Area first graders give their take on the holiday
What is the true meaning of Thanksgiving?
Wanda English Burnett - Editor

Thanksgiving dates back to the 1600's and with it many stories about the true meaning. Teachers have long taught the story of the Pilgrims and Indians coming together to have a feast to celebrate living through a winter of great starvation and give thanks.

The first national Thanksgiving Day was proclaimed by George Washington on November 26, 1789. Although the custom was not observed for many years following that first proclamation, it was again revived in 1863 by President Abraham Lincoln. In 1941 Congress passed a joint resolution decreeing that Thanksgiving should fall on the fourth Thursday of November.

People gather across our nation to pause and give thanks on this day. While thanksgiving has different meanings for different people, some of the most interesting thoughts on the day are shared by area first graders. From questions about why we celebrate the day, their favorite foods, what they are most thankful for and their take on the first Thanksgiving, these students candidly shared.

Evan Smith, 6, from Milan Elementary noted that we celebrate Thanksgiving, "to give thanks." He went on to say at the first Thanksgiving, "Pilgrims did it to give thanks." He said his favorite food was turkey and he was most thankful for his family.

Honey Rose Hopkins, 6, also from Milan Elementary shared, "It's (Thanksgiving) a little specialer than the other holidays except Christmas because you get lots of presents." She further noted that Indians had little horses they let the Pilgrims ride on at the first Thanksgiving. "The Pilgrims wanted us to be happy," she noted. Honey said her favorite food was "pumpkin pie at Grandma's house." She was most thankful for God and the world.

Jac-Cen-Del first graders had something to say about the holiday as well. Twins, Lexie and Gracie Volz grinned a lot and waited for the other one before they carefully answered questions. They agreed that Brennan said, "and we cook turkeys and I saw a turkey in a bag and I think it weighed 200 pounds."

Their favorite foods were mashed potatoes and turkey. Ivy noted that her family has deer meat, turkey, mashed potatoes, pear pie with cinnamon and kind of runny cream, but not whipped cream. Brennan said his family eats turkey, mashed potatoes and chicken broth.

Brennan said the first Thanksgiving was about a guy who "was an Indian, took Indians for slaves and sold 'em." Then he admitted, "the second time I didn't hear all of it...I don't know what all's happened."

Ivy said she was most thankful for her baby sister, Katherine, who is 3.

Brennan was thankful for his grandpa, his dog he has had for a long time who had puppies.

Students from Sunman Elementary were eager to give their ideas about Thanksgiving. Besides getting some time off from school they were also thankful for other things. Matthew Kuebel, 7, kept it simple and said he was thankful for "life." Kalea Huber, 6, said "I'm thankful that God loves people." Shelby Lake, 6, was thankful for all her cousins, Roger McConnell, 6, was thankful for Jesus. Seth Bittner, 6, shared that he loved his brother and Cara Knueven, 6, said she was thankful for God.

They seemed to know a lot about the first Thanksgiving. "The Pilgrims met Squanto and showed him to other Indians," Shelby shared. Cara said people learned how to fish at the first Thanksgiving and Kalea noted that people at the first event "shared their food on a rectangle table."

What do they eat on Thanksgiving Day? Shelby said her grandma always has ice cream and popsickles - even on Thanksgiving. Cara said turkey sandwiches were popular along with ham. Kalea noted their family has "turkey, mashed potatoes, corn and beef."

Seth's words of wisdom about why we celebrate the holiday were these, "Because it's a thankful thing." Cara agreed and further stated, "It's a good thing for Jesus to know we're safe."

The bottom line after talking with 13 first graders, the true meaning of Thanksgiving is to give thanks.