’November
Episode 204: What is Thanksgiving all about?
Thanksgiving is a North American tradition that comes around every year at this time of year, but what is it all about?
The last Thursday in November is a major celebration day in the USA, it is a national holiday and a time for friends and family to get together.
You have surely heard of Thanksgiving, it is often portrayed in American movies and TV series, but do you really understand why it’s so important to Americans.
In this podcast Chris and Sue, as 2 Brits, discuss some of the interesting traditions, facts and controversies surrounding this North American national holiday .
Why is it celebrated? How many Thanksgiving Dinners were there? Who were the first Pilgrims? Where did they come from? What do people eat at this dinner?
Notes
But even though Thanksgiving is a special holiday and a precious time spent with friends and family for many North American, Chris and Sue raise the issue that for many others it is considered to be a “national day of mourning” to be viewed as a terrible time when colonists wiped out Native Americans and their culture. They feel that this period of history is “white-washed” out of history – which leads many Americans to ignore the holiday.
Recap & Takeaways
Enjoy the podcast and listen out for useful vocabulary, and of course you can consolidate your knowledge and vocabulary by doing the Thanksgiving quiz with 20 great questions.