The Symbolism of Thanksgiving
There are many parts of Thanksgiving that go deeper than just eating good food. Most of the Thanksgiving traditions have some sort of symbolism to them. Thanksgiving stands for the “oneness� of people all over the world; peace and harmony. People all over the world gather to thank the Lord for all the blessings they have received. Symbolism in Thanksgiving is what makes it so special, so let’s take a closer look at some of the good foods we eat at Thanksgiving, and what the symbolism behind them is.
1. The Turkey. The Thanksgiving celebrations would not be legendary without the Turkey. Turkey was at one time considered the national symbol of America. It was Benjamin Franklin who decided this because the turkey was a good runner and had keen eyesight. The turkey adorns the table as the main course during Thanksgiving celebrations. The turkey is a reminder of the four wild fowls that were served at the First Thanksgiving Feast. It is also known that Queen Elizabeth during the 16th century was eating a roast goose during the harvest festival when she received good news that the Spanish Armada had sunk. She ordered another goose and it became a good luck bird and the main course of Thanksgiving dinner.
2. Pumpkin. Another popular dish at Thanksgiving is pumpkin pie. It has become a long standing tradition to serve pumpkin pie for dessert. It is actually not known if pumpkin was one of the main course dishes in the first thanksgiving dinner, however pumpkin was used in many different dishes. It is thought that a pumpkin dish was probably used and sweetened with honey or syrup. Pumpkin leaves were also used in salads along with other seasonal vegetables like squash and zucchini. Pumpkins however have and continue to be one of the most favorite dishes among Americans for over 400 years now.
3. Corn. Corn is another popular food to eat and to use as decoration at Thanksgiving. Corn comes in several different colors, so as a decoration it can look quite nice in a cornucopia and centerpiece on a kitchen tale. Some Americans considered the blue and white corn sacred. Native Americans had been growing corn long before the Pilgrims arrived in Plymouth. In fact the oldest corns date back about 7000 years before that time in 1620 when the Pilgrims arrived. Corn was one of the many dishes among the first Pilgrims and Indians at the first dinner and reminds us of the importance and heritage of the famous harvest festival as well as modern agriculture.
4. Cranberries. The cranberry is a legendary as well as a modern day symbol for Thanksgiving. The name originated from a crane berry that had pink blossoms and a drooping head which reminded the pilgrims of a crane. The name was changed to cranberry later on. The Pilgrims found that maple sugar was a good and delicious way to sweeten the berry and was probably used in the first thanksgiving feast and is still eaten today. Cranberry sauce is yet another delicious food choice at the dinner table during Thanksgiving.
5. The Cornucopia. The cornucopia is one of the most common symbols of the Thanksgiving harvest festival. The horn shaped container is filled with a bounteous supply of the earth’s harvest and is known as the horn of plenty. The traditional cornucopia was a goat’s horn filled with fruits and grains.
As you can see there is much symbolism in Thanksgiving so the next time you sit down to eat dinner you can bring a little more knowledge to the table to share with family and friends.