This is a post from a curious British Rinkie.

Over here we see references to "Thanksgiving" in the news and media and in the various american TV shows and movies we get.

It is obviously a National Holiday along the lines of Easter or Christmas, though not based on religion, but started by the Founding Fathers celebrating for still being alive in a hostile foreign land having only been there a few years. (Or something like that.)

So, what I'm curious about is:

What makes Thanksgiving the way it is today?

What makes up the actual day of celebration for the average American?

Is it a massively commercialized celebration, the way Christmas seems to be heading?

How is it worked out what day it shall be, being always on a Thursday as it is? (Like Easter Day is always a Sunday)

Have I missed the point and it really is a Religious celebration?

If an American was out of the country on the day, would he still want to celebrate with a typical Thanksgiving, no matter where he was?


Feel free to answer any, all, or even none of these points. Post a 10,000 word essay detailing Thanksgiving in all its glory if you want to. I'm just curious how it all works, sort of thing.
Seeing as how I may have a relation living in America soon, whom I would want to visit frequently, it'd be nice to understand some of the customs a little better.

Bea"Ask me about St George's Day, or lack of it, some time..."sty

P.S. One last thing. Some people always seem to view posts of this type as denigrating the subject in question. This is nothing of the sort. I'm simply an interested onlooker who wants to know more about a subject, about which he currently knows very little.