Thanksgiving: What is Turkey Day and the history behind it?

In 1621, a group of English separatists and Native Americans shared a meal near Plymouth Rock, establishing the Thanksgiving tradition that is celebrated across the US today. But now, the holiday is more about sport and socialising – and an American author and her English daughter explain why

American Thanksgiving can be explained in three words: family, food and football (the US version, that is).

But while the holiday is distinctly American today, Turkey Day has partially English origins.

“If it weren’t for the harvest home tradition from England, maybe it wouldn’t have occurred to the pilgrims to celebrate the first Thanksgiving,” explains American writer Erin Moore. “So I think Thanksgiving owes quite a bit to an English tradition.”

Moore, author of That’s Not English, a book that examines the cultural differences between Brits and Americans, gives an overview of the holiday’s history with a little help from her five-year-old daughter.