Thursday is Thanksgiving, and we’re looking back on the American tradition and times when Cumbrians have given thanks.

The harvest thanksgiving festival at Belle Vue Primary SchoolThe harvest thanksgiving festival at Belle Vue Primary School (Image: The Cumberland News Photographic)
The occasion is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November and is famous for being a day for eating turkey and pumpkin pie. It is a federal holiday, so most schools and businesses are closed.

Lanercost Brownies and Guides at the 1975 ThanksgivingLanercost Brownies and Guides at the 1975 Thanksgiving (Image: The Cumberland News Photographic)
The day after Thanksgiving is Black Friday, which is also a holiday in more than 20 states, allowing people to benefit from a long weekend known as Thanksgiving break.

A service of Thanksgiving and Remembrance at Carlisle Cathedral for the 2nd Battalion The Duke Of Lancaster's Regiment on their return from Afghanistan (Image: Newsquest)
In 1621, the Plymouth colonists from England and the Native American Wampanoag people shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies.

Kingsman Liam Bell, 22, from Upperby, at the Thanksgiving serviceKingsman Liam Bell, 22, from Upperby, at the Thanksgiving service (Image: Newsquest)
For more than two centuries, days of thanksgiving were celebrated by individual colonies and states. It wasn’t until 1863, in the midst of the Civil War, that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national Thanksgiving Day to be held each November.

The regiment in the city centre after the service of Thanksgiving and RemembranceThe regiment in the city centre after the service of Thanksgiving and Remembrance (Image: Newsquest)
But the holiday is not without controversy. Many Americans – including people of Native American ancestry – believe Thanksgiving celebrations mask the true history of oppression and bloodshed that underlies the relationship between European settlers and Native Americans.

Crowds gather to see the regimental procession in the city centreCrowds gather to see the regimental procession in the city centre (Image: Newsquest)
Traditionally, Thanksgiving in the USA is a day when families gather together to celebrate, give thanks for what they are grateful for, and eat a traditional Thanksgiving dinner.
“Happy Thanksgiving” is a common expression used around the holiday and many simply refer to it as Turkey Day, since the Thanksgiving dinner has become such a significant ritual.

Soldiers bow their heads at the service at Carlisle CathedralSoldiers bow their heads at the service at Carlisle Cathedral (Image: Newsquest)

As well as the United States, other countries that celebrate include Canada, Grenada, Saint Lucia, and Liberia. The day marks the opening of the Christmas season and shopping period and is an opportunity for football games and other sporting events. Some people see it as an occasion to volunteer at places like soup kitchens and food banks and parades take place, the most famous being the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York.

The Very Reverend Mark Boyling, Dean of Carlisle, right, makes his way to the altarThe Very Reverend Mark Boyling, Dean of Carlisle, right, makes his way to the altar (Image: Newsquest)
Cumbria has had its own thanksgivings over the years, including a Thanksgiving and Remembrance service at Carlisle Cathedral for the 2nd Battalion The Duke Of Lancaster’s Regiment on their return from Afghanistan in 2013.