First Thanksgiving Dinner Compared to Thanksgiving Dinner Today
Margaret Minnicks has been an online writer for many years. She writes articles that are interesting to her readers.
Thanksgiving is always celebrated on the last Thursday in November in the United States and other places around the world. The holiday is on the second Monday in October in Canada. The date changes, but the day remains the same.
Some people go to church on Thanksgiving morning. They have dinner with family and friends later in the day.
The First Thanksgiving Feast
The first Thanksgiving celebration was more of a religious celebration with prayers. The colonists gave thanks for their harvest. They were so grateful for their bounty that they were willing to share with family, friends, and neighbors. Eating was a major part of their celebration.
During the first Thanksgiving, everyone pitched in to help with the preparations. The men went hunting for the meat, and it was usually duck, goose or deer. It was not turkey. The men also went fishing for seafood. The women roasted the meat over a fire. The children helped by grinding corn into a consistency that looked like porridge or oatmeal.
Chestnuts and walnuts came from the forest. Vegetables such as squash, carrots, and peas were served as delicious side dishes.
The first Thanksgiving feast lasted from three whole days up to an entire week. So, it had to be lots of food for 53 pilgrims and 90 Indians. People didn't sit down at a table and eat during a set time period. Instead, there was continuous eating while sitting on the ground or inside. Between eating sessions, the pilgrims and Indians played games, sang songs and danced.
The first Thanksgiving celebration in 1621
On the first Thanksgiving, pumpkin pie wasn't on the menu because there were no ovens for baking, but they did have boiled pumpkin.
Cranberries weren't introduced at this time, so there was no cranberry sauce. Due to the diminishing supply of flour, there was no bread or cakes of any kind.
Thanksgiving Menu Today
Food is also a very big part of today's Thanksgiving celebration. Traditional foods are definitely not the same as they were thousands of years ago.
Modern-day dinners usually consist of turkey as the centerpiece. There is stuffing, cranberry sauce, all kinds of vegetables, mashed potatoes, pumpkin or potato pie and so much more.
Today, after eating a delicious Thanksgiving dinner, some will stay home and watch football, the annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, and the annual dog show on television.
Check out the chart below to see how the first Thanksgiving compares to modern-day Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving: Then and Now
| First Thanksgiving | Today's Thanksgiving |
|---|---|
1621 | 2018 |
minimum 3-day celebration that could last up to a week | just one day on last Thursday in November |
No leftovers | Leftover for a couple of days |
Eating was done inside and outside; no sit down meal at table | Sit down meal at table |
53 Pilgrims and 90 Indians. | Family and friends |
Duck and goose; no turkey | Turkey is centerpiece |
Seafood was plentful | Some cooks serve seafood |
Cranberries hadn't been introduced | Cranberry sauce |
Potatoes hadn't been introduced | Mashed potatoes or potato salad |
No pies because there was no oven | Pumpkin, sweet potato and pecan pies |
No bread because there was no flour | Rolls and other breads |
Chestnuts and walnuts from the forest | Nuts might be missing or purchased from the grocery store |
Plenty of vegetables from gardens: squash, peas, and carrots | Side dishes and casseroles |
No tables | Fancy table settings |
No dishes and utensils | Best dishes and utensils |
Eating inside and outside | Eating inside at dining room table |
No football on television because there were no televisions | Football on television, Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, annual dog show |
- Where Is Your Thanksgiving Dinner Coming From?
When you eat your Thanksgiving dinner, know that the food comes from many different states. See if your state is represented. - Where Your Thanksgiving Meal Comes From
The foods you put on your table for your Thanksgiving meal might have come from your local grocery store, but each dish came from a different state. See if your state is represented on your table.
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