Thanksgiving Day is a national holiday which takes place in the United States and Canada on the last Thursday in November in celebration of the harvest and other blessings(祝福)during the year.

The first Thanksgiving Day was observed when the Pilgrim Fathers(十七世紀(jì)英在美創(chuàng)立的新教徒)held a three-day festival after the harvest of 1621. But the day was not celebrated as a regular(正規(guī)的)national holiday until more than two centuries later. Gradually each state adopted(采納)the idea until， in 1863，President Lincoln proclaimed(宣布)a national harvest festival on November 26.

The festival is still basically a home celebration， with religious overtones(宗教色彩)， for families and friends. Turkey(火雞)is the traditional(傳統(tǒng)的)meat at the feast(筵席)， and such autumnal dishes as pumpkin(南瓜)pie and plum pudding(葡萄干布丁)stress the harvest theme(主題)。

December 25 is a Christian festival and is observed as the anniversary(周年紀(jì)念)of the birth of Christ， although there is nothing in the New Testament(圣經(jīng)的新約全書(shū))to indicate(表明)that this is the date of Nativity(耶穌誕生日).

All over the world the ringing of bells is a part of the Christmas tradition.

The Christmas tree is the symbol of spirit of Yuletide(圣誕節(jié)期)in many homes. It is full of decorations(裝飾物)and presents for children. Some families open their presents on Christmas Eve; others wait for the next morning. Some boys’ and girls’ presents are placed in stockings hung from the fireplace mantel(壁爐臺(tái)). In France and some Latin American countries children find their presents in their shoes. In many places presents are brought by Santa Claus(圣誕老人).

Christmas is a day for family gathering and feasting. Foods of the season include turkey， goose， duck， fish， roast beef， and an abundance(豐富)of other good things.