by Elaine Marie Cooper
When
we sit down at our Thanksgiving meal this month, we’ll be recreating a
celebration that is as old as our country: sharing food with loved ones
while thanking the God Who has provided the abundance.
While
we understand that the First Thanksgiving was celebrated here by the
Mayflower survivors along with the Indians that had helped them, the
first official proclamation that was decreed to celebrate such a holiday
was in 1777. It was a recommendation to the thirteen states by the
Continental Congress to set aside December 18th that year as a
“solemn thanksgiving” to celebrate the first major victory for the
Continental troops in the American Revolution: the Battle of Saratoga.
The
Battle of Saratoga has significant interest for my own family since one
of my ancestors was a soldier there. But he was not on the American
side—he was a British Redcoat. After surrendering to the Americans, he
escaped the line of prisoners and somehow made his way to Massachusetts
and into the life and heart of my fourth great-grandmother. *SIGH*
L’amour!
This family story was the inspiration for my Deer Run Saga that begins in 1777 with The Road to Deer Run. There is an elaborate Thanksgiving meal scene in this novel as well as in the sequel, The Promise of Deer Run.
Some
may wonder why such detail was afforded this holiday in my novels set
in Massachusetts, while Christmas is barely mentioned. The reason is
simple: Thanksgiving was the major holiday in the northern colonies,
with Christmas considered nothing more special than a workday. According
to Jack Larkin in his book, The Reshaping of Everyday Life,
“The Puritan founders of New England and the Quaker settlers of
Pennsylvania had deliberately abolished (holidays) as unscriptural.”
But
Thanksgiving was begun as a way to give thanks to God for His provision.
It usually began with attending church services in the morning,
followed by an elaborate feast in the afternoon. The food for this meal
was prepared for weeks in advance.
Since
the individual state governors chose their own date to celebrate the
holiday, it was theoretically possible for some family members—if they
lived in close proximity—to celebrate multiple Thanksgiving meals with
family and friends across state borders. The dates chosen could be
anywhere from October to December, according to Dennis Picard, Director
of the Storrowton Village Museum in West Springfield, Massachusetts.
Chicken
was most commonly served, said Picard, as it was readily available in
the barnyard. And the oldest woman in the home had the honor of slicing
the fowl for dinner.
Pies were made well in advance of the holiday and stored and became frozen in dresser drawers in unheated rooms.
“I
like the idea of pulling out a dresser drawer for, say, a clean pair of
socks, and finding mince pies,” said Picard, tongue in cheek.
Indeed!
Have a BLESSED Thanksgiving!
Author Bio
Elaine Marie Cooper
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Elaine
Marie Cooper grew up in Massachusetts but now lives in the Midwest with
her husband, her three dogs and one huge cat. She has two married sons
and triplet grandchildren who are now one years old. The Promise of Deer Run
is dedicated to the triplets and to veterans who suffer from Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder.Elaine has been a magazine freelance writer
for many years, and is a regular contributor to a blog on the Midwest
called The Barn Door (www.thebarndoor.net) and a blog on Christian living called Reflections In Hindsight (ReflectionsInHindsight.
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