the first, long, bleak New England winter.
The approaching spring offered new hope. The survivors built homes and planted crops. After reaping their first harvest in the fall of 1621, the pilgrims dedicated a day for thanking God for the bounty they had received.
In two days, we celebrate Thanksgiving. This day unites families as homes are decorated with harvest themes and stoves are running overtime preparing for Thursday's traditional meal.
Such food as turkey, cranberries, candied yams, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie are associated with this special holiday. On this holiday, many families prepare a Thanksgiving meal with all the trimmings, and catch up on family news while others watch a football game or a parade filled with pilgrims, Native Americans and large Disney character balloons.
What is Thanksgiving Day all about? Do we view it as a time to offer gratitude and thanks, or is it merely a day of eating, partying or watching sports?
The origins of Thanksgiving are often forgotten amid constant bombardments of commercialism, sales pitches and media hype.
Can you imagine the multitude of difficulties faced by those who came from England to establish our first colonies?
In August 1620, the Mayflower, a 180-ton ship, set sail from Southampton, England. After difficulties with the vessel resulting in her return to port, finally the voyage began. Her 103 passengers were to become some of the founding pilgrims of the United States.
After weeks of plowing through the tumultuous Atlantic waters, battling strong winds, pounding waves and a number of problems with their vessel, the pilgrims spotted Cape Cod, off the coast of Massachusetts. The stormy weather caused their ship to veer off course and arrived there by accident. Their intended location was off the Virginia coast, where other pilgrims had begun colonies.
They encountered a severe and trying winter. Of the original 103 pilgrims, only 56 survived the first, long, bleak New England winter.
The approaching spring offered new hope. The survivors built homes and planted crops. After reaping their first harvest in the fall of 1621, the pilgrims dedicated a day for thanking God for the bounty they had received.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Mark O'Neil
posted 11/20/07 @ 10:49 AM CST
I am glad that you at least mentioned God in your "...true concept of holiday", because giving thanks to God is the primary reason for this holiday with all other thanks secondary to this primary reason. (Continued…)
Anton Chigurh
posted 11/28/07 @ 1:55 PM CST
Thank you God. Thank you for sending the white man to remove my savage and pagan ancestors from their homeland, through disease and war. Now the white man can enjoy his freedom with our beautiful land and plentiful resources. (Continued…)
J L Bailey
posted 11/29/07 @ 9:39 AM CST
Although the teaser used the words "true concept of holiday," this article is really about gratitude.
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