Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrated in the spirit of gratitude... at least that's the theory.

History

Growing up, Diane Maza celebrated Thanksgiving. Her future husband, Peter Maza did not. Elisa Maza herself has expressed mixed feelings about the holiday. ("Unequivocal Success")

Thanksgiving 1997

Earlier this day, the giant balloon of Binzy the Polka-Dot Dinosaur popped during the Thanksgiving Day Parade. After sunset, Broadway and Angela began preparing Thanksgiving Dinner for the clan and their guests, which included Hudson's guest, Jeffrey Robbins and Gilly. Katana appreciated the concept of a day of gratitude and Brooklyn felt they had much to be thankful for, especially the pending hatching of Egwardo. Elisa explained the nature and history of the holiday to their guests, Jade and Turquesa who displayed unease about it.

Goliath and Coldfire spent part of the evening continuing their months-long hunt for Demona while Demona herself, who had since gathered the Three New Keys to Power began using them to subjugate humanity. As Demona's spell spread across the city, the effects were first witnessed by a stunned Coldfire and a smirking Coldstone as every human in Times Square bowed down to them. Demona and Antoinette Dracon entered the 23rd Precinct before entering the Eyrie Building and making their way into the Castle where Demona magically enthralled David Xanatos, Fox, and Owen Burnett and finally confronted Goliath himself atop his tower. ("Unequivocal Success")

Real World Background

Thanksgiving is a federal holiday in the United States celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November. The modern national celebration dates to 1863 and has been linked to the Pilgrims 1621 harvest festival since the late 19th century. Its adoption would coincide and eventually overshadow Evacuation Day (the American commemoration of the British troops' departure from Manhattan Island on November 25, 1783). As the name implies, the theme of the holiday generally revolving around giving thanks with the centerpiece of celebrations remaining a Thanksgiving dinner. In Canada, the modern holiday was adopted in 1957 and is observed on the second Monday of October.

Much like Columbus Day, Thanksgiving is observed by some as a "National Day of Mourning", in acknowledgment of the genocide and conquest of Native Americans by colonists. Thanksgiving has long carried a distinct resonance for Native Americans, who see the holiday as an embellished story of "Pilgrims and Natives looking past their differences" to break bread. Professor R.W. Jensen of the University of Texas at Austin is somewhat harsher: "One indication of moral progress in the United States would be the replacement of Thanksgiving Day and its self-indulgent family feasting with a National Day of Atonement accompanied by a self-reflective collective fasting." Some Native Americans hold "Unthanksgiving Day" celebrations in which they mourn the deaths of their ancestors, fast, dance, and pray. This tradition has been taking place since 1975.

See Also

• Thanksgiving at Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia
• An Addams Family Thanksgiving