Why is thanksgiving important

The Thanksgiving that Americans and Canadians celebrate today is a combination of two very different New England traditions: the purely religious day of thankful prayer and the harvest feast.

The harvest feast is still celebrated and, to a much lesser extent, the religious aspect is celebrated too. Thanksgiving Day began with the Pilgrim immigrants to New England in , celebrating their first successful harvest.

The local Native American tribe — the Wampanoag — that lived there were very peaceful, without a warrior class or even a tradition of warfare, and they interacted peacefully with the Pilgrim settlers. The early settlers had many disastrous crop harvests.

That is why in years when there were good harvests the Pilgrims and other later settlers were so grateful. From balloon versions of your favorite childhood cartoon characters to performances by popular musicians, casts of Broadway shows, and marching bands from all over the country, there's something for everyone.

Animal lovers everywhere can tune into the American Kennel Club's National Dog Show to get their fix of adorable — and talented — dogs. From the three NFL games scheduled on Thanksgiving Day to the variety of NCAA games played over the course of the weekend, sports fans have plenty of options when it comes to this Thanksgiving tradition. This year, the day kicks off with the Bears playing the Lions. In the afternoon the Bills will play the Cowboys, and the Saints will play the Falcons in the evening.

There always seems to be a Thanksgiving marathon of the " Harry Potter " movies, all the Thanksgiving-related episodes of the NBC sitcom "Friends," and pretty much any vintage holiday movie you can think of on TV.

Whether you see your family all the time or just a few times a year, Thanksgiving is a great time to reunite with loved ones and catch up — over a delicious meal, of course. Even if you're not close with your biological family, Thanksgiving is still the perfect time to get together with friends and spend the day with your chosen family. Every family has their own unique way of celebrating Thanksgiving. From watching certain movies to playing a competitive game of Scrabble, family traditions make Thanksgiving extra special.

Chances are, you'll be eating a lot of food on Thanksgiving Day, so participating in a 5 or 10K race is a great way to start your day. Stuffing your face and watching TV can be tiring. What better way to relax than sleeping off the t ryptophan the amino acid in turkey that is said to make you sleepy? Just like cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie, naps are a Thanksgiving tradition.

Plus, you've got to rest up for Black Friday, right? Since Thanksgiving is not affiliated with any religion, it's one of the most inclusive holidays around. Anyone can enjoy Thanksgiving and the traditions that go along with it.

Sure, Black Friday kicks off the holiday shopping season, but Thanksgiving itself is a relatively non-commercial holiday. It's really all about food, family, and friends. What could be better? From pumpkins to cornucopias, Thanksgiving decorations celebrate the fall season and make for a uniquely cozy setting. He says this because he's been in developing world nations while in the military and he's heard the horror stories of poverty, suffering and terrible injustice from missionaries who have visited and stayed in our home since he was a little boy.

These images of real world suffering by fellow Christians in other nations are what help him and should move us to keep our problems and inconveniences in proper perspective. As he calls them, "first world inconveniences. Regardless of our health, financial status or family situation, all of us can be equally thankful because we all equally share the very same hope of salvation and eternal life. That is something we can all sing and praise God for.

The rest of the injustices in this world God will deal with when Jesus returns. What about you, this Thanksgiving? Are you able to thank God for saving your soul or can you only be thankful for the stuff that's on the dinner table? My hope and prayer is that you can be thankful for both. Do not let another Thanksgiving go by without responding to Christ in baptism or being restored through repentance and prayer. Series » Dear Mike,. Everyone can share what their favorite food is and why.

Be thankful. Focus on the things you are thankful for; ask everyone at the table to say what they are thankful for or make a list of what your family is thankful for. Share and donate. Thanksgiving is a celebration of sharing and abundance. Develop a tradition of sharing with those who have less and involve children in contributing to a food shelter or other charities.

This can help children to be thankful for what they have and learn the importance of helping others. Create something for Thanksgiving together. Whether you're cooking with your children or creating a craft, involving kids in the preparation or an activity is a great way to celebrate and enjoy family time.

Have fun. Be sure fun family activities and enjoying one another is a top priority on Thanksgiving.