Thanksgiving Day 2013

Turkey and TV – and it’s not even Christmas!

If you thought eating turkey was just for Christmas, you couldn’t be more wrong. On Thursday 28 November, many of your American counterparts will be tucking into this tasty bird, together with potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce, gravy, vegetables and pumpkin pie. And they’ll be eating lots of turkey – roughly 535 million pounds of the stuff. But ‘why?’ we hear you ask, when Christmas is still less than a month away. The answer is simple – it’s Thanksgiving Day.
 

Thanksgiving Day is always celebrated in the United States on the fourth Thursday in November. It’s a time for people to give thanks for what they have and brings families and friends together for a special meal. Indeed, the average American will travel 214 miles to visit family and friends for the holiday.

But how did it all start? Thanksgiving Day has been an annual holiday in the United States since 1863, but many claim the first American Thanksgiving took place in 1621 with the pilgrims’ harvest celebration in Plymouth, Massachusetts. Others believe the first true thanksgiving was in 1623, when these same pilgrims gave thanks for rain that ended a drought. Whatever the date, people back then expressed their thanks in a special church service, rather than a feast.

Nowadays, Thanksgiving Day is very much focused on food, football and fun parades. Turkey is traditionally eaten because it was once a rare treat. During the 1830s, an eight- to ten-pound bird cost a day’s wages. What’s more, it was actually roast turkey, albeit in foil packets, that was the first meal eaten by Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin on the moon.

Spending hours watching football on Thanksgiving is a holiday favourite for many fans. This Thanksgiving, the Detroit Lions will play against the Green Bay Packers, the Dallas Cowboys will do battle with the Oakland Raiders, and the Pittsburgh Steelers will compete against the Baltimore Ravens. But if football doesn’t appeal, there’s always Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade to watch on TV or in person, if you happen to find yourself in New York. The parade, which has now been running for almost 90 years, is watched by 3.5 million people each year and attracts 50 million TV viewers. Local Thanksgiving parades also take place.

So if you’re an American in England − or just someone who loves all things American − and are thinking of hosting a Thanksgiving dinner, there’s a whole range of American paraphernalia available to make you feel at home. Dress up in a Stars and Stripes top hat or American flag eye mask, or set your table with USA Flying Colours napkins, paper cups and plates. After all, if you can’t make it to the USA, why not bring the USA to you!

Halloween traditions

Trick-or-treating

It's the evening of Thursday 31 October. The time is about 5pm. The doorbell rings. You go to answer it, wondering who it might be. And there, standing on your doorstep, is your first visitor of the evening - the Halloween trick-or-treater.

They come in all shapes and sizes - from the cute little girl in her fancy dress witch's costume, accompanied by mum, to the group of cheeky teenagers who, having found a monster mask or two between them, think they'll try their luck. And they're all after one thing of course - a treat in the form of chocolates, sweets, cakes, biscuits or even money.

Bat trick or treat bag: Ideal for collecting your goodies in

You'll hear them ask: 'Trick or treat?' and it's up to you whether you oblige them or take the forfeit. If you're happy to have them call, make sure you have a few wrapped chocolates to hand over, some mini packs of sweets, or a few coins if you haven't managed to get to the shops. Of course, you can always take the easy option and simply not answer the door. But where's the fun in that? The trick may be an idle threat, but who wants to run the risk of a mischievous prank being done on you or your home?

In embracing trick-or-treating, you’ll be following a Halloween tradition that’s practised in many countries around the world, including the United States, Canada, Republic of Ireland, Puerto Rico and Mexico. In Mexico, it’s known as calaverita (Spanish for little skull) and the children ask in Spanish: ‘Can you give me my little skull?’ which is a skull made of sugar or chocolate.

The practice dates back to 1895 where, in Scotland, on Halloween night, children disguised in costumes and carrying lanterns made out of scooped-out turnips, went from door to door asking for cakes, fruit and money. However, it was not until the 1980s that the term ‘trick or treat’ became more common in the UK, although it was first used in the United States in 1934.

So, whether you’re planning to welcome trick or treaters to your door or will be trick-or-treating yourself this year, make sure you take care. Be sensible about who you open the door to. Similarly, visit neighbours who are happy to have callers. You’ll know them from the lit-up pumpkins in their windows and the Halloween hanging decorations that adorn their homes.

Halloween celebrations

Top tips to make your Halloween party a huge hit

If you're planning a Halloween party, it's now time to start making preparations so that you'll be ready for the big day. Here are a few ideas to get you started in the run-up to your celebrations.

Costumes

As host of your Halloween party, you'll need to look the part. There is a whole range of fancy dress costumes to choose from - and for every member of the family. Girls can take their pick from a midnight spirit to a spider queen, while boys can be anything from a skeleton to the screecher. For women, become a devil or a demon for the evening, and watch the men transform themselves into Freddy Krueger or a crazy clown. But, if it's just accessories that you're after, there are no shortages of those available. A long black wig or a satin witch's hat will be sure to turn heads.

Decorations

Whether you're holding a Halloween party at home or in a hall, you'll certainly want to create the right atmosphere - and you'll be amazed at how a few decorations can transform a room. A well-placed black furry rat and a few plastic spiders, scattered here and there, will undoubtedly scare your guests - especially the arachnaphobes. Or, raise a smile or two with  a couple of hanging demons and a neon blinking skeleton.

Party food

You may be surprised at the number of recipes available with a Halloween theme. If you're planning on dishing up a meal, why not boil up a pumpkin soup, rustle up a goulash (ghoul-lash, get it?) or create a spiderweb-inspired pizza. A pumpkin risotto will always go down well, as will devilled chicken. And for dessert, how about a pumpkin pie, Halloween cupcakes or skull-shaped biscuits? Serve your culinary delights on the Mozaik plastic tableware range and everyone will be suitably impressed.

Entertainment

It wouldn't be a Halloween celebration without a few party games to get everyone in the right spirit - and there's something for everyone, whatever their age. For the little ones, bobbing for apples is always fun. Just fill a large pool or bucket with water and apples and get your younger guests to pick them out without using their hands. To make it more of a challenge, tie their hands behind their backs or use a blindfold. Filling a jar with candy corns or Halloween sweets - and getting the children to guess how many there are - is another way to keep them entertained. The child who guesses closest, gets to take the jar home with them.

As for the adults, there are countless games to keep them amused. When your guests arrive, tape a piece of paper to their back with a Halloween movie character written on it. Then encourage them to find out who they are by asking questions to the other partygoers. The first to guess their identity receives a prize. After a few drinks, your friends and family will be sure to find Mummy Wrap a good laugh. Just get your guests into pairs and have one from each pair wrap the other in toilet roll, spinning them as they go. The first person to get fully covered is the winner. And if you're guests are up for even more fun, a Halloween movie and trivia quiz or a dance contest with Halloween-themed music will get everyone mingling and in the party spirit.

So now you have a few ideas to get your Halloween celebration preparations underway, what will you be doing on Thursday 31 October?