It's almost time for Turkey Day, and even though our celebrations might look a little different this year, we can still celebrate and be thankful! According to the Library of Congress, we first celebrated Thanksgiving in the United States in 1789, and while "Most early Thanksgiving days were spontaneous celebrations...by the mid-nineteenth century, an annual fall Thanksgiving meal was customary throughout much of the United States and its Territories."
If you're looking for things to do this Thanksgiving, including recipes and tips for cooking a delicious meal, look no farther. We have crafts (including some that are family-Zoom friendly), local activities, books, movies and more. First, some Thanksgiving resources from BiblioTech Public Library:
- On BiblioBoard:
- Listen to a narrator read George Washington's proclamation that dedicated a day of National Thanksgiving in 1789
- Watch a video about the history of the holiday
- Learn how to Create Thanksgiving Crafts, including a Thank You Banner
- On cloudLibrary:
- Read all kinds of Thanksgiving tales, including Franklin's Thanksgiving, which is a great family readaloud option
- Check out a cookbook for the big meal you're planning! We highly recommend America's Test Kitchen's Thanksgiving Playbook
- On hoopla:
- A Holiday Feast at Home is a collection curated especially for Thanksgiving 2020
- Also, check out more crafts for the holiday
- On Kanopy:
- Watch The Oath, a movie featuring Tiffany Hadish, about a man struggling with family politics during Thanksgiving
- Learn from The Great Courses Food as a Ritual movie, where they discuss many food rituals, including Thanksgiving
We also have music you can play while you cook and many more resources you can enjoy, including magazines with innovative new recipes!
If you're looking for things to do or watch this Thanksgiving, consider participating in the San Antonio Food Bank's annual Turkey Trot, which will be a virtual 5k this year. This event supports the Food Bank, which has been providing food to thousands more families than normal this fall and is able to provide 7 meals from every $1 they receive. It's a great way to support a good cause and go for a family walk after a big meal.
While there won't be any spectators present, the Thanksgiving Day Macy's Parade will still be broadcast right to your TV. Watch it from 9am to noon on Turkey Day. You can also watch the lighting of the giant H-E-B Christmas Tree in Travis Park from the comfort of your home. The tree lighting will be live on the H-E-B YouTube channel Friday night. Check it out!
Also, Wired has a list of the best Thanksgiving episodes that ever aired on TV, and, from The New York Times, here is a list of the best books of 2020 (hint: you can find them for free on cloudLibrary!).
Planning to gather virtually with family or friends? USA Today provided some handy tips for having a successful Zoom holiday, as did our local Texas Public Radio show, The Source.
We're wishing you a safe and happy Thanksgiving from BiblioTech Public Library! Let us know how your holiday goes on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
Looking for more BiblioTech News? We've got you covered!