Thanksgiving, while all major faiths preach gratitude, is a non-religious holiday embraced by people of all faiths. This is a good time to come together and kick-off the holiday season.

Our team at Indian Luxury Trains (ILT) takes immense pleasure in wishing all its readers and visitors a Happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy a fun-filled holiday and delicious dining full of apple pie, turkey and gravy, ham and mashed potatoes.

thanksgiving traditions
Thanksgiving is definitely about delectable dinners

Thanksgiving began as a tradition of celebrating the year’s harvest. In the current scenario, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the 4th Thursday in November by federal legislation.

Thanksgiving has been an annual tradition in the United States by presidential proclamation since 1863 and by state legislation since the Founding Fathers of the United States.

Thanksgiving is truly a food-centric feast, ushering in the beginning of the holiday season. The star of the day is the turkey. Since 1947, the National Turkey Federation and the Poultry and Egg National Board have given a turkey to the president.

That was typically the case, until 1963, when President Kennedy pardoned the first presidential bird, deciding he’d rather keep the official bird that year than kill it.

However it is believed that the actual pardoning tradition started with George HW Bush, who performed the “pardon” in the Rose Garden and repeated it every Thanksgiving of his presidency, thereby solidifying the tradition.

Regardless of when that first pardon took place, it’s been a Thanksgiving tradition ever since, with the pardoned birds earning names like “Apple” and “Cider,” or “Pumpkin and Pecan.” They might not be eaten, but they sure sound delicious.

Barack Obama Thanksgiving Holiday
US President Barack Obama “pardons” two turkeys on the eve of the Thanksgiving holiday, saluting them for their bravery.

This year President Barack Obama gave ‘Popcorn’, lucky turkey, in the traditional Thanksgiving reprieve. The president gave a speech full of jokes, flanked by his daughters, Sasha and Malia.

Obama said, “The office of the presidency – the most powerful position in the world – brings with it many awesome and solemn responsibilities, this is not one of them.”

There were votes caste between Popcorn and Caramel through social sites like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. So you too be sure to enjoy your delicious platter as Thanksgiving is surely about a lot of food.

Updated by Neelam Talreja on 28 November 2013

Contributed by Nikhil Chandra