Tomorrow is the fourth Thursday of November 2010 and we again celebrate Thanksgiving.

Celebrating on fourth Thursdays was set in stone by FDR in 1941 in order for merchants to get a jump start on the Christmas season.

Some historians would point to 1565 as the first Thanksgiving celebration in this country, celebrated by the Spaniards in St. Augustine, Fla.

Some purists would say that the first Thanksgiving celebration occurred in 1619 in Virginia, but most of us celebrate the holiday tradition that began at Plymouth Plantation, Mass., in 1621.

Thanksgiving is a holiday for all ages; it is the day that most kids start dreaming of bright shiny toys and sugarplums.

It is a day where many of us take that trek over hill and dale to visit and spend the day with family.

It is the day that we enjoy something special around the dinner table, a feast where you ignore the calorie count and instead overindulge and count your blessings.

This is what makes Thanksgiving so special, a bountiful family holiday.

Over the years, many of us have forgotten that Thanksgiving was a day set aside by our ancestors to celebrate survival and the bounties of the land that helped them survive.

It was a day to thank strangers and neighbors alike for their help.

And it was a day set aside to thank God Almighty for his blessings.

Thursday, we need to be mindful of the true spirit of Thanksgiving.

We suggest that you invite someone to enjoy your bountiful meal and share with your neighbors the joy you might feel as your family gathers.

Here in Newton County we have much to be thankful for. We have a beautiful county, moderate temperatures and neighbors who are willing to help neighbors.

We are thankful to you, our readers and advertisers. Because of your support, The Covington News will be 146 years old next year.

From all of us here at The Covington News and our families, have a thankful day and above all thank the Good Lord for his bountiful harvest and blessings.