13. Is Thanksgiving Day Holy?

holiday
1. legal day off: a day set aside by law or statute as exempt from regular labor or business activities, usually to celebrate or commemorate something that happened on or near that date
a public holiday
2. holy day: the day or days of a religious festival

Is Thanksgiving a holiday or a holy day? By the definition set by Congress, it appears to only be a “legal day off.” Is this what was intended?

Besides the Sabbath, [New Haven Colonists in 1643] recognize but two holy days throughout the year, the Fast Day in the Spring, and the Thanksgiving Day in the Autumn.
The Christian Recorder, January 1866

...consecrate the last Thursday in the month
Sarah Hale, Godey's Lady's Book 1861

Christians of any nation or creed could meet together, this happy, hallowed festival
Sarah Hale, Godey's Lady's Book 1861

A holy day is added to our days of rest from worldly labors; a third joyful anniversary is sealed for the American Republic.
Sarah Hale, Godey's Lady's Book 1865

The last Thursday in November, let it be consecrated
Sarah Hale, Godey's Lady's Book 1865

'Tis the holy spirit of Thanksgiving Day. ...That all may offer up, in one grand melody, that glorious hymn to the Creator, “Glory be to God on high, and on earth peace, good-will towards men.”
Godey's Lady's Book 1872

"The day of our ship's arrival ... shall be yearly and perpetually kept holy as a day of Thanksgiving to Almighty God." In response, the men fell to their knees in prayer. And with this humble act of faith, the settlers celebrated their first Thanksgiving in the New World.
President Bush, 2007 Radio Address¹
[BUSH IS REFERING TO PURITANS: Confusion about identity of who puritans vs Pilgrims]

The term “holy” in the bible means to “set apart,” we find this phrase, or similar phrase, frequently in Presidential proclamations.

“to set apart and observe Thursday”
George Washington 1795

“Thursday, the 12th of January next, be set apart”
James Madison 1814

“set apart and observe the last Thursday of November”
Abraham Lincoln 1863

“appoint and set apart Thursday”
William McKinley 1900

“hereby set apart Thursday, the twenty-sixth day of November”
Calvin Coolidge 1925

Is Thanksgiving a copy of God's holy days?

Thanks be unto God for this American Pentecost!
Rev. Charles Wadsworth quoted by Sarah Hale, Godey's Lady's Book 1860

The first Thanksgiving on record - since the Feasts of Tabernacles, for those were the Thanksgivings of the Jews
Godey's Lady's Book 1870

An annual religious festival observed in the United States, particular in New England, suggested by the Hebrew Feast of Tabernacles, or feasts of ingathering at the end of the year.
The Christian Recorder, January 17, 1889

We will have a glorious time at Thanksgiving!...All our family will then be gathered together, like the Jews at the feast of Tabernacles.
The Merchant Farmer, Godey's Lady's Book 1839

These were the Passover; The Feast of Pentecost; and, The Feast of Tabernacles. Then He commanded them to keep annually a Holy Day, called The Day of Atonement. All these days and feasts which we have named, were ordained and kept by the expressed command of God, from which we draw our warrant, to have and to hold days of thanksgiving
Bishop Campbell, The Christian Recorder 1870 (emphasis added)