南卡哥伦比亚:谈谈美国的holiday,in english.thanks

Thanksgiving was first celebrated in 1621, when Plymout(普利茅斯） governor William Bradford invited neighboring. Native Americans to join the Pilgrims for a three-day festival in gratitude for the successful harvest that followed a hard winter.

The feast the sat down to had very little in common with today's celebration, however. It is quite likely that their feast consisted of fish, venison(鹿肉), corn and other vegetables. Today's traditional dinner of turkey, mashed potatoes(土豆泥), green bean casserole(焙盘菜), cranberry sauce(越橘酱) and pumpkin pie is mainly the result of a strong advertising campaign by turkey producers.

Thanksgiving was proclaimed a national holiday by President Abraham Lincoln in 1863. Many Americans consider this to be only an American holiday although it is also celebrated in Canada and harvest festivals are held throughout the world.

Federal Legal Holidays 2006
• January 1, 2006: New Year's Day [Jan. 1 every year]
• January 16, 2006: Martin Luther King Day [3rd monday in Jan]
• February 20, 2006: Presidents Day [Washington's Birthday] (observed) [3rd monday in Feb]
• May 29, 2006: Memorial Day (observed) [last monday in May]
• July 4, 2006: Independence Day [July 4 every year]
• September 4, 2006: Labor Day [1st monday in Sept]
• October 9, 2006: Columbus Day (observed) [2nd monday in Oct]
• November 11, 2006: Veterans' Day [Nov. 11 every year]
• November 23, 2006: Thanksgiving Day [4th thursday in Nov]
• December 25, 2006: Christmas Day [Dec. 25 every year]

Federal Legal Holidays 2007
• January 1, 2007: New Year's Day [Jan. 1 every year]
• January 15, 2007: Martin Luther King Day [3rd monday in Jan]
• February 19, 2007: Presidents Day [Washington's Birthday] (observed) [3rd monday in Feb]
• May 28, 2007: Memorial Day (observed) [last monday in May]
• July 4, 2007: Independence Day [July 4 every year]
• September 3, 2007: Labor Day [1st monday in Sept]
• October 8, 2007: Columbus Day (observed) [2nd monday in Oct]
• November 11, 2007: Veterans' Day [Nov. 11 every year]
• November 22, 2007: Thanksgiving Day [4th thursday in Nov]
• December 25, 2007: Christmas Day [Dec. 25 every year]