感恩节的由来要一直追溯到美国历史的发端。1620年，著名的“五月花”号船满载不堪忍受英国国内宗教迫害的清教徒102人到达美洲。1620年和1621年之交的冬天，他们遇到了难以想象的困难，饥寒交迫，最后活下来的移民只有50来人。心地善良的印第安人给移民送来了生活必需品，还特地派人教他们怎样狩猎、捕鱼和种植玉米、南瓜。在印第安人的帮助下，移民们终于获得了丰收，在欢庆丰收的日子，移民规定了感谢上帝的日子，并为感谢印第安人，邀请他们一同庆祝节日。感恩节流传了300多年，一直保留到今天。感恩节主要是为了表达对上帝的感恩，当清教徒们在艰难的环境中得到祝福的时候，他们没有忘记这是上帝的恩典，这是上帝的眷顾。所以特别的为了献上感谢，而有了感恩节。
Thanksgiving Day dates back to the beginning of American history. The 1620, the famous Mayflower, arrived in America with 102 pilgrims who had endured religious persecution in Britain. In the winter between the 1620 and the 1621, they faced unimaginable hardship, suffering from hunger and cold, and only about 50 immigrants survived. The good-hearted Indians brought the settlers the necessaries of life, and specially sent to teach them how to hunt, fish, and grow corn and squash. With the help of the Indians, the settlers finally got a good harvest. On the days of harvest celebration, the settlers set a day for giving thanks to God and invited the Indians to celebrate the festival with them. Thanksgiving has been around for over 300 years, and it’s still here today. Thanksgiving is primarily a time to show gratitude to God, and when the pilgrims were blessed in difficult circumstances, they did not forget that this was a blessing from God, a blessing from God. That’s why it’s so special to give thanks, to have thanksgiving.
在第一个感恩节的这一天，印第安人和移民欢聚一堂，他们在黎明时鸣放礼炮，列队走进一间用作教堂的屋子，虔诚地向上帝表达谢意，然后点起篝火举行盛大宴会，将猎获的火鸡制成美味佳肴盛情款待印第安人。第二天和第三天又举行了摔跤、赛跑、唱歌、跳舞等活动。第一个感恩节非常成功。
On the first Thanksgiving Day, Indians and settlers gathered together, fired a salute at dawn, marched into a room used as a church, piously thanked God, and lit bonfires for a grand feast, the captured Turkeys were turned into delicacies for the Indians. The next day and the third day held a wrestling, running, singing, dancing and other activities. The first Thanksgiving was a success.
感恩节庆祝模式许多年来从未改变。丰盛的家宴早在几个月之前就开始着手准备。人们在餐桌上可以吃到苹果、桔子、栗子、胡桃和葡萄，还有葡萄干布丁、碎肉馅饼、各种其他食物以及红莓苔汁和鲜果汁，其中最妙和最吸引人的大菜是烤火鸡和南瓜馅饼，这些菜一直是感恩节中最富于传统和最受人喜爱的食品。
The pattern of Thanksgiving celebrations has not changed for many years. Lavish family dinners have been planned for months. Apples, oranges, chestnuts, walnuts and grapes can be eaten at the table, as well as plum pudding, mince pies, various other foods, and cranberry juice and fresh fruit juice, the best and most appealing of these dishes are roast Turkey and Pumpkin Pie, which have long been among the most traditional and popular Thanksgiving foods.
人人都赞成感恩节大餐必须以烤火鸡为主菜。火鸡在烘烤时要以面包作填料以吸收从中流出来的美味汁液，但烹饪技术常因家庭和地区的不同而各异，应用什么填料也就很难求得一致。
Everyone agrees that the Thanksgiving dinner must have roast Turkey as the main course. Turkeys use bread as a stuffing to soak up the tasty juices, but cooking techniques vary from family to family and region to region, making it difficult to agree on what stuffing to use.
感恩节是美国人民独创的一个古老节日，也是美国人合家欢聚的节日。 初时感恩节没有固定日期，由美国各州临时决定。直到美国独立后的1863年，林肯总统宣布感恩节为全国性节日 。1941年，美国国会正式将每年11月第四个星期四定为"感恩节"。感恩节假期一般会从星期四持续到星期天。1879 年加拿大议会宣称11月6日是感恩节和全国性的假日。在随后的年代，感恩节的日期改变了多次，直到在1957 年1月31日，加拿大议会宣布每年十月的第二个星期一为感恩节。
