How did it start? – We all know that Thanksgiving didn’t REALLY start with the pilgrims, but how DID it start?
The current version of Thanksgiving was created by a journalistic crusader, and would have been unrecognizable to the Pilgrims it supposedly honors. The holiday came about through fifty years of relentless promotion by Sarah Hale, editor of Godey?s Lady?s Book and Magazine (one of the first women’s publications). She promoted it in columns and stories in her magazine until President Abraham Lincoln finally made it a national holiday. In 1863 Lincoln declared that Thanksgiving would be celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November.
Religion expert Anne Blue Wills says, “Puritans emphasized that you should never presume on the will of God, so they never would have scheduled Thanksgivings.”
One thing we can be thankful for is that change is possible?something we all need to remember during this holiday season. We think you?re probably pretty thankful that this website and ourterrificradio shows are here too. If you are, please make surewe’ll still be here in the future?subscribe today!
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