Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day, a day in which we give thanks for the people, events and “things” in our lives. Thanksgiving Day is celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving Day is also celebrated in Leiden, in the Netherlands.
In the United States, it falls on the fourth Thursday of November. In Canada, Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the second Monday in October, which is Columbus Day in the United States.
The precise historical origin of the holiday is disputed. Although Americans commonly believe that the first Thanksgiving happened in 1621 at Plymouth, Massachusetts, there is strong evidence for earlier celebrations in Canada (1578) and by Spanish explorers in Florida (1565).
The traditional origin of modern Thanksgiving in the United States is generally regarded to be the celebration that occurred at the site of Plymouth Plantation, in Massachusetts, in 1621. The Wampanoag Native Americans helped the pilgrims who arrived in Massachusetts cultivate the land and fish, saving them from starvation. This harvest celebration occurred early in the history of what would become one of the original Thirteen Colonies that later were to become the United States. This Thanksgiving was modeled after harvest festivals that were commonplace in Europe at the time.
Many of the Pilgrims who would end up at the Plymouth Plantation resided in the Dutch city of Leiden from 1609–1620.According to historian Jeremy Bangs, director of the Leiden American Pilgrim Museum, the Pilgrims may have been influenced by watching the annual services of thanksgiving for the relief of the 1574 siege of Leiden.
The history of Thanksgiving in Canada goes back to an explorer, Martin Frobisher, who had been trying to find a northern passage to the Pacific Ocean. Frobisher's Thanksgiving celebration was not for harvest, but for homecoming. He had safely returned from a search for the Northwest Passage, avoiding the later fate of Henry Hudson and Sir John Franklin. In the year 1578, Frobisher held a formal ceremony in Newfoundland to give thanks for surviving the long journey.
French settlers who came to New France (Canada) with explorer Samuel de Champlain in the early 17th century also took to celebrating their successful harvests. They even shared their food with the indigenous peoples of the area as well as setting up what became known as the "Order of Good Cheer."
Regardless of the origins of Thanksgiving Day, this is one of my favorite holidays. It is a time for friends and family to gather and spend time together. It is also a time to give thanks for the many blessings that we enjoy.
This year, as in past years, I have much to give thanks for. I have been blessed in ways that I cannot even begin to understand. There is much that I have to give thanks for. I give thanks for a daughter who is truly the apple of my eye and a treasure beyond compare. I give thanks for my Father; even though he left this world long ago, I feel his presence and his strong, guiding everyday single day of my life. I give thanks for my Mom and I especially give thanks to God who saw her safely during her recent surgery. I give thanks for things big and small; I give thanks for my country and for the brave men and women who are willing to sacrifice their lives to protect the country that I love, I give thanks for my dog who eagerly awaits for me, with a smile on his sweet face, when I return home for work, I give thanks for my bicycles that carry me far and wide on such wonderful adventures, I give thanks for my friends who are always there to support and encourage me.
I also have much to give thanks for in my SL “life.” It is funny how a “game” has now become such a big part of my life, to the point where when I give thanks for my blessings, I include my many SL blessings.
I have been a resident of SL for over three years. During that time, I have met many wonderful, awesome people; yes, I have met a few “clunkers” but for the most part the overwhelming majority of the people that I have met in SL have enriched my life. There are many special people in SL who have made, and continue to make, a lasting impression on my life. These are people with whom I have shared my moments of joy as well as my moments of sadness; people who have seen me through the good and the bad times; people whom I miss terribly when I come in-world and they are not here.
There is one person, however, that I wish to single out for special thanks. I met Teressa “Tess” Adamski almost three years ago, when she was an “SL baby” and her SL mom, Bird Thor, used to bring her over to my house to play by the beach. In the years since that first meeting, Tess has blossomed into a wonderfully creative person, an invaluable ally, a fierce protector of me and Between Homes and a dear, dear friend.
When I am sad, Tess is quick with a hug or a funny story, to make me feel better. When I am happy, Tess is happy for me. We spend a lot of time talking about all kinds of subjects, including U.S. movie and TV trivia (of which Tess has a HUGE amount of knowledge), vikings, politics, pets, food and even IKEA furniture!
Tess, this Thanksgiving Day when I give thanks for my many blessings, I will especially give thanks for you and for the friendship that you have given me.
Tack sa mycket!
Thank you very much!
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