Thanksgiving: The American Holiday  is devoted to the history and cultural importance of the Thanksgiving holiday in American life.  With essays, original materials, even recipes, this volume traces the customs, symbols and foods of Thanksgiving, from the earliest celebrations of European colonists to the celebrations of the present day.  Historical-overview essays cover Thanksgiving celebrations, beginning with traditions derived from the native cultures of early Americans and covering the early American Thanksgiving observances.  These essays then examine the evolution of the traditional harvest celebration into the designated “Day of Thanksgiving” by Abraham Lincoln in 1863, continuing into the standardization of the traditional Thanksgiving meal, and finally to the development of such modern American traditions as National Football League games and beginning-of-the-holiday-season parades.