感恩就意味着感激，意味着历数你所有的幸福，意味着留意简单的快乐，也意味着答谢你接受的一切。感恩让你学着去过一种生活，这种生活的每件事都是奇迹，你会始终留意你被给予了多少东西。

　　【感恩节：美国人喜爱的节日】

　　Thanksgiving in the United States is a timeto gather with family and friends, share a traditional meal and expressgratitude for the good things in life. It can also be a time of service toothers in the community.

　　美国每年一度的感恩节(Thanksgiving)是家人和朋友团聚的日子。在这一天，亲朋好友共进传统风格的大餐，对生活中的诸多恩惠表示感激。还有很多人为邻里社区的其他人提供服务。

　　Celebrated on the fourth Thursday in November, Thanksgiving traces its originsto harvest festivals. It was customary to express gratitude for a bountifulharvest in the cultures of both the Pilgrims who sailed from England in 1620and the Native Americans they encountered.

　　人们在每年11月的第四个星期四欢庆感恩节。庆祝传统的传统最早来自庆丰收的活动。不论是1620年从英国跨海来美洲的清教徒，还是他们遇见的美洲印第安人，他们对盛大的丰收表示感激都已形成习俗，成为各自文化的一部分。

　　A three-day harvest celebration held in 1621 in Plymouth Colony (part oftoday’s Massachusetts) is generally considered to be the first AmericanThanksgiving. The Pilgrims had arrived the year before on the ship TheMayflower. They hadn’t brought enough food, and it was too late to plant crops.Half the colony died during the winter of 1620–1621. In the spring, localWampanoag Indians taught the colonists how to grow corn (maize) and othercrops, and helped them master hunting and fishing. They also showed thecolonists how to cook cranberries, corn and squash.

　　1621年在普利茅斯殖民地(Plymouth Colony)，即今天的马萨诸塞州(Massachusetts)，人们举行为时三天的丰收庆典活动，一般被视为美洲的第一个感恩节。前一年，英国清教徒们乘坐“五月花”号(The Mayflower)抵达美洲大陆。他们没有带足够的粮食，重新种庄稼又太晚。1620至1621年冬，这个殖民地的一半人口不幸丧生。到了春天，当地万帕诺亚格部落的印第安人(Wampanoag Indians)向外来移民介绍如何种植玉米和其他庄稼，并帮助他们学会狩猎和捕鱼。他们还教他们如何烹制越橘、玉米和南瓜。

　　The colonists had bountiful crops in the fall of 1621. They invited theirWampanoag benefactors to feast on wild turkeys, duck, geese, fish andshellfish, corn, green vegetables and dried fruits. Wampanoag Chief Massasoitand his tribe brought venison.

　　1621年秋，移民们大获丰收。他们邀请当地万帕诺亚格部落的印第安族恩人前来就餐，食物十分丰盛，有野火鸡、鸭、鹅、鱼虾贝、玉米、蔬菜和干果。部落酋长马萨索伊特(Massasoit)及部落成员则带着鹿肉前来赴宴。

　　Harvest festivals became a regular affair in New England. Thanksgiving wasobserved on various dates in the states until 1863, when President AbrahamLincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as the national Thanksgivingholiday. In 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt signed a law fixing Thanksgivingon the fourth (not always the last) Thursday in November.

　　丰收庆典逐渐成为新英格兰地区的固定节日。1863年前，各州往往在不同日子庆祝感恩节。1863年，林肯(Abraham Lincoln)总统宣布11月份的最后一个星期四为全国感恩节。1941年，罗斯福(Franklin Roosevelt)总统签署法律，将感恩节确定为11月的第四个星期四(因为第四个星期四不一定总是最后一个星期四)。

　　【感恩节幽默地用英语感恩】

　　►1. If it wasn’t weird, I would have sent you a picture of myself. Because I look totally grateful.

　　要不是怕太怪的话，我真想给你发一张我的照片：好让你看看我充满感激的脸。

　　►2. Thank you (not sent from my iPhone).

　　谢谢(不是发自我的iPhone)。

　　►3. You score phenomenally high in the kind-o-meter. Seriously, I checked.

　　你在好人榜上得分高得令人震惊。真的，我看过那个榜了。

　　►4. Thanks so much for putting up with our direct mail. But even more, thank you for responding.

　　非常谢谢你能忍受得了我们的推销邮件。而且难能可贵的是，你还给回复了，谢谢。

　　►5. You = awesome. Me = grateful.

　　你真是牛人。我十分感激。

　　►6. Move over Gates and Buffett, there’s a new philanthropist in town.

　　你已经超越盖茨和巴菲特，成为咱们这儿的大慈善家。

　　►7. Our clients have started an unofficial fan club. You should start practicing your autograph.

　　客户们已经组建了非官方粉丝俱乐部。您老赶快练练签名吧。

　　►8. Do you practice being so wonderful? Thank you kindly for your gift.

　　你是练过吗?怎么可以这么厉害?谢谢你的礼物。

　　►9. Amazed. Inspired. Grateful. That’s how your generosity makes me feel.

　　目瞪口呆。醍醐灌顶。感激涕零。这就是你的慷慨带给我的感受。

　　►10. a) A peach b) Bee’s knees c) Cat’s pajamas. You’re d) All of the above. Thanks for your bigheartedness.

　　a) 人见人爱，b)出类拔萃，c)不同凡响，你是d)以上皆是。谢谢你的慷慨解囊。

　　►11. Is there no limit to your awesomeness? Thank you!

　　你一定是无所不能的吧?谢谢!