🦃 Why Thanksgiving Was Created

1. To celebrate a successful harvest (1621)

The very first Thanksgiving traces back to 1621, when the Pilgrims at Plymouth celebrated their first successful harvest.

• They had struggled to survive their first winter.
  
  

• With help from the Wampanoag people—especially Squanto—they learned how to grow food.
  
  

• They held a feast of gratitude together.
  
  

This wasn’t a national holiday yet, just a celebration of survival and community.

2. To create a national day of gratitude (Abraham Lincoln, 1863)

Thanksgiving became an official U.S. holiday because of President Abraham Lincoln.

• During the Civil War, the country was divided and hurting.
  
  

• Writer & activist Sarah Josepha Hale (who also wrote “Mary Had a Little Lamb”) campaigned for decades to create a national day of thanks.
  
  

• Lincoln agreed, declaring Thanksgiving in 1863 as a way to unite Americans and encourage gratitude.
  
  

3. To celebrate family, blessings, and the end of the harvest season

By the 1900s, Thanksgiving became the holiday we know today:

• A day for family gathering
  
  

• A time to express thankfulness
  
  

• A celebration of the fall harvest
  
  

• A cultural tradition with food, parades, and community.

⭐ 1. Griffin is the birthplace of Doc Holliday.

Did you know the famous Wild West figure John Henry “Doc” Holliday was born in Griffin in 1851? He later became a legendary gunslinger and friend of Wyatt Earp.

⭐ 2. Griffin was once known as the “Iris City.”

Griffin earned the nickname “The Iris City” because the area was famous for its stunning iris farms and flower festivals in the early 1900s.

⭐ 3. The city was built around a major railroad hub.

Griffin grew rapidly in the 1840s thanks to the Macon & Western Railroad, becoming an important trading center that helped shape the region’s growth.

⭐ 4. Spalding County has one of the few remaining Rosenwald Schools.

The Griffin Rosenwald School, built in 1929, is part of a historic initiative that funded schools for African American children across the South — and Griffin’s is still preserved today.

Joke Of The Day

Why did the Griffin move to Georgia?

Because he heard the peaches were simply mythical!

🦃 Traditional Thanksgiving Menu

🧀 Appetizers

• Deviled Eggs

• Charcuterie Board with Cheddar, Brie, Grapes & Crackers

• Warm Spinach & Artichoke Dip with Toasted Bread

   

🍽️ Main Course

• Herb-Roasted Turkey (classic butter & herb rub)

• Honey-Glazed Spiral Ham (optional second entrée)

   

🥗 Side Dishes

• Southern Cornbread Dressing

• Homemade Turkey Gravy

• Garlic Mashed Potatoes

• Sweet Potato Casserole with Marshmallows

• Green Bean Casserole

• Cranberry Sauce (jellied or whole berry)

• Buttery Dinner Rolls

• Macaroni & Cheese (baked, southern-style)

   

🍰 Desserts

• Pumpkin Pie

• Pecan Pie

• Sweet Potato Pie

• Apple Cobbler

   

🍷 Drinks

• Sweet Tea

• Spiced Apple Cider

• Red & White Wine

• Hot Chocolate for the kids

   

🍽️ Non-Traditional Thanksgiving Menu

(Fun, modern, or globally inspired—great for families wanting something different)

🥟 Appetizers

• Korean BBQ Meatballs

• Caprese Skewers

• Shrimp Cocktail with Cajun Sauce

   

🍤 Main Course Options

• Cajun Fried Turkey

• Smoked Brisket

• Lemon-Garlic Butter Salmon

• Vegetarian Option: Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

   

🍚 Creative Side Dishes

• Cajun Dirty Rice

• Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Balsamic & Bacon

• Mediterranean Couscous Salad

• Jalapeño Cheddar Cornbread

• Loaded Baked Potato Casserole

• Creamy Cajun Alfredo Mac & Cheese

• Street-Corn Style Elote Off-the-Cob

   

🍮 Desserts

• Banana Pudding Cheesecake

• Peach Cobbler Egg Rolls

• Chocolate Lava Cakes

• No-Bake Oreo Cheesecake Cups

   

🍹 Drinks

• Thanksgiving Punch (cranberry + pineapple + ginger ale)

• Sangria Bar

• Sparkling Lemonade

• Hot Chai Latte