Food, family, football and many other blessings

As ephemeral as they are, some presidential proclamations are more dessert than turkey, sticking in memory because of the importance attached to an event about which the document was issued. Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation is the gravy covering several such examples.

Through the years, presidents have proclaimed a certain date as being Thanksgiving Day — as if the people might not know otherwise. And also through the years, Thanksgiving proclamations didn't always carry a November date.

George Washington declared Feb. 19, 1795, as a formal day of giving thanks. In 1789 it was Nov. 26. James Madison issued Thanksgiving proclamations for dates in January one year and April in another. We can be assured that no football was played on the latter date. Regardless of the year or month, Thursday has long been the designated day for giving thanks in this country.

Presidential Thanksgiving proclamations are often cited as proof that President X or President Y strongly believed in God and so should we all, even to the point of making it a national policy to do so. Washington's 1789 version begins, “Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor ...”

In 1795, his proclamation was in the form of a recommendation, rather than a call to duty, for Americans to “render their sincere and hearty thanks to the Great Ruler of Nations for the manifold and signal mercies which distinguish our lot as a nation...”