To the editor:

Regarding the “A to Z Kids News” in the Tuesday, Nov. 26, edition, the information given in the “Happy Thanksgiving” explanation of the origin of Thanksgiving was an absolutely false rewriting of history targeted at an impressionable audience that may not recognize the subterfuge.

The first Thanksgiving of 1621 was NOT a way “to thank the Wampanoag for their kindness … (and) to honor the Indian tribe for their help.” Rather the colonial event was a harvest festival to which the local Indian tribe was invited.

The celebration as we know it did not become an official American holiday until 1863 under the direction of President Abraham Lincoln, who clearly indicated that the purpose was to collectively thank the “ever watchful providence of Almighty God.”

Whether one chooses to celebrate Thanksgiving in this manner or not, is purely an individual choice, thanks to the Constitution of this great country. However, do not rewrite history in order to make it more palatable to a religiously diverse American population, especially to our impressionable children.

Trena Hill

Suffolk