A Day of Gratitude and Tradition

Thanksgiving, celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November, is a time for Americans to gather, reflect, and give thanks. Though the holiday is now known for turkey, pumpkin pie, and family meals, its origins trace back to the early 17th century.

The first Thanksgiving took place in 1621 at Plymouth Colony, when the Pilgrims invited the Wampanoag people to join them in a feast to celebrate a successful harvest. This three-day event, featuring foods like turkey, venison, corn, and fish, marked a moment of cooperation and gratitude between the two groups.

Over the centuries, Thanksgiving evolved into a national holiday. In 1863, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a day of "thanksgiving and praise," encouraging Americans to reflect and unite, especially during the Civil War.

In addition to feasting, Thanksgiving has become a day for football, with the NFL making it an annual tradition. The first NFL Thanksgiving game was played in 1920, and since then, the league has made the holiday synonymous with iconic matchups. Fans gather to watch these games, making football a staple of the day’s celebrations.

Today, Thanksgiving remains a time for giving thanks, enjoying a meal, and watching NFL games with family and friends. While the ways we celebrate may change, the heart of the holiday stays the same: a time for gratitude, tradition, and togetherness.

This year’s Thanksgiving NFL schedule (Central Time):

• Green Bay Packers at Detroit Lions — 12:00 p.m. CT on FOX

• Kansas City Chiefs at Dallas Cowboys — 3:30 p.m. CT on CBS

• Cincinnati Bengals at Baltimore Ravens — 7:20 p.m. CT on NBC

If football isn’t your thing, there are still classic Thanksgiving traditions to enjoy:

• Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade — Begins at 8:30 a.m. CT on NBC (also streaming on Peacock)

• National Dog Show — Airs 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. CT on NBC, immediately following the parade