| Widely regarded as an all-America holiday, | | | | also had a annual day of thanksgiving each December. |
| Thanksgiving Day is commonly believed to | | | | The autumn celebration of Thesmosphoria honored |
| commemorate the Pilgrims' survival of a hard winter | | | | the Greek goddess Demeter, goddess of grains, and |
| and successful harvest early after their arrival in | | | | also included a feast. Native American tradition |
| America. But is there more to this holiday tradition? | | | | recognized a variety of fall harvest festivals |
| And should you celebrate it? | | | | associated with the moon cycle and including feasting |
| Harvest festivals date back thousands of years, and | | | | days as well. |
| were traditionally a time to give expressions of | | | | Although modern-day Thanksgiving celebrations do |
| gratitude and sacrifices to various gods in | | | | not directly deal with pagan traditions, pagan origins |
| appreciation of a bountiful growing season. Fall | | | | are clear in Thanksgiving practices, which may be |
| Equinox, which generally falls around September 21 or | | | | cause for concern for sincere Christians who wish to |
| 22 in America, is a popular time for harvest festivals | | | | live by the scriptural principles laid out in the Bible that |
| and has been associated with celebrations in cultures | | | | believers cannot drink from the cup of demons and |
| around the world including Druids, Mayans, Native | | | | the cup of God at the same time (1 Corinthians |
| Americans and others, and included ceremonial | | | | 10:20-22) and that true and false worship can have |
| activities such as fertility rituals and burnt offerings. | | | | no common ground (2 Corinthians 6:15, 16). |
| Although the Thanksgiving holiday does not have a | | | | For those who are nonreligious, or who view |
| direct correlation with a single pagan ritual, it evokes | | | | Thanksgiving as only a family tradition rather than a |
| many of these traditions. For instance, the | | | | real holiday, there is still cause for concern in the |
| Thanksgiving cornucopia started as a hollowed goat's | | | | excess that Thanksgiving has come to encourage. In |
| horn filled with fruits, vegetables, and grains. This | | | | most Thanksgiving celebrations, the focus is on food |
| practice is rooted in Greek mythology, a legend in | | | | and football, and the upcoming shopping season, |
| which goat Amalthea broke off one of her horns and | | | | rather than on gratitude. |
| offered it to king of the gods, Zeus, as a sign of | | | | Whether you choose to celebrate the Thanksgiving |
| reverence. | | | | holiday is a personal decision, and should be made |
| The Roman celebration Cerelia, honoring the goddess | | | | based on thoughtful consideration of its true meaning, |
| Ceres, goddess of corn, occurred annually on | | | | not on pressure of tradition. Will you choose to |
| October 4 and included a thanksgiving feast. Romans | | | | celebrate Thanksgiving? |