Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving.....is considered to be a traditional American holiday. First celebrated by the Pilgrim's in November of 1621, they invited the Native American people to feast with them after bringing in their first successful corn harvest.  The second Thanksgiving was not celebrated until 1623 however, because of a drought in the intervening year.

In 1827, magazine editor and author, Sara Josepha Hale campaigned to establish Thanksgiving as a national holiday. After 36 years she accomplished her goal, when in 1863 in the midst of Civil War, Abraham Lincoln declared the 4th Thursday of November, Thanksgiving, a national holiday.

The concept of Thanksgiving is not new however, nor traditionally American.  The annual celebration of the harvest and its bounty is rooted in a category of festivals that spans cultures, continents and millenia. Egyptians, Greeks and Romans feasted and paid tribute to the gods after the harvest.  Celts and Native Americans feasted and paid tribute to the spirits and to nature after the harvest. The Jewish harvest festival of Sukkot also bears some resemblance to Thanksgiving.  Giving thanks became a celebration of more than the harvest but of all of the pivotal events in life, birth, marriage and even death.

So what do you have to give thanks for this day?  I am thankful for many things, my family, my health and my job at Neill Public Library!  I love being a part of the library staff, (they are pretty terrific people), and I love being able to serve the community of Pullman. It's a pleasure to meet patrons, get to know you, and help you when needed. So drop in and say hello!  And remember to give thanks for the blessings in your life!
Lori C Lewis
Administrative Assistant