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  • Hi everyone, I'm Alisha.

  • Thanksgiving is one of the most celebrated holidays in the United States.

  • It also marks the beginning of the holiday season, the weeks leading up to Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanza, and the winter solstice, which are all widely celebrated holidays in the U.S.

  • For retailers, Thanksgiving begins their busiest season!

  • Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November.

  • Thanksgiving was founded as a national holiday by one of the most famous presidents of the United States.

  • Do you know who it might've been?

  • We'll show you the answer at the end of this video.

  • Thanksgiving, to a large extent, is about having a feast with friends and family.

  • Turkey is the traditional main course, with yams, squash, pumpkin pie, cranberries, and other rich and filling foods rounding out the meal.

  • Some families spend weeks preparing for their Thanksgiving feast, and to stuff oneself is most certainly encouraged!

  • The Thanksgiving meal of today is rooted in the meal that the pilgrims from Europe shared with the Native Americans on the first Thanksgiving.

  • This was quite a feast!

  • Turkey, duck, goose, squash, corn, and a plethora of other foods were shared between the Europeans and Native Americans.

  • This original fete was said to go on for three full days!

  • Football is another tradition during Thanksgiving celebrations in the United States.

  • Watching the football game while preparing the Thanksgiving meal is an important part of the celebration for many families.

  • Families that aren't sports fans, however, may opt to spend times outside enjoying the crisp autumn air or may find other diversions to enjoy while the turkey cooks.

  • Thanksgiving is not a uniquely American holiday.

  • There are similar celebrations in Canada, for instance.

  • The concept behind the holiday, showing thankfulness by having a feast, spans many cultures.

  • And now here's the answer to the quiz.

  • Do you know who founded Thanksgiving as a national holiday?

  • Abraham Lincoln established Thanksgiving, during the dark days of the American Civil War.

  • Even though the holiday was officially born during this conflict, it's more associated with the initially good relations between the first European immigrants and the Native Americans.

  • How was this lesson?

  • Did you learn something interesting?

  • Is there a day in your country where you give thanks?

  • Please leave a comment at EnglishClass101.com

  • Until next time!

Hi everyone, I'm Alisha.

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