Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday in November (unless that day falls in an incomplete week -- then it's on the third Thursday). It's a celebration to commemorate the first Thanksgiving, which, according to popular belief, was a meal shared between the Pilgrims and the Indians (now referred to as Native Americans) to give thanks for the harvest and the goodwill between them. That is what kids learn in school.

Now a days, it is considered to be a day of family, in which many people take time to recognize and be thankful for the blessings in their lives. The typical foods are turkey with stuffing (little pieces of bread that are cooked with onion, celery and spices), mashed potatoes, green bean casserole (green beans covered with cream and mushroom sauce, topped with French fried onions) and pumpkin pie with whipped cream.

On TV, in the morning there is the famous Macy's Thanksgiving Parade, which takes place in New York, and later, various (American) football games. After such a large meal, many people fall asleep on the sofa.

Example:
-Happy Thanksgiving!
-Happy Turkey Day to you, too!

"Trick-or-Treat!"

"Trick-or-Treat" is what kids say when they go trick-or-treating on Halloween (October 31st), which is traditionally going door-to-door in your neighborhood, dressed in a costume, asking for candy. Some communities hold trick-or-treating on a weekend night that is closest to Halloween. In the interest of safety, it is now common to see trick-or-treating offered by malls or in other shared, public spaces. Some churches or other organizations also hold a 'Trunk-or-Treat,' where kids go from car-to-car in a parking lot, collecting candy from people who have have their trunks open to show off their Halloween-decorated interiors.

Traditionally, 'trick-or-treat' meant 'Give me a treat or I'm going to play a trick on you." Tricks included such things as soaping windows and egging houses. Now it just means, "Look at me, all cute in my costume, and may I have some candy, please?"

Example:
-Trick-or-treat!
-Here you go! Please, take two!