Thanksgiving Flags

Thanksgiving Flags

Time to gobble up these flags while you can! It seems like we only get a short window to celebrate Thanksgiving before we start putting up Christmas decorations, that is presuming you haven't already. With that being said, now is just as good a time as any to get on it. From welcoming the changing seasons to giving thanks for it and all that we have, the United States Flag Store has got you covered. You will find a plethora of garden flags to church up the outdoors and a handful of 3x5s to raise on your flagpole. Keep reading to find out some of our favorites, a light history of Thanksgiving, some ways we celebrate, and what countries celebrate the holiday.

The Bird is the Word

Ring in the holiday with this proud and colorful turkey on our Thanksgiving Garden Flag. It comes in a beautiful palette of fall colors printed on quality polyester and is readable on both sides. Friends and family will be able to see this flag from most vantage points and be happy they did. This specific flag is even available for a limited time in a banner flag size, so don't forget to check that out too! Why did the turkey cross the road? To prove he wasn't chicken.

More Bird, Please

What's better than a colorful turkey? Not much, but with this next garden flag, you get a turkey fully dressed in their best Pilgrim attire. The Thanksgiving Garden Flag titled, "Cute Turkey," is legitimately just that. He's wishing everyone a "Happy Turkey Day," and even has a little woodland creature in matching tiny hat by his side doing the same. This comes from one of our favorite brands, Carson, and is an import. This flag measures 12.5 inches by 18 inches and is fit for any garden.

Classic Harvest

For the classic look of Thanksgiving and Fall Harvest, the Let Us Be Thankful Garden Flag is made to showcase that. With a beautiful shot of a cornucopia full of fruits and veggies with the words, "Let Us Be Thankful," over the top. This garden flag really reminds us to take stock of what we have and to be sure to count all the blessings that we have received throughout the year, truly embodying the spirit of Thanksgiving. This flag is also available in a Banner Size for a limited time.

History of Thanksgiving

The most widely accepted first observance of Thanksgiving dates back to when the Pilgrims had their first fall harvest in the New World (Plymouth, Massachusetts) in 1621. The specific date remains a mystery, though it is thought to have taken place somewhere between September 21st and November 11th. After experiencing a difficult winter that knocked out nearly half of the Plymouth settlers, the 50 remaining still managed to have a successful fall harvest. However, they wouldn't eat alone for their harvest as 90 Native Americans of the Wampanoag tribe would join them. Unfortunately, this would be the only time that the tribe would join the Pilgrims in their celebration. It is thought that this is perhaps due to politics for the first meeting, as the Wampanoag had hoped to form an alliance with the Plymouth settlers. Both suffered from the same harsh winter and diseases that were running around at the time and both were in fairly rough shape, with lower-than-normal population numbers. As for not wanting to celebrate again, this is thought to be attributed to merely having their own traditional ways of giving thanks and commemorating their own harvests.

This isn't to say that Thanksgiving wasn't celebrated prior, quite the contrary actually, with debates as to when and where the first took place along and a host of documented events. Both the French and Spaniards held their own services in territories that now belong to the U.S. as far back as the 16th century. It is even theorized that the city of St. Augustine, Florida was founded with a shared Thanksgiving meal on September 8, 1565. In Virginia, the Jamestown settlers celebrated a day of Thanksgiving in 1610. But, regardless of all of this, the 1621 Plymouth gathering is often the most recognized as the origin of the holiday.

The holiday would be celebrated off and on from its origins all the way up to 1863 when President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national holiday. It is attributed to writer and editor, Sarah Joseph Hale as a large proponent for this as her editorials had influenced Lincoln on the matter. The idea behind this was that this could be a way to unite the entirety of the nation as it was smack dab in the middle of the Civil War. Thanksgiving has been observed annually every year since.

Thanksgiving 2023, Macy's Day Parade, and Football Games

Along with all of your favorite foods in large quantities ready to be feasted upon, there are also some other fun traditions that happen on Thanksgiving.

This year, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is going to be airing its 97th annual parade live from the streets of New York City. With 25 balloons, 31 floats, 11 marching bands from universities across the country, and 18 performances from some big names in the music industry, there is no shortage of entertainment to be had. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade is from 8:30 a.m. to noon Standard Eastern Time and airs on NBC as well as on the streaming service, Peacock. 

As for Football on Thanksgiving Day, there are going to be 3 games happening. The Green Bay Packers will attempt to take on the Detroit Lions starting at 12:30 p.m. EST on Fox, the Washington Commanders go to Dallas to take on the Cowboys at 4:30 p.m. EST on CBS, and the San Francisco 49ers will be in Seattle against the Seahawks at 8:20 p.m. EST on NBC and Peacock.

How Thanksgiving is Celebrated in Canada

Thanksgiving is celebrated pretty similarly to how it is traditionally celebrated in the United States with the same emphasis on spending time with family, being thankful for the year's bounty, and football. It is a culturally and nationally recognized holiday that takes place on the second Monday in October. However, most people tend to hold their dinners or parties on the Sunday prior. The federal government along with banking institutions and telecommunications recognize the holiday. Often called Canadian Thanksgiving to differentiate it from its American counterpart, the foods served between the two do not differ very much from each other. Autumnn vegetables, potatoes, gravy, stuffing, and turkey are all fairly commonplace, spare for some different proteins taking centerstage over the traditional turkey found in American custom. This includes meats like roast beef, ham, wild game found in the corresponding areas, boiled beef and cabbage, and salmon. Pumpkin pie, glazed yams, and apple pie are also some favorite dessert dishes served during this time as well.

Is Thanksgiving Day a religious holiday?

This is a tricky question to answer. Despite its roots with the early Pilgrims of the United States, who were most notably a combination of Christians and Puritan separatists, the holiday has become more of a national holiday and tradition with people of all religions, faiths, and denominations celebrating in one way or another rather than being devoted to or exclusive to a specific religion or being a religious holiday.

When is Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is always celebrated on the 4th Thursday of November and as such, the date will differ each year. How the date falls this year is the 4th Thursday in November happens to land on the 23rd.

Why do we celebrate Thanksgiving?

Celebrating Thanksgiving is all in the name. It is a day to give thanks for all that you have. From your friends and family, your blessings, life, health, pets, and career to the food that is on your table and the roof over your head. The tradition started as gratitude and thankfulness towards the first fall harvest by the Pilgrims in America.

What countries celebrate Thanksgiving?

Thanksgiving is celebrated all across the world believe it or not, with countries like Germany, Canada, Liberia (a country on the West African coast), Grenada and Saint Lucia (both small island countries in the Caribbean), and the United States all officially celebrating the holiday. It is also observed in the Territories of the United States like Guam, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, American Samoa, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Brazil and the Philippines also celebrate the holiday unofficially.