Americans are marking the annual Thanksgiving holiday Thursday with family gatherings, meals and bargain shopping.

Feasts centering on turkeys with an array of traditional sides and desserts are a tradition for the holiday that falls on the fourth Thursday in November.

On the eve of the holiday, President Barack Obama and his family handed out food to clients of a center in Washington that provides food, clothing and other services to the poor.

Earlier in the day, Obama followed the presidential tradition of “pardoning” a turkey. The White House ran an online contest in the past week asking people to vote on which bird should get the pardon, “Cheese” or fellow turkey “Mac.”  While Cheese won the official pardon, both turkeys — each weighing about 23 kilograms — will be spared the chopping block.

Another Thanksgiving tradition is shopping sales in crowded stores at the start of the holiday shopping season. 

So called “Black Friday” sales begin Thursday on Thanksgiving Day, or even a few days before, and generally end the following Monday, known as Cyber Monday. According to the National Retail Federation, about 68 million people in the U.S. say they expect to shop over the Thanksgiving Day weekend.

Thanksgiving morning in New York City, millions of people will line the streets to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. The parade, which has been a tradition for 88 years, features marching bands, celebrity performances and many giant balloons.

A blast of rain and snow along the East Coast on Wednesday complicated weekend travel plans for many people in what is traditionally the busiest travel weekend of the year in the U.S.

Tradition says the first American Thanksgiving occurred in 1621, with early North American settlers commemorating a harvest after a harsh winter.

The nation’s first president, George Washington, declared it a national holiday in 1789. 
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