THANKSGIVING

Before the days of James I, a group of farmers ...............................(disagree) with the Church
of England. They * ....................... conform, said King James, or I will harry them out of
the kingdom. They ............................ (not/conform) and he (harry)...............................them
out of the kingdom. They (get) ................... on a ship called the Mayflower and
(sail).......................to the New World and (land) ........................ at Plymouth, Massachusetts,
and.(establish)........................... a colony. And since they (call).....................themselves
pilgrims they (become) ..................... known to the American history as the Pilgrim
Fathers.
Now, frankly, they (be) ............................... no better than they * ....................... be. Driven
out of England for refusing to conform to the Church of England, they promptly
(drive) ................. out of Plymouth all who (refuse)........................ to conform to the Church
of Plymouth. Never mind : they (give) ........................... us a lovely holiday.
What (happen) ...................... was: the pilgrims (befriend)........................... by the native
Americans the Indians who ........................... (teach) them how to fertilize the land with
eels , how to grow Indian corn and eat it off the cob, and how to cook and eat an American
bird called a turkey, and so forth. And the next Autumn, when the pilgrims
(reap)...................... a bountiful harvest, they (invite)....................... the Indians to a feast
where everybody (give).......................... thanks to God for the harvest. That feast
(be)................... the first American Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving Day is the fourth Thursday in November. The whole country
(shut)..................... down for it, and a Pilgrim * .......................... have a heart attack if he
*...................... see how it's celebrated , especially in New York. What( make) ....................
New York's Thanksgiving unique is the Macy's Parade, which (haul)..................... parents out
of bed early on Thanksgiving Day for 55 years. The parade (feature) ..............................
helium-filled balloon likenesses of cartoon characters, each as tall as a 6 or 7 -storey
building. It is therefore the only parade that ..........(float) high above the street- Central Park
West- and ........................... (watch) by huge crowds , all staring upwards.
But the real hallmark of Thanksgiving is the homecoming of family members living, or
working , or going to college far from home. Even though many of them *........... be back at
their jobs on Friday.
Americans across the country (be).............. determined to get home for Thanksgiving , our
quintessential family holiday, more so even than Christmas , since it (embrace) .....................
all religions and (recall).................... the Dissenter's faith on which this country
(found) ................ . So every fourth Thursday in November, I (lift) ................. a Martini glass
in salute to Samoset and the Pilgrims, who (give)....................... us the warmest homecoming
holiday ever made in America.

THANKSGIVING
Before the days of James I, a group of farmers disagreed with the Church of England. They
will conform, said King James, or I will harry them out of the kingdom. They did not
conform and he harried them out of the kingdom. They got on a ship called the Mayflower
and sailed to the New World and landed at Plymouth, Massachusetts, and established a
colony. And since they called themselves pilgrims they became known to the American
history as the Pilgrim Fathers.
Now, frankly, they were no better than they should be. Driven out of England for refusing
to conform to the Church of England, they promptly drove out of Plymouth all who refused
to conform to the Church of Plymouth. Never mind : they gave us a lovely holiday.
What happened was: the pilgrims were befriended by the native Americans the Indians
who taught them how to fertilize the land with eels , how to grow Indian corn and eat it off
the cob, and how to cook and eat an American bird called a turkey, and so forth. And the next
Autumn, when the pilgrims reaped a bountiful harvest, they invited the Indians to a feast
where everybody gave thanks to God for the harvest. That feast was the first American
Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving Day is the fourth Thursday in November. The whole country shuts down for it,
and a Pilgrim would have a heart attack if he could see how it's celebrated , especially in
New York. What makes New York's Thanksgiving unique is the Macy's Parade, which has
been hauling parents out of bed early on Thanksgiving Day for 55 years. The parade features
helium-filled balloon likenesses of cartoon characters, each as tall as a 6 or 7 -storey
building. It is therefore the only parade that floats high above the street- Central Park Westand is watched by huge crowds , all staring upwards.
But the real hallmark of Thanksgiving is the homecoming of family members living, or
working , or going to college far from home. Even though many of them will have to be
back at their jobs on Friday.
Americans across the country are determined to get home for Thanksgiving , our
quintessential family holiday, more so even than Christmas , since it embraces all religions
and recalls the Dissenter's faith on which this country was /is founded . So every fourth
Thursday in November, I lift a Martini glass in salute to Samoset and the Pilgrims, who gave
us the warmest homecoming holiday ever made in America.