Thanksgiving: What's the occasion all about?

Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrated in America every year on the fourth Thursday in November. It taking place on Thursday 24 November this year.

For many families, it's a chance to gather together and there are also Thanksgiving parades to mark the occasion. The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, which is one of the biggest and most famous, is back for its 98th year in New York.

Many people use Thanksgiving as a day to reflect on the positive things in life.

Nearly everyone gets one or two days off school or work, and it marks the beginning of the Christmas holiday season.

What's the history of Thanksgiving?

At the very first Thanksgiving, the Native Americans and the European settlers sat down to eat together. In this picture, people are recreating the story

Thanksgiving Day goes back to the time when Europeans went to start new lives in America.

In 1621 a group of Europeans, who became known as the 'Pilgrims', invited the local Native Americans to join them in a feast.

The Pilgrims had had trouble growing enough food to eat in the years before. The Native Americans had taught them how to grow crops successfully and, according to the story, to thank them for this, the Pilgrims invited them to a big feast.

Unfortunately good relations between Native Americans and pilgrims did not last long and violence between European settlers and Native Americans increased and led to many years of conflict.

How do people celebrate?

Most people have a big meal with all their family where they eat a massive Turkey - this has become a tradition because it's thought the Pilgrims probably ate turkey around the time of the first Thanksgiving feast.

But if turkey's not your thing, there are lots of other foods which are often eaten at Thanksgiving including potatoes, gravy, vegetables and sweet pies.

The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade started in New York in 1924

Lots of American football matches are on TV at Thanksgiving and the American president even stops one turkey every year from becoming Thanksgiving dinner!

Thanksgiving is followed by Black Friday, where lots of people head to the shops to take advantage of deals and discounts at different stores.