When is Thanksgiving? Why do we celebrate turkey day as a national holiday?
Thanksgiving 2023 projects to be the third-highest travel forecast since AAA began reporting such numbers in 2000.
Before you book that flight or jump in the car to grandma's house with your wife and kids, why are you going through all this hassle for one day?
What is Thanksgiving anyway and why do we even celebrate it?
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Here are the answers to those questions and more ahead of Thanksgiving 2023:
When is Thanksgiving 2023?
Thursday, Nov. 23, 2023.
When was the first Thanksgiving?
The fantastical story of how the Pilgrims and Native Americans celebrated together upon their first meeting in 1621 continues to be the story passed from generation to generation. But many myths exist about the origins of Thanksgiving.
There was never any formal invitation to the harvest celebration in 1621 for the Wampanoag tribe.
The tribe only appeared after hearing Pilgrims shooting guns into the air. The Wampanoag tribe actually thought they were under attack, but stayed once they realized the Pilgrims were holding a celebration.
In fact, not all Native Americans celebrate Thanksgiving.
When did Thanksgiving become a national holiday?
Thanksgiving was declared a national holiday in 1863 by President Abraham Lincoln.
Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving?
The story of Pilgrims and Native Americans sharing a great feast to commemorate their friendship, but that's not entirely true. While Pilgrims celebrated the harvest in 1621, an invite was never formally sent to the Native Americans.
Days of fasting and giving thanks were commonplace among New England settlements on an annual or occasional basis, according to history.com. A significant difference from how Thanksgiving is celebrated in the U.S. today.
Although 1621 is considered to be the origin of Thanksgiving, some historians question if it wasn't even earlier.
However, Lincoln declared Thanksgiving Day be held on the last Thursday of November in 1863, "hoping to reconcile a country in the throes of the Civil War."
This is why Thanksgiving is a national holiday.
What time does Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade start?
The 97th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade runs from 8:30 a.m. to noon ET on Thursday, Nov. 23 live from New York City. Watch the parade beginning at 8:30 a.m. on NBC and Peacock.
What is the busiest travel day for Thanksgiving 2023?
According to AAA, 49.13 million Americans plan to drive to their Thanksgiving destination in 2023 with another 4.69 million traveling by airplane.
Data shows Wednesday, Nov. 22 to be the busiest day for motorists traveling for the holiday. Average travel times could be as much as 80% higher than normal in some metropolitan areas. Drivers are encouraged to leave in the morning before 11 a.m. or after 6 p.m. Wednesday.
For air travel, the Tuesday and Wednesday before Thanksgiving will be the busiest air travel days. They will also be the most expensive. Sunday is the busiest day for return flights home, but data shows Monday is also very popular.
How bad is traffic the Sunday after Thanksgiving?
According to AAA, the worst time to drive home from Thanksgiving is between 3-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. If you choose to travel on those days, it is best to travel before noon.
If you're leaving Friday, avoid the noon-4 p.m. time block. The best time to drive on Friday is before 11 a.m. and after 7 p.m.
Should you only plan to spend a couple of hours with family on Thanksgiving, be sure to avoid driving between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Thursday. Try to hit the roads before 10 a.m. and after 5 p.m.
Does Canada celebrate Thanksgiving?
Yes. According to the Farmers' Almanac, Canadian Thanksgiving is celebrated on the second Monday in October. A celebration was held Oct. 9, 2023, and is slated for Oct. 14 in 2024.
Unlike the U.S., Canada's Thanksgiving celebrates giving thanks for what the Earth has provided rather than the beginnings of a country. However, food is still a mainstay for the celebration.
Chris Sims is a digital producer for the Journal Star. Follow him on Twitter: @ChrisFSims.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: History of Thanksgiving: When is Thanksgiving and why do we celebrate?
