In 1622, the Plymouth colonists and Wampanoag Indians shared an autumn harvest feast that is acknowledged today as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations in the colonies. However, Thanksgiving wasn’t officially a national holiday until President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed in 1863, Thanksgiving Day be held on the forth Thursday each November.

The history of the holiday meal tells us that turkey was always the centerpiece of the meal, but other courses such as lobster and clams have since disappeared. Today, the traditional Thanksgiving dinner includes any number of dishes such as turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, candied yams, cranberry sauce and pumpkin pie.