According to Wikipedia, �Thanksgiving, or Thanksgiving Day, is a traditional North American holiday, which is a form of harvest festival�. This is a day one expresses thanks and appreciation for his/her material and spiritual possessions.

Most people celebrate this day over a grand holiday feast, in the presence of their family and friends. Roasted turkeys are often served over dinner, so much so that Thanksgiving is sometimes known as �Turkey Day�. Other dishes commonly associated with Thanksgiving are also pumpkin pies, mash potatoes, ham, deviled eggs, green bean casserole, 'combread', salads and others served over cocktails, wine, unfermented apple cider or sweetened iced tea!

How did it evolve?
The history of Thanksgiving travels a long way back. As to when Thanksgiving truly started is still a mystery. Early evidence has it that the first Thanksgiving celebration was on September 8, 1565, in what now is Saint Augustine, Florida. With reference to the contrary, the first Thanksgiving occurred at Plymouth Plantation, in the autumn of 1621. In celebration of a good harvest year, the Pilgrims then had a three-day celebration/feasting with the local Indians. This �First Thanksgiving� however, was simply a gathering, not a holiday.

The Thanksgiving we now know and celebrate can be traced back to 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln became the first president to proclaim it. Today, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of each November in the United States (and the second Monday of October in Canada). Thanksgiving was officially proclaimed as a federal holiday in 1941 and the Friday after it (or more commonly known as the Black Friday) is often a paid-holiday for many U.S. Workforce, schools and colleges, marking the the start of the holiday season and also, Christmas shopping!

In United States, Thanksgiving is celebrated with street parades, footballs, parties and family vacations. While many spend time at home, more people are using this holiday as a time for a short getaway. The Thanksgiving weekend is said to be one of the busiest travel periods of the year.

Whatever it is, Thanksgiving should narrow down to one core significance � giving thanks and showing appreciation upon our blessings. As quoted from Theodore Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States:

"Let us remember that, as much has been given us, much will be expected from us, and that true homage comes from the heart as well as from the lips, and shows itself in deeds."

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Till next time, here are some fun Turkey facts to share with everyone.

• Turkeys are able to adapt to a wide variety of habitats. However, most turkeys are found in hardwood forests with grassy areas.
• The best time to see a turkey is on a warm clear day or in a light rain.
• Turkeys have heart attacks. When the Air Force was conducting test runs and breaking the sound barrier, fields of turkeys would drop dead.
• Turkeys can drown if they look up when it is raining.
• Turkeys spend the night in trees. They fly to their roosts around sunset.
• Turkeys fly to the ground at first light and feed until mid-morning. Feeding resumes in mid-afternoon.
• Gobbling starts before sunrise and can continue through most of the morning.
• A wild turkey has excellent vision and hearing. Their field of vision is about 270 degrees. This is the main reason they continue to elude some hunters.
• A spooked turkey can run at speeds up to 20 miles per hour. They can also burst into flight approaching speeds between 50-55 mph in a matter of seconds.
• Benjamin Franklin wanted the national bird to be a turkey.

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