With Thanksgiving just around the corner many of us are getting ready to have a traditional Thanksgiving. We always think of Thanksgiving with turkey and all the trimmings.

Many Americans get ready to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. This parade actually started in 1924, and now has a viewing of 44 million. Later in the day many people like to enjoy the football games.

Many Americans don’t realize it, but since ancient times people have given thanks, and celebrate various forms of Thanksgiving. Greeks, Romans, Chinese and Egyptians all had special harvest festivals. People in ancient times believed that spirits were the cause of crops that were to be harvested. Many Egyptians pretended to weep and be sad, so as not to offend the spirits, if they had a successful harvest. Many ancients had special harvest festivals. Americans of Vietnamese descent celebrate Tet-Trung-Thu or mid Autumn Festival. This holiday is mainly for the children. Children perform dances and activities include arts and crafts.

Thanksgiving Traditions for Americans of Chinese descent include a feast of moon cakes, which is a form of giving thanks. This celebration is held on the 15th day of the

8th lunar month. Moon Cakes are sent to friends and family as a form of giving thanks. The moon according to Chinese legend is said that the moon is supposed to be the

brightest on this day. Many Chinese believe that on this day, you may make new friends. This holiday is known as the Mid-Autumn Festival. With the moon being round,

thus the name Moon Cakes. Thanksgiving Traditions are a wonderful thing to have and start in your family. It will give your children wonderful memories.