October 3, 1863 President Abraham Lincoln declared Thanksgiving as a national holiday to be celebrated the last Thursday in November. He believed that even during war, we can count our blessings. But it was the relentless efforts of one woman, Sarah Hale, who for 17 years wrote to 5 presidents, numerous congressmen and governors lobbying to unify the country with one national day of Thanksgiving. Up until then, some states celebrated a day of Thanksgiving and some did not. Sarah Hale was a young widow with 5 children who ran a business making hats for women to support her family. She also began writing books and poetry. She went on to become the editor of our nations' #1 women's magazine becoming the Oprah of her time. She wrote a number of editorials supplying recipes for the Thanksgiving dinner we enjoyed this past week: turkey, stuffing,pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, and mashed potatoes. Be inspired to keep the joys and benefits of sitting around the family dinner table week in and week out as you ponder these words of Sarah Hale from her book "Manners: Or, Happy Homes and Good Society All the Year Round" 1868- from the chapter "Our National Thanksgiving." "Such social rejoicings tend greatly to expand the generous feelings of our nature, and strengthen the bond of union that binds us brothers and sisters in that true sympathy of American patriotism...This recreative joyousness, this return, if you please, to the gayeties of childhood, is good for the soul. It sweetens the temper, it brightens hope, increases our love for each other, and faith in the goodness of God."
And the rest of the story- Sarah Hale was the author of "Mary Had a little Lamb."
