To all of my American friends, Happy Thanksgiving! Here’s a re-post from one I wrote a few years back, about the similar ways in which Thanksgiving was celebrated a hundred years ago. Food, football, helping those in need…notice that Black Friday is conspicuously missing.
Enjoy your holiday,
Kathy
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Check out these snippets of late-19th/early-20th century Thanksgivings, through the eyes of reporters from The New York Times. Enjoy!
Even back then, it was all about the turkey:
…although Thanksgiving was about generosity, too:
Click here for the entire November 26, 1908 article.
College football was another Thanksgiving tradition:
Click here for the entire November 30, 1899 article.
Hope this helps get you in the mood for the upcoming holiday! What do you consider absolutely essential for your Thanksgiving? I’d love to hear from you.
Until next time,
Kathy
Isn’t Carlisle Indian where Jim Thorpe went to school? I think that’s right.
Thanksgiving is great. Absolutely essential for me? Turnip greens and cornbread. I like the other foods, but I love these two together. ~clink~
I don’t know, I’d have to look it up. Turnip greens and cornbread – you’re a southern boy through and through, Kerry! Enjoy your feast this year!
It’s all about family … and wine … and turkey … and cranberry sauce … and sweet potatoes …
And sometimes the wine increases with the family members, lol. Thanks, Paul!
I’ve got to come to Turkey Day at your house because I’m with Paul – he’s even got the order of everything correct!
Wine being at the top of the list? We don’t have a wine collection like you do, Jenny! Sounds like we should head over to your place for Thanksgiving! 😉
That football picture was great. I can’t believe the lack of helmets! Although I do wonder if the two activities couldn’t be combined: Unleash a football team to tackle a turkey. Great look at the history of the day.
I winced when I saw them in the scrum without helmets! More like rugby, huh? Thanks for stopping by, Julie!
How cool! Thanks for sharing. Thanksgiving is one of my very favorite holidays. I love all the holiday foods too. 😀
I love those foods, too, Sonia! @Marcia, can I come to your house for pecan pie? 😉
Great history, Kathy! For me, I have to have stuffing and Pecan Pie–though not at the same time!:)
Ooh, those sound good? Around here, I’m the only one who likes pecan pie, so I have to get it when I can. 🙂 Thanks for visiting, Marcia!
I love Thanksgiving and will sharing some history about it as well at my place, but I’ve never gotten to read old New York Times articles about it. How cool! Thanks for sharing Kathy, definitely be back to learn more.
P.S. Every year I make a “mini” Thanksgiving dinner just for my honey and I and I found a new recipe to try: Pumpkin Curry Chicken over Jasmine Rice. I’ll let ya know how it turns out!
I love going back to original sources when I can. The internet has exploded with a wealth of digitized material. I’m certainly getting spoiled, and get a little pouty when I can’t find what I want, lol. I think your “mini” dinner tradition is cool! Enjoy your Thanksgiving, Jess, and thanks for stopping by.
Thanks for reminding us of this great post, Kathy! So interesting how things are both different and the same… Enjoy Thanksgiving!
Thanks, Margot, and a Happy Thanksgiving to you, too! <3
Love reading about these tidbits from the past. Even back then football was on the turkey day menu.
It’s an American tradition! So nice to see you here. Hope your Turkey Day was awesome!