Nov. 24 - Americans celebrate Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November each year by gathering with family and friends for a holiday feast. Many nations, including Japan, celebrate harvest festivals. The American custom of Thanksgiving began in 1622 when a group of 53 English settlers invited about 90 Native Americans to celebrate their bountiful harvest. The English settlers could not have survived in the harsh new world were it not for the Native Americans who taught them farming and hunting techniques suited to their new environment.

For our festive Thanksgiving dinner, my family usually serves turkey, dressing, sweet potatoes, autumn vegetables, cornbread, cranberry sauce, and pumpkin or apple pie for dessert. America is a diverse land with many culinary traditions. If you are interested in trying your hand at some American Thanksgiving family food, please check out these recipes for Turkey and Pumpkin Pie.

This year Ann and I will celebrate Thanksgiving in Tokyo - far away from our families in California. We decided to invite other Embassy staff to our home to celebrate Thanksgiving together. We will enjoy a nice dinner of traditional roasted turkey, Ann's special cranberry and orange sauces, green beans with almonds, ginger carrots, roast potatoes with garden herbs, ginger-pear cobbler and pumpkin pie for dessert, all accompanied with California wines. But most of all, we will enjoy each other's company and give thanks for our many blessings.

Until next time,

Jim