A symbol of brotherhood between colonists and natives, a celebration that responds to events of divine grace and a time of family reunion, this is how the famous Thanksgiving Day can best be defined, which was created by the Anglican Church in 1534 as a way to celebrate the typical liturgical festivals in honor of saints.

On the other hand, this tradition initially tried to celebrate things as banal as a good harvest, always with a banquet that included a turkey, since birds were the most economical and easiest animals to raise at that time.

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Why is the turkey spared on Thanksgiving Day?

Turkey is the food par excellence of this tradition | Photo: Pixabay

The United States is the country where Thanksgiving Day is most widely celebrated, which serves as a prelude to Christmas, after it was declared a national holiday in 1789 by George Washington, who established it on the fourth Thursday of November, as published in National Geographic.

Moreover, it is in this same country where the idea of ​​”forgiving the turkey” became popular in the late 19th century. During that time, farmers sent their turkeys to the president to compete and see which one he chose, while the rest were returned to their farms.

The forgiveness ceremony is an annual tradition held before Thanksgiving. Photo: EFE

It would be none other than Eleanor Rosalynn Carter, wife of Jimmy Carter and First Lady between 1977 and 1981, who began “saving” some turkeys that were not selected for Thanksgiving dinner and sending them to zoo farms so that visitors could join them could communicate. these birds in a therapeutic way.

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Although this holiday is traditionally associated with the United States, it is also celebrated in Canada and has recently spread to other countries such as the Philippines and some Caribbean islands.

(JO)