Thanksgiving Day, 2012

Proclamation 8908 of November 20, 2012

Thanksgiving Day, 2012

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

On Thanksgiving Day, Americans everywhere gather with
family and friends to recount the joys and blessings of
the past year. This day is a time to take stock of the
fortune we have known and the kindnesses we have
shared, grateful for the God-given bounty that enriches
our lives. As many pause to lend a hand to those in
need, we are also reminded of the indelible spirit of
compassion and mutual responsibility that has
distinguished our Nation since its earliest days.

Many Thanksgivings have offered opportunities to
celebrate community during times of hardship. When the
Pilgrims at Plymouth Colony gave thanks for a bountiful
harvest nearly four centuries ago, they enjoyed the
fruits of their labor with the Wampanoag tribe--a
people who had shared vital knowledge of the land in
the difficult months before. When President George
Washington marked our democracy's first Thanksgiving,
he prayed to our Creator for peace, union, and plenty
through the trials that would surely come. And when our
Nation was torn by bitterness and civil war, President
Abraham Lincoln reminded us that we were, at heart, one
Nation, sharing a bond as Americans that could bend but
would not break. Those expressions of unity still echo
today, whether in the contributions that generations of
Native Americans have made to our country, the Union
our forebears fought so hard to preserve, or the
providence that draws our families together this
season.

As we reflect on our proud heritage, let us also give
thanks to those who honor it by giving back. This
Thanksgiving, thousands of our men and women in uniform
will sit down for a meal far from their loved ones and
the comforts of home. We honor their service and
sacrifice. We also show our appreciation to Americans
who are serving in their communities, ensuring their
neighbors have a hot meal and a place to stay. Their
actions reflect our age-old belief that we are our
brothers' and sisters' keepers, and they affirm once
more that we are a people who draw our deepest strength
not from might or wealth, but from our bonds to each
other.

On Thanksgiving Day, individuals from all walks of life
come together to celebrate this most American
tradition, grateful for the blessings of family,
community, and country. Let us spend this day by
lifting up those we love, mindful of the grace bestowed
upon us by God and by all who have made our lives
richer with their presence.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, by virtue of the authority
vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the
United States, do hereby proclaim Thursday, November
22, 2012, as a National Day of Thanksgiving. I
encourage the people of the United States to join
together--whether in our homes, places of worship,
community centers, or any place of fellowship for
friends and neighbors--and give thanks for all we have
received in the past year, express appreciation to
those whose lives enrich our own, and share our bounty
with others.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
twentieth day of November, in the year of our Lord two
thousand twelve, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.