Giving Thanks at the White House

Thanksgiving is a relatively quiet and personal holiday at the White House, as it precedes a very busy season of public events in December. With the exception of the annual turkey pardon, the First Family celebrates with friends and family in the same fashion as households across the country. Setting aside a day to give thanks and reflect was the intent behind President Abraham Lincoln’s proclamation of the national holiday in 1863 during the height of the Civil War.