The origin of April Fool's Day and Thanksgiving Day

April 1 is April Fool's Day, a traditional western folk festival. April Fool's Day originated in France. 1564, France adopted the newly reformed calendar-Gregorian calendar (the current universal solar calendar) for the first time, with 65438+ 10/as the beginning of the year. However, some old-fashioned people oppose this reform and still stubbornly celebrate the New Year by giving gifts on April 1 day according to the old calendar. Advocates of reform laugh at these old-fashioned practices. Smart and funny people gave them fake gifts on April 1, invited them to a fake wine party, and called the deceived conservatives "April Fools" or "Fish on the Hook". From then on, people fooled each other on April 1 day, which became a popular custom in France. /kloc-At the beginning of the 8th century, the custom of April Fool's Day spread to Britain, and was later brought to the United States by early British immigrants.

Thanksgiving Day is an important holiday for Americans. Every year on the fourth Thursday of June 165438+ 10, American families hold a big Thanksgiving dinner. The most common traditional food is Indian pudding made of turkey, pumpkin pie and corn flour. On this day, some Americans take family trips or visit relatives and friends to enjoy family happiness. During Thanksgiving, American cities and towns will hold costume parades, theatrical performances, shooting, target shooting and other sports competitions. Some American families, religious organizations and charities also provide free turkey banquets for the poor, orphans and vagrants, so that those unfortunate people can also get a human warmth on Thanksgiving Day.

Thanksgiving originated from early settlers in Plymouth, Massachusetts. These immigrants were called Puritans in England. Dissatisfied with the incomplete religious reform of the Church of England and the political repression and religious persecution of the king and the Church of England, these Puritans left the Church of England and went to Holland. Later, they decided to move to a desolate place on the other side of the Atlantic, hoping to live freely according to their own wishes.

1620 In September, the ship Mayflower left England with 102 Puritans and their families for North America. After more than two months of hard sailing, it landed in Plymouth, Massachusetts, and settled down from then on. In the first winter, more than half of these Puritans died at once because of lack of food, cold weather, epidemic disease and overwork. The following spring, Masasuode, the chief of the local Indian tribe, led the kind Indians, gave grain seeds to the Puritans and taught them to hunt, grow crops and fish. With the help of Indians, the Puritans had a bumper harvest that year. William bradford, the first governor, suggested setting up a festival to celebrate the harvest and thank God for his gift. At the same time, I also want to use this festival to strengthen the harmonious relationship between whites and Indians. 1621165438+1On a Thursday in late October, the Puritans brought by Massasod and 90 Indians got together to celebrate the first Thanksgiving in American history. Male Puritans go out hunting and catch turkeys, while women cook delicious food with corn, pumpkin, sweet potato and fruit at home. In this way, whites and Indians ate, chatted, sang and danced around the bonfire, and the whole celebration lasted for three days.

Since then, Europeans who immigrated to the United States have basically followed the form of the first Thanksgiving celebration on the North American continent. 1789, Washington, the first president of the United States, officially stipulated that165438+1October 26th was the first Thanksgiving celebrated by the whole country. However, for a long time, each state has set a holiday date according to its own situation. 194 1 year, with the approval of President Roosevelt, the U.S. Congress passed a bill declaring the fourth Thursday of June as the national Thanksgiving Day every year.