The American holiday of Thanksgiving is celebrated every year on the fourth Thursday in November .
The holiday is during autumn -- the main season for harvesting crops .
Thanksgiving is an autumn harvest festival like those found in many cultures around the world .
On this day , most Americans gather with friends and family .
Many take time to think about what they are thankful for , cook up a storm , and eat .
The star of most Thanksgiving dinners is a roasted turkey .
Turkeys are large birds native to North America .
The turkey is cooked in an oven for many hours , often with a mix of celery , bread , onions and spices inside the bird .
This mix becomes stuffing -- another star of the Thanksgiving dinner table .
Anna Matteo here at Learning English says the smell of turkey and stuffing roasting together is the quintessential smell of Thanksgiving .
“Quintessential ” means the perfect example of something .
After the bird is cooked , the stuffing is taken out and served as a side dish .
One of many side dishes .
Families often make other foods like mashed potatoes , sweet potatoes , cranberry sauce and vegetable casseroles .
A casserole is a dish that cooks slowly in an oven .
And do not forget about the gravy .
This rich sauce is made from the fatty liquid that comes off the turkey as it cooks .
People cover their turkey meat , stuffing and mashed potatoes with gravy .
The meal does not end with the turkey , stuffing , and side dishes , though .
For some people , the best part of the meal is dessert .
The quintessential Thanksgiving dessert is pie .
Some Americans must travel long distances to be with their families .
In fact , the Sunday after Thanksgiving is the busiest travel day of the entire year .
This is usually when people return home from family gatherings .
Not everyone can make the return home each Thanksgiving .
So , young people living in cities away from their hometowns sometimes celebrate “Friendsgiving ” -- a Thanksgiving meal with their friends instead of their family .
They gather at someone's apartment or house and have a “potluck .”
This is a meal where everyone who is invited brings food to share with others .
Thanksgiving is a big day for television , games and other entertainment .
One tradition is the television broadcast of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade .
It takes place each year in New York City .
Workers of the Macy's store on Herald Square organized the first parade in 1924 .
Many of the workers were immigrants and wanted to hold a big parade like the ones in Europe .
So , they dressed in costumes and borrowed some animals from the zoo .
They also carried small balloons that floated just overhead .
Many professional American football games are also played on Thanksgiving .
Fans of the sport enjoy relaxing and watching a game or two after eating a big Thanksgiving meal .
Some start Thanksgiving Day early - and in a healthy way .
So-called “Turkey Trot ” races take place in many towns and cities .
These events involve runners dressing up in a Thanksgiving-related costume and running a short distance -- usually five kilometers .
Certainly , not everyone in America has an easy Thanksgiving .
The United States is home to many poor and homeless people .
Some cannot afford a Thanksgiving dinner .
Others are without friends or families .
Many religious and service organizations around the country try to fill these needs .
Some provide community dinners at churches and other centers .
Some groups also deliver Thanksgiving meals to people too sick or old to leave their homes .
The writer O .
Henry called Thanksgiving the one holiday that is purely American .
It is not linked to a religion or a certain group .
Anyone in the United States on the fourth Thursday of November is welcome to celebrate Thanksgiving .
And I'm Ashley Thompson .