文化背景
当时只有英国，没有美国。英国本土的清教徒对宗教改革不满意，又为了避免早受益迫害，102位清教徒便乘坐历史上有名的“五月花”号船，在一个寒冷的冬天到达美洲。90名印第安人给他们送来了生活必需品，还特地派人教他们怎样狩猎、捕鱼和种植玉米、南瓜，于是他们有了大丰收，便和这些印第安人一同庆祝，感谢上帝的带领，也感谢他们的帮助。这是历史上的第一个感恩节。
Indian
1.Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November, a different date every year.Thanksgiving is a time for tradition and sharing.
2. Even if they live far away, family members gather for a reunion at the house of an older relative. All give thanks together for the good things that they have.
Turkey, corn, pumpkins and cranberry sauce（小红莓调味酱汁）are symbols which represent the first Thanksgiving.
Now all of these symbols are drawn on holiday decorations and greeting cards.The use of corn meant the survival of the colonies（殖民）. "Indian corn" as a table or door decoration represents the harvest and the fall season.
感恩节的由来
Thanksgiving Day is the most truly American of the national holidays in the United Stales and is most closely connected with the earliest history of the country.
感恩节是美国国定假日中最地道、最美国式的节日，而且它和早期美国历史最为密切相关。
In 1620, the settlers, or Pilgrims, they sailed to America on the May flower, seeking a place where they could have freedom of worship. After a tempestuous two-month voyage they landed at an icy November, what is now Plymouth, Massachusetts.
1620年，一些朝圣者(或称为清教徒)乘坐 "五月花"号船去美国寻求宗教自由。他们在海上颠簸折腾了两个月之后，终于在酷寒的十一月里，在现在的马萨诸塞州的普里茅斯登陆。
Mayflower
During their first winter, over half of the settlers died of starvation or epidemics. Those who survived began sowing in the first spring. All summer long they waited for the harvests with great anxiety, knowing that their lives and the future existence of the colony depended on the coming harvest. Finally the fields produced a yield rich beyond expectations. And therefore it was decided that a day of thanksgiving to the Lord be fixed. Years later, President of the United States proclaimed the fourth Thursday of November as Thanksgiving Day every y-ear The celebration of Thanksgiving Day has been observed on that dale until today.
在第一个冬天，半数以上的移民都死于饥饿和传染病，活下来的人们在第一个春季开始播种。整个夏天他们都热切地盼望着丰收的到来，他们深知自己的生存以及殖民地的存在与否都将取决于即将到来的收成。后来，庄稼获得了意外的丰收，所以大家决定要选一个日子来感谢上帝的恩典。多年以后，美国总统宣布每年十一月的第四个星期四为感恩节。感恩节反祝活动使定在这一天，直到今天。
The pattern of the Thanksgiving celebration has never changed through the years. The big family dinner is planned months ahead. On the dinner table, people will find apples, oranges, chestnuts, walnuts and grapes. There will be plum pudding, mince pie, other varieties of food and cranberry juice and squash The best and most attractive among them are roast turkey and pumpkin pie. They have been the most traditional and favorite food on Thanksgiving Day throughout the years.
感恩节庆祝模式许多年来从未改变。丰盛的家宴早在几个月之前就开始着手准备。人们在餐桌上可以吃到苹果、桔子、采子、胡桃和葡萄，还有葡萄干布丁、碎肉馅饼、各种其它食物以及红莓苔汁和鲜果汁，其中最妙和最吸引人的大菜是烤火鸡和南瓜馅饼，这些菜一直是感恩节中最富于传统意义和最受人喜爱的食品。
Thanksgiving today is, in every sense， a national annual holiday on which Americans of all faiths and backgrounds join in to express their thanks for the year's bounty and reverently ask for continued blessings.
今天的感恩节是一个不折不扣的国定假日。在这一天，具有各种信仰和各种背景的美国人，共同为他们一年来所受到的上苍的恩典表示感谢，虔诚地祈求上帝继续赐福。
thankful
For all that I have and all that I lack
For radiant smiles and tears held back
For joy and fear, triumph and strife
I give thanks today for the gift of my life
感谢我的一切所有和不曾得到
感谢灿烂笑容和强忍的泪水
感谢喜悦与恐惧、胜利与失意的陪伴
此时此刻，我感谢生命，感谢它的赠予
Thanks for everything I have in life!
补充版：
感恩节（Thanksgiving Day）是美国人民独创的一个古老节日，也是美国人合家欢聚的节日。1941年，美国正式将每年11月第四个星期四定为“感恩节”。感恩节假期一般会从星期四持续到星期天。
17世纪，英国清教徒不堪忍受英国国内宗教迫害，乘着“五月花”号船到达美洲。在印第安人的帮助下，移民们学会了狩猎、捕鱼和种植玉米、南瓜等。到了冬天，他们获得了丰收，在欢庆丰收的日子，按照宗教传统习俗，移民规定了感谢上帝的日子，并决定为感谢印第安人的真诚帮助，邀请他们一同庆祝节日。
火鸡、玉米、南瓜和红莓酱是代表第一次感恩节的象征。这些象征经常出现在假日的装饰上和问候卡上。特别是玉米，代表清教徒移民的死中求生经历。用在餐桌或门上的装饰，玉米代表着收获和秋天。
团聚
在美国，像中国的春节一样，感恩节当天，成千上万的人们不管多忙，都要和自己的家人团聚。全国各地，丈夫和妻子、孩子和老人，从市到镇、从镇到乡、从乡到庄，都回到老家共度节日。回不了家的人也打长途电话和父母家人畅谈，分享感恩的事。
晚宴
感恩节的晚宴是美国人一年中很重视的一餐。这一餐的食物非常之丰富。在餐桌上，火鸡和南瓜饼都是必备的。
火鸡是感恩节的传统主菜，通常是把火鸡肚子里塞上各种调料和拌好的食品，然后整只烤出，鸡皮烤成深棕色，由男主人用刀切成薄片分给大家。
游行
每逢感恩节这一天，美国举国上下热闹非凡，城乡市镇到处举行化装游行、戏剧表演和体育比赛等，学校和商店也都按规定放假休息。孩子们还模仿当年印第安人的模样穿上离奇古怪的服装，画上脸谱或戴上面具到街上唱歌、吹喇叭。
购物
感恩节第二天的周五称为“黑色星期五”。之所以叫这个名字，据说是因为在这一天，美国的各种商店都会对商品进行打折销售，所以周五这天一大早，所有人都要摸着黑冲到商场排队买便宜货，提前开始血拼“黑色星期五”。
南瓜赛跑
比赛者用一把小勺推着南瓜跑，规则是绝对不能用手碰南瓜，先到终点者获奖。比赛用的勺子越小，游戏就越有意思。
感恩节祝福语
洋气的写几句英文吧
Thanksgiving wishes for you and your family.
给你们全家感恩节的祝福。
Warm wishes at Thanksgiving.
在感恩节，衷心地祝福你们。
I wish you could be here>但愿你能来过感恩节。
It will be sad not to see you during the holiday when families get together.
家人团聚的节日里，不能看到你，我会感到难过。
Our first Thanksgiving should be our best.
我们第一次共度的感恩节是我们最美好的时光。
I wouldn't want to spend Thanksgiving with anyone else.
我只愿和你共度感恩节。
Thanksgiving just won't be the same without you.
没有你，感恩节就不会一样了。
This will be our first Thanksgiving apart.
这将是我们第一次不在一起过感恩节。
Thanksgiving is a time when I tell you that I love you.
感恩节就是我告诉你我爱你的时候。
Thanksgiving is a great time to tell you that we love you kids.
孩子们，感恩节这时刻，我们要说：我们爱你们。
Thanksgiving is the best holiday of the year.
感恩节是一年中最好的节日。
I love to eat, so I love Thanksgiving.
我爱吃，所以我爱感恩节。
I hope you are feeling thankful after your supper.
希望你吃过晚饭后有感恩的心情。
I will be home for Thanksgiving, so save a little turkey for me.
我会回家过感恩节，所以请留点儿火鸡给我。
Have a MID-FULL Thanksgiving!
感恩节请勿暴饮暴食！
Have a FULL Thanksgiving day!
感恩节快乐！好好吃一顿吧！
For all the days that I have been lonely,
在我孤独寂寞之时，
for all the times that I have felt blue,
在我忧伤痛苦之时，
for all the times I needed a shoulder to lean>在我需要依靠之时，
Thanks for being there as a friend so true!
感谢有你，我真诚的朋友！
Happy Thanksgiving!
感恩节快乐！
You are the joy of my life.
是你给我带来了欢笑。
From childhood through adulthood, the sharing continues!
从小到大，未曾间断！
Happy Thanksgiving day!
我的朋友，感恩节快乐！
Just dig into the roast turkey.
好好享受美味的感恩节火鸡吧！
Wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving!
愿你有个美好的感恩节！
A card can say more than a thousand words.
一张卡片胜过千言万语。
Happy Thanksgiving day!
感恩节快乐，我的朋友！
