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108-540: Sub-national entities October 14, 2024 (Canada); November 7, 2024 (Liberia); November 27, 2024 (Norfolk Island); October 13, 2025 (Canada); November 6, 2025 (Liberia); November 26, 2025 (Norfolk Island); Thanksgiving is a national holiday celebrated on various dates in October and November in the United States, Canada, Saint Lucia, Liberia , and unofficially in countries like Brazil, Germany and

216-663: A joint resolution of Congress changing the official national Thanksgiving Day to the fourth Thursday in November starting in 1942 (there are usually four but sometimes five Thursdays in November, depending on the year). Since 1971, when the American Uniform Monday Holiday Act took effect, the American observance of Columbus Day has coincided with the Canadian observance of Thanksgiving. In

324-483: A secular manner. Thanksgiving is a statutory holiday in all provinces in Canada, except for New Brunswick and Nova Scotia . While businesses may remain open in these provinces, the holiday is nonetheless recognized and celebrated regardless of its status. The Harvest Thanksgiving Festival, Erntedankfest , is a popular Christian festival in some German municipalities on the first Sunday of October. The festival has

432-466: A weekend day a substitute holiday may be recognised in lieu. In the United Kingdom the government website states that "If a bank holiday is on a weekend, a 'substitute' weekday becomes a bank holiday, normally the following Monday.", and the list of bank holidays for the year 2020 includes Monday 28 December as " Boxing Day (substitute day)", as 26 December is a Saturday. The process of moving

540-574: A Loyalist stronghold, was named in honour of King George III . And on the outskirts of that city is a township simply named " Loyalist ". Canada's 2021 Census estimates a population of 10,015 who identify as having United Empire Loyalist origins, based on a 25% sample. On 1 July 1934, Royal Mail Canada issued "United Empire Loyalists, 1776–1784" designed by Robert Bruce McCracken based on Sydney March 's sculpture United Empire Loyalists . In 1996, Canadian politicians Peter Milliken (a descendant of American Loyalists) and John Godfrey sponsored

648-481: A Pirate Day is observed on September 19, and Blasphemy Day is held on September 30. Other examples are April Fools' Day on April 1 and World No Tobacco Day on May 31. Various community organizers and marketers promote odd social media holidays . In the United States, holidays have been drawn into a culture of consumption since the late 19th century. Many civic, religious and folk festivals have been commercialised . As such, traditions have been reshaped to serve

756-696: A Puritan holiday in Boston in 1631. According to historian Jeremy Bangs, director of the Leiden American Pilgrim Museum , the Pilgrims may have been influenced by watching the annual services of Thanksgiving for the relief of the siege of Leiden in 1574, while they were staying in Leiden. Now called 3 Oktoberfeest , Leiden's autumn thanksgiving celebration in 1617 was the occasion for sectarian disturbance that appears to have accelerated

864-568: A holiday from a weekend day to the following Monday is known as Mondayisation in New Zealand. National days are days of significance to a nation or nation state. National days are typically celebratory of a state's independence (e.g. 4 July in the US ), founding or unification (e.g. German Unity Day ), the commemoration of a revolution (e.g. Bastille Day in France) or liberation (e.g. 9 May in

972-491: A lonely wilderness, set aside a time of thanksgiving. On the appointed day, they gave reverent thanks for their safety, for the health of their children, for the fertility of their fields, for the love which bound them together, and for the faith which united them with their God." Other claims include an earlier religious service by Spanish explorers at San Elizario in Texas in 1598. Historians Robyn Gioia and Michael Gannon of

1080-682: A national holiday in 1863, the date of observance varied from state to state. The final Thursday in November had become the customary date in most U.S. states by the beginning of the 19th century, coinciding with, and eventually superseding the holiday of Evacuation Day (commemorating the day the British exited the United States after the Revolutionary War). Influenced by New Englander Sarah Josepha Hale , who wrote letters to politicians for approximately 40 years advocating an official holiday, Lincoln set national Thanksgiving by proclamation for

1188-613: A regular affair in New England until the late 1660s. Thanksgiving proclamations were made mostly by church leaders in New England up until 1682, and then by both state and church leaders until after the American Revolution . During the revolutionary period, political influences affected the issuance of Thanksgiving proclamations. Various proclamations were made by royal governors , and conversely by patriot leaders, such as John Hancock , General George Washington , and

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1296-684: A shorthand for identifying the ancestry of particular families. The influence of the Loyalists on the evolution of Canada remains evident. Their ties with Britain and antipathy to the United States provided the strength needed to keep Canada independent and distinct in North America. The Loyalists' basic distrust of republicanism and " mob rule " influenced Canada's gradual, "paper-strewn" path to independence. The new British North American provinces of Upper Canada (the forerunner of Ontario) and New Brunswick were created as places of refuge for

1404-532: A significant religious component, and many churches are decorated with autumn crops. In some places, there are religious processions or parades. In the West African country of Liberia, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the first Thursday of November. In 1883, the Legislature of Liberia enacted a statute declaring this day as a national holiday. Thanksgiving is celebrated in the country in large part due to

1512-701: A total of about 2,000 slaves to British North America: 500 in Upper Canada (Ontario), 300 in Lower Canada (Quebec), and 1,200 in the Maritime colonies of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island. The presence and condition of slaves in the Maritimes would become a particular issue. They constituted a larger portion of the population, but it was not an area of plantation agriculture. The settlers eventually freed many of these slaves. Together with

1620-525: A tradition in some non-Christian countries. For many Japanese people , it has become customary to buy and eat fried chicken on Christmas. Recently invented holidays commemorate a range of modern social and political issues and other important topics. The United Nations publishes a list of International Days and Weeks. One such day is International Women's Day on 8 March, which celebrates women's achievements and campaigns for gender equality and women's rights. Earth Day has been celebrated by people across

1728-1236: Is a lesser Sabbat of the wheel of the year. Some are closely linked to Swedish festivities . The Baháʼí Faith observes 11 annual holidays on dates determined using the Baháʼí calendar . Jews have two holiday seasons: the Spring Feasts of Pesach (Passover) and Shavuot (Weeks, called Pentecost in Greek); and the Fall Feasts of Rosh Hashanah (Head of the Year), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), Sukkot (Tabernacles), and Shemini Atzeret (Eighth Day of Assembly). Some religious holidays are also celebrated by many as secular holidays. For example, 61% of Brits celebrate Christmas in an entirely secular way. 81% of non-Christian Americans also celebrate Christmas. A 2019 Gallup poll found that two-thirds of Americans still celebrate an at least somewhat religious Christmas. The claimed over-secularisation of particular holidays has caused controversy and claims of censorship of religion or political correctness . For example, in

1836-537: Is also celebrated by evangelical churches such as the Foursquare Gospel Church in Brazil. Thanksgiving ( French : l'Action de grâce ), occurring on the second Monday in October, is an annual Canadian holiday to give thanks at the close of the harvest season. Although the original act of Parliament references God and the holiday is celebrated in churches, the holiday is mostly celebrated in

1944-697: Is also celebrated on the same day in Saskatchewan , on 18 May in New Brunswick and on 22 July in British Columbia . The Loyalists paid attention to their history developing an idealized image of themselves in which they took great pride. In 1898, Henry Coyne provided a glowing depiction: The Loyalists, to a considerable extent, were the very cream of the population of the Thirteen Colonies. They represented in very large measure

2052-736: Is an honorific title which was first given by the 1st Lord Dorchester , the Governor of Quebec and Governor General of the Canadas , to American Loyalists who resettled in British North America during or after the American Revolution . At that time, the demonym Canadian or Canadien was used by the descendants of New France settlers inhabiting the Province of Quebec . They settled primarily in Nova Scotia and

2160-768: Is common for Americans to share a family meal, attend church services , and view special sporting events. Thanksgiving is celebrated in public places with parades such as Macy's Thanksgiving Parade in New York City , ABC Dunkin' Donuts Thanksgiving Day Parade in Philadelphia , America's Hometown Thanksgiving Parade in Plymouth, Massachusetts , McDonald's Thanksgiving Parade in Chicago , and Bayou Classic Thanksgiving Parade in New Orleans . What Americans call

2268-667: Is not a public holiday. Those who observe the day either go to church in the evening or take the day off and go to church in the morning (and occasionally afternoon) too. An American colony until the first half of the 20th century, the Philippines celebrated Thanksgiving as a special public holiday on the same day as the Americans. During the Japanese occupation during World War II , both the Americans and Filipinos celebrated Thanksgiving in secret. After Japanese withdrawal in 1945,

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2376-626: Is recognised in World War I Allied nations (and across the Commonwealth ) to memoralise those lost in the World Wars. National leaders will typically attend remembrance ceremonies at national memorial sites. Maybe surprisingly, World War II Armistice Day (and victory against Nazism ) day, on 8 May, is much less celebrated. Many holidays are linked to faiths and religions (see etymology above). Christian holidays are defined as part of

2484-521: Is referred to as Friendsgiving . In the West Indian island of Grenada , in the Caribbean , there is a national holiday known as Thanksgiving Day which is celebrated on October 25. Even though it bears the same name, and is celebrated at roughly the same time as the American and Canadian versions of Thanksgiving, this holiday is unrelated to either of those celebrations. Instead, the holiday marks

2592-495: Is the Lunar New Year , which is celebrated across East Asia and South East Asia. Many other days are marked to celebrate events or people, but are not strictly holidays as time off work is rarely given; examples include Arbor Day (originally U.S.), Labor Day (celebrated sometimes under different names and on different days in different countries), and Earth Day (22 April). If a holiday coincides with another holiday or

2700-477: Is the first implication detailed that this article is concerned with. Modern use varies geographically. In North America, it means any dedicated day or period of celebration. In the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, holiday is often used instead of the word vacation . The celebration of the New Year has been a common holiday across cultures for at least four millennia. Such holidays normally celebrate

2808-521: The Australian external territory of Norfolk Island , Thanksgiving is celebrated on the last Wednesday of November, similar to the pre– World War II American observance on the last Thursday of the month. Due to the time difference of between 14 and 17 hours, this means the Norfolk Island observance is two days before or five days after the United States' observance. The holiday was brought to

2916-617: The British Army and the sedentary units of the Canadian Militia . American leaders assumed that Canada could be easily overrun, with former president Thomas Jefferson optimistically describing the potential conquest of Canada as "a matter of marching". Many Loyalist Americans had migrated to Upper Canada after the Revolutionary War. However, there was also a significant number of non-Loyalist American settlers in

3024-611: The Continental Congress , each giving thanks to God for events favorable to their causes. As the first President of the United States, George Washington proclaimed the first nationwide thanksgiving celebration in America marking November 26, 1789, "as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favours of Almighty God", and calling on Americans to "unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to

3132-667: The English Reformation in the reign of Henry VIII . Before 1536 there were 95 Church holidays, plus every Sunday, when people were required to attend church and forego work. Though the 1536 reforms in the Church of England reduced the number of holidays in the liturgical calendar to 27, the Puritan party in the Anglican Church wished to eliminate all Church holidays apart from the weekly Lord's Day , including

3240-689: The First World War ended, the Armistice Day holiday was usually held during the same week. To prevent the two holidays from clashing with one another, in 1957 the Canadian Parliament proclaimed Thanksgiving to be observed on its present date on the second Monday of October. Thanksgiving in the United States has been observed on differing dates. From the time of the Founding Fathers until Abraham Lincoln made it

3348-731: The Godfrey–Milliken Bill , which would have entitled Loyalist descendants to reclaim ancestral property in the United States which had been confiscated during the American Revolution . The bill, which did not pass the House of Commons , was intended primarily as a satirical response to the contemporaneous American Helms–Burton Act . In 1997, the Legislative Assembly of Ontario passed a bill declaring 19 June, "United Empire Loyalist Day" in Ontario . United Empire Loyalist Day

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3456-530: The Harrison family of Virginia . The more familiar Thanksgiving precedent accompanied by feasting is traced to the Pilgrims and Puritans who emigrated from England in the 1620s and 1630s. They brought their previous tradition of Days of Fasting and Days of Thanksgiving with them to New England . The 1621 Plymouth, Massachusetts thanksgiving was prompted by a good harvest. The Pilgrims celebrated this with

3564-735: The Iroquois , led by Joseph Brant Thayendenegea , settled at Six Nations of the Grand River , the largest First Nations reserve in Canada. A smaller group of Iroquois led by Captain John Deserontyon Odeserundiye , settled on the shores of the Bay of Quinte in modern-day southeastern Ontario. The government settled some 3,500 Black Loyalists in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, but they faced discrimination and

3672-728: The Pieterskerk . In commemoration, a non-denominational Thanksgiving Day service is held each year on the morning of the American Thanksgiving Day in the Pieterskerk, a Gothic church in Leiden, noting the hospitality the Pilgrims received in Leiden on their way to the New World . Thanksgiving is observed by orthodox Protestant churches in the Netherlands on the first Wednesday in November ( Dankdag ). It

3780-481: The Prince of Wales ' recovery from a serious illness. By the end of the 19th century, Thanksgiving Day was normally celebrated on November 6 (see also Guy Fawkes Night discussed above). In the late 19th century, the militia staged "sham battles" for public entertainment on Thanksgiving Day. The militia agitated for an earlier date for the holiday, so they could use the warmer weather to draw bigger crowds. However, when

3888-575: The Provincial Marine , or with the sedentary militia. With the successful defence of the Canadian colonies from American invasion, the War of 1812 is seen by Loyalists as a victory. After the war, the British government transported to New Brunswick and settled about 400 of 3,000 former slaves from the United States whom they freed during and after the war. It had fulfilled its promise to them of freedom if they left Patriot slaveholders and fought with

3996-948: The United States , the word is used exclusively to refer to the nationally, religiously, or culturally observed day(s) of rest or celebration or the events themselves, whereas in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth nations , the word may refer to the period of time where leave from one's duties has been agreed upon and is used as a synonym for the US preferred vacation . This time is usually set aside for rest, travel, or participation in recreational activities, with entire industries targeted to coincide with or enhance these experiences. The days of leave may not coincide with any specific customs or laws. Employers and educational institutes may designate 'holidays' themselves, which may or may not overlap nationally or culturally relevant dates, which again comes under this connotation, but it

4104-671: The University of Florida argue that the earliest Thanksgiving service in what is now the United States was celebrated by the Spanish community on September 8, 1565, in current Saint Augustine , Florida. [1] The thanksgiving at St. Augustine was celebrated 56 years before the Puritan Pilgrim thanksgiving at Plymouth Plantation (Massachusetts), but it did not become the origin of a national annual tradition. [2] The earlier Thanksgiving celebrations in Canada has been attributed to

4212-568: The Wampanoags , a tribe of Native Americans who, along with the last surviving Patuxet , had helped them get through the previous winter by giving them food in that time of scarcity, in exchange for an alliance and protection against the rival Narragansett tribe . Several days of Thanksgiving were held in early New England history that have been identified as the "First Thanksgiving", including Pilgrim holidays in Plymouth in 1621 and 1623, and

4320-566: The evangelical feasts of Christmas and Easter (cf. Puritan Sabbatarianism ). The holidays were to be replaced by specially called Days of Fasting and Days of Thanksgiving , in response to events that the Puritans viewed as acts of special providence . Unexpected disasters or threats of judgement from on high called for Days of Fasting. Special blessings, viewed as coming from God, called for Days of Thanksgiving, which were observed through Christian church services and other gatherings. For example, Days of Thanksgiving were called following

4428-576: The liturgical year , the chief ones being Easter and Christmas . The Orthodox Christian and Western-Roman Catholic patronal feast day or "name day" are celebrated in each place's patron saint's day, according to the Calendar of saints . Jehovah's Witnesses annually commemorate "The Memorial of Jesus Christ's Death", but do not celebrate other holidays with any religious significance such as Easter, Christmas or New Year. This holds especially true for those holidays that have combined and absorbed rituals, overtones or practices from non-Christian beliefs into

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4536-413: The " Holiday Season " generally begins with Thanksgiving. The first day after Thanksgiving Day— Black Friday —marks the start of the Christmas shopping season. Thanksgiving is usually celebrated with a family meal. Beginning in the 2010s, a new tradition has emerged to also celebrate Thanksgiving with a meal with friends, as a separate event on a different day or an alternate event on Thanksgiving Day. This

4644-455: The 1990s, Birmingham City Council promoted a series of events in the Christmas season under the brand Winterval to create a more multi-cultural atmosphere about the seasonal festivities. The Bishop of Birmingham responded to the events, saying "the secular world, which expresses respect for all, is actually embarrassed by faith. Or perhaps it is Christianity which is censored". In the United States, conservative commentators have characterised

4752-488: The American South; they suffered from this discrimination and the harsh winters. When Great Britain set up the colony of Sierra Leone in Africa, nearly 1300 Black Loyalists emigrated there in 1792 for the promise of self-government. And so 2,200 remained. The Black Loyalists that left established Freetown in Sierra Leone. Well into the 20th century, together with other early settlers from Jamaica and slaves liberated from illegal slave ships, and despite vicious attacks from

4860-487: The British. Enslaved African Americans risked considerable danger by crossing to British lines to achieve freedom. While the honorific "United Empire Loyalist" is not part of the official Canadian honours system , modern-day descendants of Loyalist refugees may employ it, sometimes using "U.E." as postnominal letters . The practice, however, is uncommon today, even in original Loyalist strongholds like southeastern Ontario. Historians and genealogists use it extensively as

4968-424: The Channel Islands ), or the feast day for a patron saint (e.g. St Patrick's Day in Ireland) or ruler (e.g. 5 December in Thailand). Belgium's national day, on the 21st of July, commemorates the oath of office of the first King of the Belgians (an uncle of the then-future Queen Victoria ), i.e., so to say, the day Belgium became a kingdom by ending the initial interregnum . Every country other than Denmark and

5076-444: The French settlers who came to New France in the 17th century, who celebrated their successful harvests. The French settlers in the area typically had feasts at the end of the harvest season. They continued throughout the winter season, even sharing food with the indigenous peoples of the area. As settlers arrived in Nova Scotia from New England after 1700, late autumn Thanksgiving celebrations became commonplace. New immigrants into

5184-671: The Government wanted to develop the frontier of Upper Canada. This resettlement added many English speakers to the Canadian population. It was the beginning of new waves of immigration that established a predominantly Anglo-Canadian population in the future Canada both west and east of the modern Quebec border . Following the end of the American Revolutionary War and the signing of the Treaty of Paris in 1783, both Loyalist soldiers and civilians were evacuated from New York City, most heading for Canada. Many Loyalists had already migrated to Canada, especially from New York and northern New England, where violence against them had increased during

5292-503: The Gregorian calendar except Israel . Christmas is a popular holiday globally due to the spread of Christianity . The holiday is recognised as a public holiday in many countries in Europe, the Americas, Africa and Australasia and is celebrated by over 2 billion people. Although a holiday with religious origins, Christmas is often celebrated by non-Christians as a secular holiday. For example, 61% of British people celebrate Christmas in an entirely secular way. Christmas has also become

5400-412: The Harvest Festival is marked by churches and schools in late September/early October (same as Canada) with singing, praying and decorating with baskets of food and fruit to celebrate a successful harvest and to give thanks. Collections of food are usually held which are then given to local charities which help the homeless and those in need. In the United States , Thanksgiving is an annual tradition that

5508-436: The New England states alone, more than 10% of the population can trace their roots to the Maritime Provinces. Two million more of 14 million inhabitants, or roughly 15%, are part or wholly of French Canadian descent. The United Empire Loyalists' Association of Canada (UELAC) is an organization of Loyalist descendants and others interested in Canadian history, in particular the role of the United Empire Loyalists. The organization

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5616-544: The Philippines. It is also observed in the Australian territory of Norfolk Island . It began as a day of giving thanks for the blessings of the harvest and of the preceding year. Various similarly named harvest festival holidays occur throughout the world during autumn. Although Thanksgiving has historical roots in religious and cultural traditions, it has long been celebrated as a secular holiday as well. Prayers of thanks and special thanksgiving ceremonies are common among most religions after harvests and at other times of

5724-560: The Province of Quebec. The influx of loyalist settlers resulted in the creation of several new colonies. In 1784, New Brunswick was partitioned from the Colony of Nova Scotia after significant loyalist resettlement around the Bay of Fundy . The influx of loyalist refugees also resulted in the Province of Quebec's division into Lower Canada (present-day Quebec ), and Upper Canada (present-day Ontario ) in 1791. The Crown gave them land grants of one lot. One lot consisted of 200 acres (81 ha) per person to encourage their resettlement, as

5832-427: The Thanksgiving celebration would take place on the fourth Thursday of November. This date is celebrated by many families of American origin, by some Protestant Christian denominations, such as the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Brazil (which is of American origin), the Presbyterian Church , the Baptist Church , the Methodist Church , and the Church of the Nazarene , and Methodist denominational universities. The day

5940-443: The United Empire Loyalists. The mottoes of the two provinces reflect this history: Ontario's, also found on its coat of arms, is Ut incepit fidelis sic permanet ("Loyal she began, loyal she remains"); New Brunswick's, Spem Reduxit ("Hope restored"). The word "Loyalist" appears frequently in school, street, and business names in such Loyalist-settled communities as Belleville, Ontario . The nearby city of Kingston , established as

6048-460: The United Kingdom observes a national day. In the UK, constituent countries have official or unofficial national days associated with their patron saint. A British national day has often been proposed, such as the date of the Acts of Union 1707 (1 May) or the King's Official Birthday , but never adopted. Other days of national importance exist, such as one to celebrate the country's military or veterans . For example, Armistice Day (11 November)

6156-459: The United Kingdom; however, it is traditionally held on or near the Sunday of the harvest moon that occurs closest to the autumnal equinox. Harvest Thanksgiving in Britain also has pre-Christian roots when the Saxons would offer the first sheaf of barley, oats, or wheat to fertility gods. When the harvest was finally collected, communities would come together for a harvest supper. When Christianity arrived in Britain many traditions remained, and today

6264-407: The United States. As some families split in their loyalties during the war years, many Loyalists in Canada continued to maintain close ties with relatives in the United States. They conducted commerce across the border with little regard to British trade laws. In the 1790s, the offer of land and low taxes, which were one-quarter those in America, for allegiance by Lieutenant-Governor Simcoe resulted in

6372-400: The United States. Most were loyal to all things British, but other Loyalists supported the United States in the War of 1812. Conrad and Finkel conclude: [I]n using their history to justify claims to superiority, descendants of the Loyalists abuse the truth and actually diminish their status in the eyes of their non-Loyalists neighbours ... The scholars who argue that the Loyalists planted

6480-401: The anniversary of the U.S.-led invasion of the island in 1983, in response to the deposition and execution of the socialist Grenadian Prime Minister Maurice Bishop by a military government from within his own party. Labor Thanksgiving Day ( 勤労感謝の日 , Kinrō Kansha no Hi ) is a national holiday in Japan . It takes place annually on November 23. The law establishing the holiday, which

6588-436: The area due to the offer of land grants to immigrants. The Americans assumed the latter population would favour the American cause, but they did not. Although the population of Upper Canada included recent settlers from the United States who had no obvious loyalties to the Crown, the American forces found strong opposition from settlers during the War of 1812. A number of loyalists served as fencibles , provincial regulars, in

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6696-420: The arrival of 30,000 Americans often referred to as Late Loyalists. By the outbreak of the War of 1812, of the 110,000 inhabitants of Upper Canada, 20,000 were the initial Loyalists, 60,000 were later American immigrants and their descendants, and 30,000 were immigrants from the UK, their descendants or from the Old Province of Quebec . The later arrival of many of the inhabitants of Upper Canada suggests that land

6804-452: The bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed—to be observed on the second Monday in October." An annual thanksgiving holiday tradition in North American colonies is documented for the first time in 1619, in what is now called the Commonwealth of Virginia . Thirty-eight English settlers aboard the ship Margaret arrived by way of the James River at Berkeley Hundred in Charles City County, Virginia on December 4, 1619. The landing

6912-464: The celebration, as well as those holidays that distract from or replace the worship of Jehovah. In Islam , the largest holidays are Eid al-Fitr (immediately after Ramadan ) and Eid al-Adha (at the end of the Hajj ). Ahmadi Muslims additionally celebrate Promised Messiah Day , Promised Reformer Day , and Khilafat Day , but contrary to popular belief, neither are regarded as holidays. Hindus , Jains and Sikhs observe several holidays, one of

7020-493: The charter of English settlers upon their safe landing in America in 1619 at Berkeley Hundred in Virginia. According to some historians, the first celebration of Thanksgiving in North America occurred during the 1578 voyage of Martin Frobisher from England in search of the Northwest Passage . Other researchers, however, state that "there is no compelling narrative of the origins of the Canadian Thanksgiving day." Antecedents for Canadian Thanksgiving are also sometimes traced to

7128-403: The commemoration of the ending of World War II , or the Shoah , can also be part of the reparation obligation as per UN General Assembly Resolution 60/147 Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a Remedy and Reparation for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law. Another example of a major secular holiday

7236-415: The concept of the United States negotiators "advising" the U.S. Congress to provide restitution. For the British, this concept carried significant legal weight, far more than it did to the Americans; the U.S. Congress declined to accept the advice. Slave-owning Loyalists from across the former Thirteen Colonies brought their slaves with them to Canada, as the practice was still legal there . They took

7344-456: The country—such as the Irish, Scottish, and Germans—also added their own traditions to the harvest celebrations. Most of the U.S. aspects of Thanksgiving (such as the turkey) were incorporated when United Empire Loyalists began to flee from the United States during and after the American Revolution and settled in Canada. In 1859, the government of the provinces of Canada declared a Thanksgiving Day in which "all Canadians [were asked] to spend

7452-425: The defeat of France in the Seven Years' War . With the creation of Upper and Lower Canada, most Loyalists in the west could live under British laws and institutions. The predominantly ethnic French population of Lower Canada, who were still French-speaking, could maintain their familiar French civil law and Catholic religion. Realizing the importance of some type of recognition, on 9 November 1789, Lord Dorchester ,

7560-426: The depiction of them in the Sandham painting which suggests the arrivals were well-dressed upper-class immigrants. Loyalists soon petitioned the government to be allowed to use the British legal system, which they were accustomed to in the American colonies, rather than the French system. Great Britain had maintained the French legal system and allowed freedom of religion after taking over the former French colony with

7668-408: The earlier onset of winter in the North, thus ending the harvest season earlier. Thanksgiving in Canada did not have a fixed date until the late 19th century. Prior to Canadian Confederation , many of the individual colonial governors of the Canadian provinces had declared their own days of Thanksgiving. The first official Canadian Thanksgiving occurred on April 15, 1872, when the nation was celebrating

7776-532: The final Thursday in November in celebration of the bounties that had continued to fall on the Union and for the military successes in the war, also calling on the American people, "with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience ... fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty hand to heal the wounds of the nation...." Because of the ongoing Civil War , a nationwide Thanksgiving celebration

7884-472: The free Black Loyalists, many chose to go to Sierra Leone in 1792 and following years, seeking a chance for self-government. Meanwhile, the British Parliament passed an imperial law in 1790 that assured prospective immigrants to Canada that they could retain their slaves as property. In 1793, an anti-slavery law was passed, in the 1st Parliament of Upper Canada . The Act Against Slavery banned

7992-685: The governor of Quebec and Governor General of British North America, declared "that it was his Wish to put the mark of Honour upon the Families who had adhered to the Unity of the Empire". As a result of Dorchester's statement, the printed militia rolls carried the notation: Those Loyalists who have adhered to the Unity of the Empire, and joined the Royal Standard before the Treaty of Separation in

8100-513: The great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions." Devotees in Florida , New England , Texas and Virginia have maintained contradictory claims to having held the first Thanksgiving celebration in what became the United States. The question is complicated by the concept of Thanksgiving as either a holiday celebration or a religious service. James Baker maintains, "The American holiday's true origin

8208-618: The holiday by attending religious ceremonies, while others take it as a day for relaxation. Others view the holiday as an imposition from the American settlers of the country. In the years following the second civil war , some Liberians have taken the holiday as a time to be thankful for this new period peace and relative stability. Many of the Pilgrims who migrated to the Plymouth Plantation resided in Leiden from 1609 to 1620, and had recorded their births, marriages, and deaths at

8316-486: The holiday in 'public and solemn' recognition of God's mercies." On 9 October 1879, Canada's Governor General, the Marquis of Lorne , declared November 6 as "a day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for the bountiful harvest with which Canada has been blessed." The Canadian Parliament on 31 January 1957 applied the same language in its proclamation for the modern holiday: "A Day of General Thanksgiving to Almighty God for

8424-546: The importation of slaves into the colony, and mandated the emancipation of all children born henceforth to female slaves upon reaching the age of 25. The Act was partially introduced due to the influx of the number of slaves brought by Loyalist refugees to Upper Canada. The slave trade was abolished across the British Empire in 1807. The institution of slavery was abolished Empire-wide by 1834 (except in India , where it

8532-553: The indigenous peoples that nearly ended the Maroon colony, they and their descendants dominated the culture, economy and government of Sierra Leone. Numerous Loyalists had been forced to abandon substantial amounts of property in the United States. Britain sought restoration or compensation for this lost property from the United States, which was a major issue during the negotiation of the Jay Treaty in 1795. Negotiations settled on

8640-522: The island by visiting American whaling ships. In Brazil, National Thanksgiving Day ( Portuguese : Dia de Ação de Graças ) was instituted by President Gaspar Dutra , through Law 781 of August 17, 1949, at the suggestion of Ambassador Joaquim Nabuco , who was enthusiastic about the commemorations he saw in 1909 in St. Patrick's Cathedral as an ambassador in Washington. In 1966, Law 5110 established that

8748-513: The largest being Diwali (Festival of Light). Japanese holidays as well as few Catholic holidays contain heavy references to several different faiths and beliefs. Celtic, Norse, and Neopagan holidays follow the order of the Wheel of the Year . For example, Christmas ideas like decorating trees and colors (green, red, and white) have very similar ideas to modern Wicca (a modern Pagan belief) Yule which

8856-481: The last day of a year and the arrival of the next year in a calendar system. In modern cultures using the Gregorian calendar, the New Year's celebration spans New Year's Eve on 31 December and New Year's Day on 1 January. However, other calendar systems also have New Year's celebration, such as Chinese New Year and Vietnamese Tet . New Year's Day is the most common public holiday, observed by all countries using

8964-635: The learning, the piety, the gentle birth, the wealth and good citizenship of the British race in America, as well its devotion to law and order, British institutions, and the unity of the Empire. This was the leaven they brought to Canada, which has leavened the entire Dominion of this day. According to Canadian historians Margaret Conrad and Alvin Finkel, Coyne's memorial incorporates essential themes that have often been incorporated into patriotic celebrations. The Loyalist tradition, as explicated by Murray Barkley and Norman Knowles, includes: The elite origins of

9072-600: The nation's founding as a colony of the American Colonization Society in 1821 by former slaves and free people of color from the United States. However, the Liberian celebration of the holiday is notably different from the American celebration. While some Liberian families chose to celebrate with a feast or cook out, it is not considered a staple of the holiday and there is no specific food heavily associated with Thanksgiving. Some chose to celebrate

9180-494: The needs of industry. Leigh Eric Schmidt argues that the growth of consumption culture allowed the growth of holidays as an opportunity for increased public consumption and the orderly timing of it. Thus, after the Civil War, as department stores became the spatial expression of commercialism , holidays became the temporal expression of it. United Empire Loyalist United Empire Loyalist ( UEL ; or simply Loyalist )

9288-555: The pilgrims' plans to emigrate to America. Later in New England, religious thanksgiving services were declared by civil leaders such as Governor Bradford , who planned the Plymouth colony's thanksgiving celebration and feast in 1623. Bradford issued a proclamation of Thanksgiving following victory in the Pequot War in the late 1630s to celebrate "the bloody victory, thanking God that the battle had been won." The practice of holding an annual thanksgiving harvest festival did not become

9396-551: The proclamation so close to the change wreaked havoc on the holiday schedules of many people, schools, and businesses, and most Americans were not in favor of the change. Some of those who opposed the change dubbed the holiday " Franksgiving " that year. Some state governors went along with the change while others stuck with the original November 30 date for the holiday, and three states — Colorado, Mississippi, and Texas — observed both dates. The double Thanksgiving continued for two more years, and then on December 26, 1941, Roosevelt signed

9504-518: The refugees, their loyalty to the British Crown, their suffering and sacrifice in the face of hostile conditions, their consistent anti-Americanism, and their divinely inspired sense of mission. Conrad and Finkel point out some exaggerations: only a small percentage of the Loyalists were colonial elite. In fact Loyalists were drawn from every stratum of colonial society, and few suffered violence and hardship. About 20 percent would later return to

9612-588: The same inadequate support that all Loyalists experienced. Delays in making land grants, but mostly the willingness of the blacks to under-cut their fellow Loyalists and hire themselves out to the few available jobs at a lower wage aggravated racist tensions in Shelburne. Mobs of white Loyalists attacked Black Loyalists in the Shelburne Riots in July 1784, Canada's first so-called "race" riot. The government

9720-482: The secularisation of Winter festivities as "the War on Christmas ". These are holidays that are not traditionally marked on calendars. These holidays are celebrated by various groups and individuals. Some promote a cause, others recognize historical events not officially recognized, and others are "funny" holidays celebrated with humorous intent. For example, Monkey Day is celebrated on December 14, International Talk Like

9828-576: The seeds of Canadian liberalism or conservatism in British North America usually fail to take into account not only the larger context of political discussion that prevailed throughout the North Atlantic world, but also the political values brought to British North America by other immigrants in the second half of the 18th century. From the 1870s, many of their descendants returned to the United States in pursuit of cheaper land. In

9936-584: The term can refer to any period of rest from work, such as vacations or school holidays . In American English , "the holidays" typically refers to the period from Thanksgiving to New Year's (late November to January 1), which contains many important holidays in American culture. The word holiday comes from the Old English word hāligdæg ( hālig " holy " + dæg " day "). The word originally referred only to special religious days. The word holiday has differing connotations in different regions. In

10044-474: The tradition continued until 1969. It was revived by President Ferdinand Marcos , but the date was changed to be on every September 21, when martial law was imposed in the country. After Marcos' ouster in 1986, the tradition was no longer continued, due to the controversial events that occurred during his long administration. As of 2022, Thanksgiving has been revived as a commercial and cultural holiday, albeit stripped of its official status. SM Supermalls led

10152-533: The victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588 and following the deliverance of Queen Anne in 1605. An unusual annual Day of Thanksgiving began in 1606 following the failure of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605 and developed into Guy Fawkes Day on November 5. Days of Fasting were called on account of plagues in 1604 and 1622, drought in 1611, and floods in 1613. Annual Thanksgiving prayers were dictated by

10260-596: The war. The Crown-allotted land in Canada was sometimes allotted according to which Loyalist regiment a man had fought in. This Loyalist resettlement was critical to the development of present-day Ontario, and some 10,000 refugees went to Quebec (including the Eastern Townships and modern-day Ontario). But Nova Scotia (including modern-day New Brunswick) received three times that number: about 35,000–40,000 Loyalist refugees. An unknown but substantial number of individuals did not stay; they eventually returned to

10368-640: The way in the slow revival of Thanksgiving Day on the same day as in the U.S., as in the old days. Many malls and hotels offer special sales on this day, which is part of the long celebration of Christmas in the Philippines , which begins in September (unlike on Black Friday in the United States). The nation of Saint Lucia celebrates Thanksgiving on the first Monday in October. The Harvest Festival of Thanksgiving does not have an official date in

10476-430: The world since 1970, with 10,000 events in 2007. It is a holiday marking the dangers of environmental damage, such as pollution and the climate crisis . Other secular holidays are observed regionally, nationally and across multi-country regions. The United Nations Calendar of Observances dedicates decades to a specific topic, but also a complete year, month, week and days. Holidays dedicated to an observance such as

10584-554: The year 1783, and all their Children and their Descendants by either sex, are to be distinguished by the following Capitals, affixed to their names: UE or U.E. Alluding to their great principle The Unity of the Empire. Because most of the nations of the Iroquois had allied with the British, which had ceded their lands to the United States, thousands of Iroquois and other pro-British Native Americans were expelled from New York and other states. They were also resettled in Canada. Many of

10692-625: The year. The Thanksgiving holiday's history in North America is rooted in English traditions dating from the Protestant Reformation . It also has aspects of a harvest festival , even though the harvest in New England occurs well before the late-November date on which the modern Thanksgiving holiday is celebrated. In the English tradition, days of thanksgiving and special thanksgiving religious services became important during

10800-659: Was considered an indigenous institution ). From 1812 to 1815, the United States and the United Kingdom were engaged in a conflict known as the War of 1812 . On 18 June 1812, US President James Madison signed the declaration of war into law, after receiving heavy pressure from the War Hawks in Congress. By 1812, Upper Canada had been settled mostly by Revolution-era Loyalists from the United States (United Empire Loyalists) and postwar American and British immigrants. The Canadas were thinly populated and only lightly defended by

10908-507: Was adopted during the American occupation after World War II, cites it as an occasion for commemorating labor and production and giving each other thanks. It has roots in the ancient Shinto harvest ceremony ( Niiname-sai ( 新嘗祭 ) ). Holiday Holidays can be thematic, celebrating or commemorating particular groups, events, or ideas, or non-thematic, days of rest that do not have any particular meaning. In Commonwealth English ,

11016-486: Was federally formalized through an 1863 presidential proclamation by Abraham Lincoln , but was implemented as state legislation since the nation's founding. In 1941, federal legislation by the United States Congress formalized Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday in November. The holiday traditionally has been a celebration of the blessings of the year, including the harvest. On Thanksgiving Day, it

11124-536: Was immediately followed by a religious celebration, specifically dictated by the group's charter from the London Company . The charter declared, "that the day of our ships arrival at the place assigned for plantation in the land of Virginia shall be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God." Since the mid 20th century, the original celebration has been commemorated there annually at present-day Berkeley Plantation , ancestral home of

11232-518: Was incorporated on 27 May 1914 by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario . In 1972, the organization was granted a coat of arms from the College of Arms through a letter patent, dated 28 March 1972. On 17 April 1707, Queen Anne issued a proclamation referencing the use of the Union Flag "at Sea and Land". The Union Flag began to appear on forts and as regimental colours from this point, and at

11340-480: Was not realized until Reconstruction in the 1870s. On October 31, 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed a presidential proclamation changing the holiday to the next to last Thursday in November in an effort to boost the economy. The earlier date created an extra seven days for Christmas shopping since at that time retailers never began promoting the Christmas season until after Thanksgiving. But making

11448-454: Was slow to survey the land of Black Loyalists (which meant they could not settle); it was also discriminatory in granting them smaller, poorer, and more remote lands than those of white settlers; not counting those Loyalists who were resettled in what would become Upper Canada, in general, or around the Bay of Quinte, in specific. This increased their difficulties in becoming established. The majority of Black Loyalists in Canada were refugees from

11556-832: Was the New England Calvinist Thanksgiving. Never coupled with a Sabbath meeting, the Puritan observances were special days set aside during the week for thanksgiving and praise in response to God's providence." Baker calls the debate a "tempest in a beanpot" and "marvelous nonsense" based on regional claims. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy acknowledged both the Virginia and Massachusetts claims. Kennedy issued Proclamation 3560 on November 5, 1963, stating, "Over three centuries ago, our forefathers in Virginia and in Massachusetts, far from home in

11664-470: Was the main reason for immigration. The arrival of the Loyalists after the Revolutionary War led to the division of Canada into the provinces of Upper Canada (what is now southern Ontario ) and Lower Canada (today's southern Quebec ). They arrived and were largely settled in groups by ethnicity and religion. Many soldiers settled with others of the regiments they had served with. The settlers came from every social class and all thirteen colonies, unlike

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