Give Thanks

Then and Now
By Mary A. Flowers

Ask someone if the Thanksgiving meal they will consume this year is somewhat like what the Pilgrims ate at their first Thanksgiving and they'll probably say yes. In fact, the typical meal of today is far removed from what the Plymouth colonists and the Wampanoag Indians shared. The turkey is probably the only food that is still traditional fare for Thanksgiving dinners all across our nation.

There was not a constant supply of fruits and vegetables then as there is today. The traditional green bean casserole and sweet potatoes are modern dishes no doubt promoted by food companies to sell their most recent additions at the grocery stores.

Most meals were very meaty and also very fatty. Lobster, seal and swans were also commonly served in the colony. Generally what were served was what the colonists and Indians had on hand at the time. Many meats, as well as berries, were dried since no refrigeration was available. Many fowl were roasted on an open spit and consumed the same day they were killed. It was not uncommon for a person to be assigned the task of sitting by an open fire all day to turn the spit so the meat would be evenly done.

There was no pumpkin pie. There were very few sweets at all. Sugar that was brought onboard ship was dwindling and would be used sparingly. The colonists did have numerous spices as well as ample salt to add more flavor to their foods. The pilgrims used many, including cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, pepper, and dried fruit, in sauces for meats.

Giving thanks, however, was, and still is the common denominator. What we, as a people, give thanks for might be a lot different now but the feeling is still the same. The Plymouth colonists were thankful they had made it through the past year and were flourishing. It would not have been possible without the help of the Wampanoag Indians. As the story goes, the Indians showed the colonists what to hunt for and even shared some of their food with the colonists. It was befitting that the colonists included the Indians in their celebration.

Throughout United States history, Presidents have made Proclamations many times to designate what date in November would be Thanksgiving Day. President Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a Federal holiday as a "prayerful day of Thanksgiving" on the last Thursday in November. Since then every U.S. President has always made an official Thanksgiving Proclamation on behalf of the nation. President Franklin D. Roosevelt set the date for Thanksgiving to the fourth Thursday of November in 1939 (approved by Congress in 1941).

As it was in the colony way back then, this Thanksgiving we gather with family and friends to consider how we have been blessed and give thanks.