Thanksgiving Day / Black Friday

Typical Thanksgiving dinner

Thanksgiving Day is celebrated in the USA on the 4th Thursday of November. 

It dates back to the year 1621, when the Pilgrim Fathers celebrated their first successful harvest in the New World with some native Americans, as a sign of gratitude towards them for their help with the new crops and farming techniques, and also to thank God for his protection and blessings. 

Nowadays, it is a big family gathering, which is cheerfully longed for by all kinds of people. It is a school holiday, and most workers can also enjoy the long weekend, so everybody travels to their hometowns to be with their families for the big Thanksgiving dinner.

Charity plays an important role in this festivity. On the days before, there are food drives to supply the food banks that distribute food to homeless people, and it is also common to invite a person that doesn´t have the opportunity to celebrate the festivity to join your family for dinner.

DOCUMENTARY: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2auu5d_history-of-thanksgiving-educational-documentary_school

Black Friday is the day after Thanksgiving Day, and it is basically the beginning of the Christmas shopping season, when the majority of shops, especially the big chains, have special offers to promote and anticipate the first Christmas purchases.