同年的九月十六日他們從英倫乘坐著名的「五月花號（The May Flower）」漂洋過海，船上包括男人、婦人和小孩共一百零二人一起去找尋這片新天地。他們經過六十五天的海上航行，終於在十二月二十一日抵達花旗國。
達埗以後，他們經歷了寒冬的苦難，處在饑寒交迫之中。冬去春來，可以活下來的新移民只剩下五十餘人。基於「來者是客」的信念與習俗，新移民得到土著印第安人伸出援手，送來了生活的必需品，並且教導他們狩獵、捕魚和種植玉米、南瓜等等的生存方法。
在印第安人的幫助下，新移民逐漸掌握了各種生存的方式，並在秋收時有了較好的收成。這一群清教徒為了感謝上帝的賜予和印第安朋友的幫忙，特別邀請了印第安朋友共聚一起舉行感恩歡慶。他們在黎明時鳴放禮炮，列隊走進一間安排作教堂的屋子，虔誠地向上帝表達謝意，然後點起火炬舉行盛大宴會。
新移民和印第安人一起舉行感恩歡慶
這一批歐洲新移民第一次與印第安人一同慶賀的感恩活動延續了三天，這便是花旗感恩節的由來。時至今天，許多慶祝感恩節的傳統活動已經流傳了三百多年，並且一直保留至今。
感恩節除了是家人團聚的節日以外，也是回饋他人的節日。每年感恩節來臨以前，遍佈全國的慈善機構，包括教會和地區的組織，又或是私人企業等等都會行動起來，號召有能力的民眾捐款和捐物幫助有需要的貧困者，尤其是那些無家可歸的露宿人仕，期盼在節日裡讓貧困人仕得到愛心的關懷，便是這些團體對感恩節的使命了。
好些慈善團體更與食品銀行（Food Bank）（註一）合作。感恩節當天，社區內熱心的義工都會為貧困者準備感恩節的晚餐，好讓他們吃上一頓美味的感恩節大餐。這些在感恩節回饋他人的行動更為節日添上更深的意義。
從「五月花號」及至新移民與印第安人一起歡慶秋收的感恩活動都是人們懷著感恩的心來感激上帝的祝福和眷顧。首任總統華盛頓在一七八九年十月三日宣佈了第一次感恩公告（註二），向人民宣告要以感恩和禱告的心來感謝全能的上帝。
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首任花旗總統華盛頓
時移世逆，也許很多的事情在花旗國已經改變，可是感恩節的精神卻仍然體現在總統華盛頓的宣告裡，就是讓我們心存感恩來感謝上帝的祝福。與此同時，也是要對自己所擁有的一切懷有感恩之心。如此，感恩節才更具意義，因為這一天就是我們數算上帝恩典的日子。
註一：
食品銀行（Food Bank）是一個全國性非營利組織，為低收入或無收入人士提供食物。該組織提供的食物，主要來自捐助，包括團體及個人。節日期間，許多公私機構的辦公樓都會放有食品回收箱，員工從家裡將罐頭或盒裝食品等帶來放入箱中，然後再集中起來，通過不同途徑分配給有需要的人。
以馬里蘭州的食品銀行為例，在感恩節來臨以前，他們得到四十多家公司捐助了大量的食物，並在超過四百名義工的參與下，將這些食物分裝到一萬八千個節日箱內。每個節日箱裡的食品包括土豆泥、青豆、餡料、肉汁以及其他十多種食品，這些食物可以做出一個家庭所需的美味節日大餐。
註二：
一七八九年由總統華盛頓宣佈的第一次感恩公告，如下：
Thanksgiving
Proclamation
New
York, 3 October 1789
By
the President of the United States of America, a Proclamation.
Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the
providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits,
and humbly to implore his protection and favor-- and whereas both Houses of
Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People
of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by
acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God
especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of
government for their safety and happiness.
Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of
November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of
that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good
that was, that is, or that will be-- That we may then all unite in rendering
unto him our sincere and humble thanks--for his kind care and protection of the
People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation--for the signal and
manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we
experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war--for the great degree
of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed--for the
peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions
of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One
now lately instituted--for the civil and religious liberty with which we are
blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and
in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to
confer upon us.
And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our
prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech
him to pardon our national and other transgressions-- to enable us all, whether
in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties
properly and punctually--to render our national government a blessing to all
the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional
laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed--to protect and guide all
Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to
bless them with good government, peace, and concord--To promote the knowledge and
practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them
and us--and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal
prosperity as he alone knows to be best.
Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of
October in the year of our Lord 1789.
George
Washington
