Thanksgiving 2014 in Madrid

What do you think of when you
hear the word 'Thanksgiving'?

Madrid is starting to look at little Christmassy, and preparations for the Christmas lights are in full swing…this means another festival is coming up: Thanksgiving! This year Thanksgiving falls on 27th November.  An official annual tradition since 1863, and dating all the way back to 1621, it’s no surprise that thousands of people celebrate it in Madrid every year: expats and madrileños alike! In honor of this fantastic celebration, we’ve not only got a short history of Thanksgiving, but we’ve also searched out the best ways to celebrate Thanksgiving this year in Madrid, so that you don’t have to!

Thanksgiving celebrations date back a long way: how did Thanksgiving start?

 

Thanksgiving was started by 
Pilgrims,and was very 
different to today's celebrations.

Thanksgiving can be dated back to 1621, when the Pilgrims gave thanks for the good harvest and celebrated. Their Thanksgiving would barely be recognizable today, but this date still carries great significance for all Americans worldwide. It was a 3 day feast, with 90 Native Americans and 53 Pilgrims. Thanksgiving was frequently celebrated thereafter, but made official by Abraham Lincoln in 1863. If you are interested in reading more about the story of Thanksgiving have a look at our article! 

Nowadays Thanksgiving is family time; families all over the USA get together for a meal, traditionally consisting of turkey, cranberry sauce, stuffing, sweet potato, green beans and mash potato (sometimes with marshmallows!). As well as spending time as a family, everyone gathers round to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV. The parade goes from the Upper West side of Manhattan to Macy’s flagship store in Herald Square. Dating back to 1924 and involving giant balloons, celebrities, floats, cheerleaders and much more, it´s popular with people of all ages across the States!

 

 

How about Thanksgiving in Madrid?

 

You can enjoy a delicious
Thanksgiving dinner right here
in Madrid. 

There’s plenty going on in Thanksgiving for Madrid! Firstly due to the huge number of American expats, and secondly, when was the last time you heard of a Spaniard turning down a party?!

If you’re looking for a great Thanksgiving dinner, here are our top recommendations:

1. Roll Madrid:
Roll Madrid have set up a special Thanksgiving dinner, priced at 35€, including 3 courses and all the sides you could possibly imagine! Named the New American Kitchen, this place is sure to make you feel at home! 

2. Gumbo Madrid:
Gumbo Madrid have a fantastic Thanksgiving dinner lined up, priced at 30€ at lunchtime, or 35€ in the evening. It includes three courses, fully packed with all the traditional Thanksgiving components, as well as two drinks and coffee or tea. 

3. New York Burger Madrid
If you’re looking for a different take on the traditional Thanksgiving dinner, New York Burger have it sorted! For the whole of this week (21st-29th November), you can enjoy a delicious turkey burger, and a mouth watering pecan pie!

The only question is which place to choose? Or with New York Burger open all week, will you make it to more than one place?

 

 

Thanksgiving on a budget? Don’t panic!

 

Cheers to a brilliant Thanksgiving
here in Madrid!

With so many Americans in Madrid, why not club together with some friends and celebrate Thanksgiving together? If everyone brings one dish, you’ll have all the components of a Thanksgiving meal in no time, at a fraction of the price but just as much fun! If you don’t know any other Americans in Madrid, there’s no
excuse not to educate your Spanish friends and flat mates on the Thanksgiving tradition! They’re sure to love the food and all the celebrations.

If you fancy cooking your own Thanksgiving dinner in Madrid, you can get all the supplies you’ll need in the following places:

1. Taste of America:
The clue is in the name, Taste of America, located all over Madrid, won’t let you down this Thanksgiving! From canned pumpkin to marshmallows and gravy, you’ll find everything here! They also offer delivery. 2.

2. My American Market:
If you fancy having everything delivered to your home at a click of a button, from canned pumpkin to cranberry sauce and stuffing, making your own Thanksgiving dinner couldn’t be easier. 

Plus, you can get hold of some Thanksgiving dinner ingredients in Madrid more easily than you’d think, without even having to resort to imported products! You can easily buy pastry in Madrid in most supermarkets, and canned pumpkin can easily be substituted for butternut squash!

Happy Thanksgiving from AIL Madrid! Enjoy educating the Spanish on the fantastic Thanksgiving traditions and American culture, they will love it!