Wishing all of my readers, and Janeites in the US, a very happy Thanksgiving day with your friends, family and fur fellows.
Jane Austen did not celebrate this American holiday in her lifetime, nor did she know of it. For one, she was an Englishwoman and the holiday was not an official annual tradition in the US until 1863, when, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed a national day of “Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens.” She did however write this thanksgiving prayer which I find quite fitting.
Give us a thankful sense of the blessings in which we live, of the many comforts of our lot; that we may not deserve to lose them by discontent or indifference. Hear us almighty God, for his sake who has redeemed us, and taught us thus to pray. Amen. – Jane Austen, Prayer I
I am very grateful for many blessings this holiday – and especially thankful of all of my fellow reviewers here on Austenprose: Christina, Kimberly, Jeffrey, Aia, Bro. Paul, Shelley, Lucy and Lisa. Your dedication, generosity of time, and writing skills are greatly appreciated by me and many. Thank you!
And last, but certainly not least, I am very thankful of the works of Jane Austen, whose author has given me many hours of enjoyment, admiration and inspiration!
Have a wonderful holiday everyone!
Cheers,
Laurel Ann
Related posts:
- ‘Prayers composed by my dear sister Jane’ – A Thankful Sense of Jane Austen’s Prayers
- Family Dinners, Regency Style
© 2012, Laurel Ann Nattress, Austenprose
Austenprose 
We don’t celebrate this holiday in Australia either and I’ve often thought it would be lovely to do so. None of us are grateful enough for what we have.
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Beautiful Laurel Ann, thank you, and Happy Thanksgiving to all!!!
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I, too, thank you, Laurel Ann, for posting this today. I’ve understood that it was the practice in the countryside where farms harvested the year’s crop that would feed the family or perhaps the entire estate, that a Harvest celebration was held, if not everywhere, then in some parts of England. Am I wrong about that? If I’m not mistaken, our earliest Thanksgivings were from the British tradition of thanking God for the provision He has made after bringing in the harvest and holding church services for the purpose of thanking God (thanksgiving) and then feasts that celebrated the success of the harvest.
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Thank you for posting this remembrance, Laurel Ann. Said so appropriately by the daughter of a clergyman. Yesterday, we had a house full for sure: Eight adults and 7 children who all spent a day emphasizing what they were thankful for rather than the problems they faced. Happy Thanksgiving to all who frequent here.
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Laurel Ann, best wishes for a very happy Thanksgiving.
Your blog is always the highlight of my on-line reading; thank you!
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Lovely remembrance! And Happy Thanksgiving wishes to you & your family too! :)
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A wonderful post, Laurel Ann! Thank you ;). I hope you had a relaxing and very Happy Thanksgiving yesterday!
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What a lovely thought for Thanksgiving or any time! I’m thankful for your website, which is a source of excessive diversion for me!
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I am going to have to make note of that prayer so I can add it to our holiday table. And thank you for your gracious words– you are someone I cherish, respect and so thankful to count as a friend. You and AustenProse are true blessings in my world.
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