Oct.12th: Family Circus - Thanksgiving

Hello Everyone!

Today’s comic is Family Circus.  It is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada so today’s comic has a Thanksgiving theme. 

Note: Americans celebrate Thanksgiving in November.  Family Circus is an American comic. 

Comic Breakdown

“I wish the Pilgrims had sent out for PIZZA on the first Thanksgiving ’stead of shootin’ a turkey.”

 – Billy

Spelling

The word ’stead is short for “instead” and shootin’ is short for “shooting”.  You can only write in these short forms if you are writing a dialogue.  The shortened words are meant to represent casual speech in which parts of words are dropped. 

Who were the Pilgrims?

The word “pilgrim” itself refers to a traveler that is on a religious journey. 

The “Pilgrims” that are being referenced in this comic refer to the English settlers who settled in Plymouth Colony, present day Massachusetts in the United States, in the early 1600s.  This group of settlers from England were called “Pilgrims” because they were looking for religious freedom.  The Pilgrims were English Christians that had separated from the main Church because of their differing practices and beliefs.  For more information, read here.

The Origins of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is a North American holiday that is celebrated in the Autumn; October in Canada and November in the USA. 

The holiday began in early colonial North America in the 1500s and 1600s but celebrations of “thanks” related to religion already existed in Europe.  Canadian and American Thanksgiving origins are slightly different but both share the same idea of early settlers giving thanks for something.  For example, to give thanks for surviving a voyage across the ocean for early explorers and settlers.  For most though, in Canada and the USA, Thanksgiving was popularly celebrated to give thanks for a good harvest.  Today, Thanksgiving is a popular cultural and secular (non-religious) holiday.

Traditionally, turkey (a bird similar to a chicken that is native to North America) is commonly eaten for this holiday.  The Thanksgiving meal is meant to be a feast to celebrate the harvest which is reflected in the foods served such as sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie. 

For more information on Thanksgiving, read here. 

In conclusion, this comic is funny because it shows how a child is not fully aware of history.  They are aware of who the early settlers to America were, the Pilgrims.  However they do not know that pizza was not eaten or available in America hundreds of years ago.  Nor did food delivery services exist in colonial (1600s) America. 

Happy Canadian Thanksgiving and Happy Columbus Day (USA) everyone!

Today’s images are from here, here, here and here.