A Thanksgiving Proclamation

Too often we take holidays for granted, They become such a part of our annual routines that we simply loose sight of their significance. Thanksgiving is no exception. We are inundated with new recipes, hints for hosting, parade coverage and Christmas shopping. The solemn and celebratory idea of setting aside a day for simply being thankful is smothered. But President Lincoln, in the midst of the Civil War was moved by a letter from a woman who had been campaigning for such a day for more than a decade. And with this proclamation from 1863, he set down for us the practice and tradition of giving thanks, as a nation. Not a bad idea.