 This feast lasted three days, and—as recounted by attendee Edward Winslow—was attended by 90 Native Americans and 53 Pilgrims.The New England colonists were accustomed to regularly celebrating "thanksgivings" days of prayer thanking God for blessings such as military victory or the end of a drought.Thanksgiving has been celebrated nationally on and off since 1789, with a proclamation by President George Washington after a request by Congress.