Why should we celebrate Thanksgiving?
For the same reasons the Pilgrims celebrated Thanksgiving!
In 1621, after a year of sickness and scarcity, the Pilgrims gave thanks to God and celebrated when their labors were rewarded with a bountiful harvest. Take a lesson. We can always find something to be thankful for.
Since our country’s founding, every president of these United States has made a National Thanksgiving Proclamation. President George Washington declared Thursday, November 26, 1789, as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer. We should do the same.
Lincoln’s 1863 Thanksgiving proclamation began a national holiday tradition with a standardized date – the last Thursday in November. Lincoln called for a day of “thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens” as well as “humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience.”
This Thanksgiving, we should each reaffirm and proclaim our personal gratitude for all that we enjoy and commemorate the legacy of generosity bestowed upon us by those who have gone before.
Although challenges remain, we should never yield in our ability to live up to the promise of our heritage. As we gather with our loved ones, let each of us resolve with abiding faith and patriotism to celebrate the joys of freedom and hold fast to the hope and peace of a brighter future. Thanksgiving is Thankful Living. It is more than that holiday that comes just after the opening of deer season. Having said that…
More recently, the day after Thanksgiving has become known as Black Friday. Maybe, it should be Red Friday – because, if you are not careful, you could end up in the Red in the New Year.
CONSIDER: Every small Town depends on Small Businesses to stay in business. They are the ones we go to for all manner of civic contributions. November 25 will be Small Business Saturday.
As Mayor of the Town of Marlinton, I will try to visit and shop with as many of our local businesses as possible and hope you will find time to do the same.
God Bless America.
