Something You Probably Didn’t Know about Thanksgiving…

Thank You, Sarah by Laurie Halse Anderson tells the story of a woman named Sarah Hale who wanted a National Holiday of Thanksgiving in the United States.

It had previously only been celebrated in the East and haphazardly at best.  The tradition was beginning to die out due to growing pains of the United States.

So Mrs. Hale took her idea to Congress, newspapers, and Presidents.  She wrote magazine article and recruited women to her cause.  She wrote letters to Presidents Taylor, Fillmore, Pierce, and Buchanan who all said no.

Finally, after 38 years of writing letters, she wrote a letter to President Lincoln who said Yes!

So in 1863, Thanksgiving was declared a National Holiday largely due in part to one woman’s crusade to save Thanksgiving!

As you’re eating your turkey today remember to say thanks for all those who came before us and made this country what it is today.  And say thanks for Mrs. Hale who didn’t stop despite all the rejection.

We could learn a lesson from her perseverance, dedication, and iron will and how one ordinary person really can make a difference in this world.

Happy Thanksgiving!