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Thanksgiving Ceremony Thanksgiving Ceremony On this day, the Fourth Thursday of November, just as Americans have for centuries past, we return to hearth and home, and come together as a family to perform the ceremony of Thanksgiving. We celebrate Thanksgiving to acknowledge a bountiful autumnal harvest, bestowed upon us by divine grace. We celebrate Thanksgiving to rejoice in a momentary and peaceful unification of a divided nation, by the providence of a higher power. We celebrate Thanksgiving to revel in the great American Pastime, Football, a mighty display of our national propensity for competitive prowess and physical agility. And finally, we celebrate Thanksgiving to honor our national heroes of commerce and diversion as symbolized by inflated balloons in the Macy’s Day Parade. In the beginning, our ancestors held feasts of Thanksgiving to honor god’s gift of a prosperous harvest. In 1621, colonists in Plymouth held such a feast, over the period of three days, and this repast is now known as America’s first Thanksgiving. The settlers, known today as Pilgrims, invited members of the Wampanoag tribe to join in the feast. [Now someone will read the part of Pilgrim, and someone will read the part of the Indian, Squanto, who translated for the Wampanoag tribe] PILGRIM: Our harvest being gotten in, we might after a special manner rejoice together after we have gathered the fruits of our labor. Many of the Indians coming amongst us, whom for three days we entertain and feast. SQUANTO: With our harvest in, we rejoice together with Indians among us, we entertain and feast for three days. PILGRIM: Begin now to gather in the small harvest we have, and to fit up our houses and dwellings against winter, being all well recovered in health and strength and have all things in good plenty. SQUANTO: Gather your harvest, fit up your houses, recover your health, and have all things good and plenty. PILGRIM: Although it be not always so plentiful as it is at this time with us, yet by the goodness of God, we are so far from want that we often wish you partakers of our plenty. SQUANTO: It is not always as plentiful, but by the goodness of God, we are so far from want. [The Pilgrim and Squanto will now shake hands in a gesture of camaraderie. We now take up three sweet raisins which symbolize the three days of feasting in 1621. We also take a drink of wine to commemorate the time of plenty] Two hundred and thirty years after the cardinal Feast of Thanks, our Godmother of Thanksgiving, Sarah Josepha Hale, the preeminent authority on Women’s life in The New World, proposed establishing the final Thursday in November as the national day of Thanksgiving. Sarah Josepha Hale pressed governors of each state in the nation to take up a common day of thanks, but her requests were ignored. [Now someone will read the part of Sarah Josepha Hale, and everyone will read the role of the Governors] HALE: The appointment of Thanksgiving Day rests with the governors of each state. May the last Thursday of the next November witness this glad and glorious festival, this feast of the ingathering of harvest, extended over our whole land. GOVERNORS: No, we shall not! HALE: We should have the day so fixed, from Maine to Mexico, from Plymouth Rock to Sunset Sea, the hymn of thanksgiving should be simultaneously raised, as the pledge of brotherhood in the enjoyment of God’s blessings during the year. GOVERNORS: No, we shall not! HALE: “Everything that contributes to bind us in one vast empire together, to quicken the sympathy that makes us feel from the icy North to the sunny South that we are one family, each a member of a great and free Nation. I believe our Thanksgiving Day, if fixed and perpetuated, will be a great and sanctifying promoter of this national spirit.” GOVERNORS: No, we shall not! [We now take up bitter walnuts, which symbolize the bitterness of Sarah Josepha Hale’s rejection] Finally, in 1863, in the midst of the great Civil War, our nation’s most venerable forefather and 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, granted Sarah Josepha Hale and the nation a day of Thanksgiving. [Now someone will read an excerpt from President Lincoln’s proclamation of Thanksgiving, and everyone will read the role of the Governors] LINCOLN: In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere. GOVERNORS: Yes, we shall! LINCOLN: It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving. GOVERNORS: Yes, we shall! [We now take a drink of wine to commemorate Abraham Lincoln’s proclamation of Thanksgiving. We turn over our plates to signify the institution of our national holiday.] At this time we introduce the anointed turkey, which is to be placed at the head of the familial table. The roast turkey is the great pride and centerpiece of the Thanksgiving feast. [Father will now read Sarah Josepha Hale’s edict on the role of man and turkey] HALE: The table is now intended for the whole household, and the more the better, it being considered an honor for a man to sit down to his Thanksgiving dinner surrounded by a large family. The provision is always sufficient for a multitude, every man being, at this season of the year, plentifully supplied, and everyone proud of displaying his abundance and prosperity. The roasted turkey takes precedence on this occasion, being placed at the head of the table. [Father will now make the symbolic first cut into the breast of the turkey] In tandem with the nationalization of Thanksgiving, educational institutions across the country began hosting holiday games of America’s most honored pastime, Football. In its infancy, The National Football League struggled to gain an audience for its league, but in 1934, G.A. Richards, visionary and owner of the Detroit Lions, arranged an exclusive Thanksgiving match between The Detroit Lions and The World Champion Chicago Bears. This seminal holiday contest instituted The NFL’s adaptation of professional football as America’s Game and Thanksgiving’s classic pastime. [Football Uncle will now announce this year’s teams and their current standings, then he will turn on the game and make a toast of victory to his team] The Green Bay Packers are set to take on my team, The Detroit Lions, in an important NFC North game today. The Lions (6­5) are in first place in the division, and have a golden opportunity to best their toughest rival while they're at less than full strength. Green Bay (5­5­1) is without quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who sustained a collarbone injury earlier in the season. [Turn on the game] Let us toast The Detroit Lions and wish them strength, agility, and victory! GO LIONS! The final tradition of our honored holiday is the viewing of The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which will occur at the end of the feast. As one of America’s oldest department stores, it is fitting that Macy’s was originally staffed by first generation immigrants. These immigrants sought to commemorate the Thanksgiving holiday in the same fashion as their ancestors would in their homelands–with a festival and a parade. The world­famous parade was launched in 1924 and is held every year in New York City and features gigantic, helium­filled balloons that represent our country’s most notable heroes of entertainment. [Cousin will now read the list of classic and newly inducted floats] The classic floats include: ● Felix the Cat, the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon, 1927 ● Mickey Mouse, 1934 ● Superman, 1939 ● Snoopy & Woodstock, 1968 This year we induct: ● Holiday Pikachu, Third Version ● Thomas The Tank Engine ● Paddington Bear ● Skylanders ● The Red Power Ranger After the inaugural parade, balloons were released into the sky and whoever found one could return the balloon to Macy’s for a prize. In honor of this custom, at some point this evening Cousin will hide this ceremonial Felix the Cat, the original Thanksgiving Parade balloon, somewhere in the dining area. Whoever finds it before the end of dinner will be gifted the autumnal centerpiece. [At this time we conclude the Thanksgiving Ceremony with the Circle of Thanks. One by one, we will announce our roles then offer one thing for which we are thankful. We will begin with Father.] .
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