The History of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is an enjoyable holiday for sharing warm meals and warm moments with the people we love. There are many historical aspects of Thanksgiving that not everyone knows. We wanted to share some history to prevent Thanksgiving from remaining a mystery.
Thanksgiving Beginnings
The tradition of Thanksgiving dates to the 17th Century in New England where it first became an annual custom modeled on a 1621 feast shared by the English colonists (Pilgrims) of Plymouth and the Wampanoag people. Later, in the year 1777, the Continental Congress declared the first national American Thanksgiving following the Patriot victory at Saratoga.
Subsequently, in 1789, President George Washington became the first president to proclaim a Thanksgiving holiday on November 26. At that time, Thanksgiving was still not celebrated nationally. Only in 1863, after President Abraham Lincoln officially declared that Thanksgiving should fall on the last Thursday of November, was the modern holiday then celebrated by the masses in America.
Finalizing the Date
Every subsequent President after Abraham Lincoln followed this holiday tradition up until Franklin Roosevelt decided to shift this holiday one week ahead to spur retail sales and reinvigorate the economy during the Great Depression. This caused a substantial amount of controversy among the Americans, and they refused to honor Roosevelt’s declaration. This went on for another two years, which ultimately led to Roosevelt admitting his mistake and signing the bill that finalized the fourth Thursday of November to be the national holiday for Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving Celebrations and Flowers
Thanksgiving Day celebrates bountiful harvests and other blessings received from the past year. As of today, much of its religious meaning has been lost, and for most American households, Thanksgiving now centers around cooking and sharing a wholesome meal with friends and family. Foods such as turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie have always been synonymous with this national holiday, but what about flowers? How do flowers come into play for this national holiday and what significance do they have?
Flowers are the best message bearers for any occasion thanks to Floriography, also known as the language of flowers. This makes sending Thanksgiving flowers to friends and family a popular way to convey your wishes with a message written from the bottom of your heart. Some popular flower choices for Thanksgiving include orange roses, chrysanthemums, Peruvian lilies and sunflowers as the colors of these flowers coincide with the fall season. On the other hand, some people prefer gifting Thanksgiving cornucopias, autumn bouquets or even a harvest wreath to show sincerity and gratitude.
How can you incorporate flowers into your Thanksgiving celebration this year? Flowers are so versatile. They can be used in a variety of ways for all sorts of reasons! Here are three ways to incorporate flowers into your Thanksgiving celebration this year.
First, if you have been invited to a Thanksgiving dinner hosted by some friends, bringing a bouquet of fresh flowers to the dinner is a great way to thank the hosts for inviting you over. If you are considering having the bouquets hand-delivered, be sure to send your flower arrangements ahead of time, so they are delivered before the festivities begin.
A classic arrangement to consider would be a flower cornucopia, but if you think that it might not suit your hosts’ tastes, you can always customize the bouquet yourself. A more modern arrangement can consist of various types of fall flowers. If you are unsure of which to pick, our florists would be glad to assist you with your selection!
Second, flowers are a great way to spice up your home décor. They can be added to the dinner table or hallways to give your space more color and set the holiday mood. Sometimes hosts are too busy making sure everything is set and perfect for dinner that they may unintentionally neglect the aspect of home décor. By bringing a fresh arrangement of flowers to the dinner, you not only adorn the table but also add that finishing touch to the festive setting before kickstarting the Thanksgiving dinner.
It would also be great to contain your Thanksgiving arrangement in a matching vase as a keepsake gift for the hosts. Of course, wrapped bouquets are beautiful too, but bringing one with you would save the hosts a great deal of time and effort locating an appropriate vase. They might be busy entertaining the other guests that are arriving.
Lastly, guests are likely to bring food items to the Thanksgiving celebration if it is a potluck, resulting in an abundance of food. Why not make yourself stand out by bringing flowers rather than having to worry about what dish to bring or bringing the same dish as someone else? If you need ideas about eye-catching and stunning Thanksgiving centerpieces, you can contact our florists at David's Flowers serving areas around Midwest City, OK.
A flower arrangement is a convenient and thoughtful idea and much better than showing up emptyhanded. The whole point of Thanksgiving is to celebrate the joy of giving and sharing!
We would like everyone to enjoy their Thanksgiving celebrations, so if you need any help picking out the right flower arrangements for your party, contact us! Our friendly and knowledgeable staff will gladly assist you according to your specific needs and preferences. We wish you all a great Thanksgiving celebration!