People across the western hemisphere will celebratie, Thanksgiving on 24 November to appreciate the blessing of the year. Thanksgiving in the United States marks the onset of the holidays and is declared as a national holiday in the country.
The tradition of celebrating Thanksgiving can be traced back to 1621. According to history, Thanksgiving originated from the celebration at Plymouth in present-day Massachusetts where local Native Americans were invited by the religious refugees from England known popularly as the Pilgrims after a particularly successful growing season. It is more significant because the previous year's harvest had failed and many pilgrims had starved to death.
Traditionally people celebrate Thanksgiving by preparing a sumptuous meal including turkey roast, sweet potatoes, cornbread, mashed potatoes, pies and cakes. Friends and family gather for the event and decorate their houses and spend some quality time together.
Thanksgiving is also quite popular in Singapore and is marked by bustling businesses and festive mood. Several restaurants will be arranging special Thanksgiving dinners and buffets where plates brimming with festive offerings.
IBTimes Singapore has gathered top quotes from icons expressing their gratitide which can be shared with your loved ones:
- "The Pilgrims made seven times more graves than huts. No Americans have been more impoverished than these who, nevertheless, set aside a day of thanksgiving." - H.U. Westermayer
- "As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them," - John F. Kennedy
- "We are blessed in so many ways; many things we take for granted but we should stop and be thankful each and every day." - Catherine Pulsifer
- "Make it a habit to tell people thank you. To express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return. Truly appreciate those around you, and you'll soon find many others around you. Truly appreciate life, and you'll find that you have more of it." - Ralph Marston
A crab and shrimp dish Reuters - "I am grateful for what I am and have. My thanksgiving is perpetual." - Henry David Thoreau
- "They both seemed to understand that describing it was beyond their powers, the gratitude that spreads through your body when a burden gets lifted, and the sense of homecoming that follows, when you suddenly remember what it feels like to be yourself." - Tom Perrotta
- "Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity...it makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." - Melody Beattie
Elves walk through Time's Square during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York Reuters - "Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some." - Charles Dickens
- "I write about the power of trying, because I want to be okay with failing. I write about generosity because I battle selfishness. I write about joy because I know sorrow. I write about faith because I almost lost mine, and I know what it is to be broken and in need of redemption. I write about gratitude because I am thankful - for all of it." - Kristin Armstrong
A man attends a prayer session at Biftu Bole Lutheran Church during a prayer and candle ceremony for Thanksgiving Reuters - "Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough." - Oprah Winfrey
- "Instead of being critical of people in authority over you and envious of their position, be happy you're not responsible for everything they have to do. Instead of piling on complaints, thank them for what they do. Overwhelm them with encouragement and appreciation!" - Joyce Meyer
- "As we are going into Thanksgiving weekend, I want the American people to know that we are taking every possible step to keep our homeland safe," – Barack Obama
- "Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings." - William Arthur Ward
- "Gratitude bestows reverence, allowing us to encounter everyday epiphanies, those transcendent moments of awe that change forever how we experience life and the world." - John Milton
- "The willingness of America's veterans to sacrifice for our country has earned them our lasting gratitude." - Jeff Miller
