In 1623 Governor William Bradford made a proclamation of the first official Thanksgiving gathering and feast. That proclamation was:

Inasmuch as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest of Indian corn, wheat, peas, beans, squashes, and garden vegetables, and has made the forests to abound with game and the sea with fish and clams, and inasmuch as he has protected us from the ravages of the savages, has spared us from pestilence and disease, has granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience.

Now I, your magistrate, do proclaim that all ye Pilgrims, with your wives and ye little ones, do gather at ye meeting house, on ye hill, between the hours of 9 and 12 in the day time, on Thursday, November 29th, of the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and twenty-three and the third year since ye Pilgrims landed on ye Pilgrim Rock, there to listen to ye pastor and render thanksgiving to ye Almighty God for all His blessings.

But my favorite historical account of what happened comes from Linus van Pelt:

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I thank God everyday for those who read this blog. Your thoughts, perspectives, and comments bless me like few other things can.

May God richly bless you and your family this season, and may He make your harvest abundant. May He continue to grant you the protection and freedom to worship Him as your Lord and Savior. Amen.

Happy Thanksgiving!