Thanksgiving.
- Thread starter Pearl
- Start date
Marianna
Dedicated Member
1) If you can set aside the fact that the day after is the usual start to the Christmas shopping frenzy, it's not as 'big' in the commercial sense. It's much bigger in all the ways that matter, though — renewing family ties, catching up with family members you don't often see, passing the family's traditions around the day along to the next generation, etc.
2) I've never heard of the two holidays being merged, although lately some large retailers have been keeping their stores open on the holiday in order to get a jump on the Black Friday Christmas shopping crowds and profits. ('Black Friday' refers to the day after Thanksgiving, when most retailers' accounts go out of the red and into the black for the first time that year.)
3) Probably virtually everyone celebrates, as there are no religious connotations to the holiday. In most of the communities around here, various organizations will team up to prepare and serve the traditional menu to people who would otherwise have to spend the day alone. So even though it's traditionally a family day, folks with no family don't need to feel lonely at dinner time.
The holiday began as a harvest festival, but most people are so out of touch with where their food comes from that now it's about sharing a festive meal with the extended family. The colonists at Plymouth Plantation who celebrated the first Thanksgiving in 1621 in gratitude for a successful harvest would probably recognize the spirit of the contemporary holiday, if not the details.
Marianna
brendalovescompo
Dedicated Member
Enjoyed a turkey dinner with my kids and future son-in-law. It was extra special since my son just came home from university of Alabama yesterday. Leaving Sunday to get ready for his semester finals. Hope fellow winos from the states enjoyed their holiday as well. Bless everyone and hope all have safe travels.:wink::wink:
Elmc
Dedicated Member
In my opinion . . it IS bigger than Christmas. Everyone celebrates it. I believe President Lincoln made it a holiday in 1863 to thank our Maker. Well, perhaps observed for a while is more correct. President F.D.Roosevelt moved it about a bit to help businesses during the
Depression. He moved it to the third Thursday so there was more time for Christmas shopping. Then Congress finally put it to the fourth Thursday.
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Adanor
Dedicated Member
Madison Avenue (Marketing executives) has done its best to ignore and downplay Thanksgiving by starting the "Christmas shopping season" on November 1st with Christmas commercials and store decorations; and keeping stores open on Thanksgiving Day. It is not bigger than Christmas, people do not merge Thanksgiving and Christmas together but Madison Avenue does. Everyone celebrates. The Macy's (a department store) Thanksgiving Parade traditionally ends with Santa Claus riding in a sleigh.
codfanglers
Dedicated Member
I think other fellow Yanks have answered this well, but to add to the confusion, I will answer it myself anyways.
I I dont think it is as big as Christmas. There are no religious affiliations to it but Christmas is largely celebrated by many as a family season even if they aren't practicing Christians.
Thanksgiving and Christmas aren't directly merged together, but I bit of an ugly tradition (IMO) has started when major sales take place in stores to make the beginning of the Christmas shopping season, which begin immediately after Thanksgiving. On a more peaceful note, the weekend after Thanksgiving is normally the time when people start putting up Christmas decorations and radio stations start playing Christmas music.
I think most families that have been in the US by a at least a couple of generations take part in it. For my family, the American football games on TV are a big part of it as well.
cciaffone
Dedicated Member
While we are busy going on about the ugly 'muricans making
Thanksgiving and Christmas into a joint commercial "holiday" I
was rather surprised to see that the Brits celebrate Black Friday
in the same way as the Yanks -- shaking poor folks loose from
their cash.
We should all be very ashamed.
Fortunately at 71 I am not all that interested in throwing
hard-earned cash about. I'd rather save it for another
bottle of single-malt for ME.
Thanksgiving and Christmas into a joint commercial "holiday" I
was rather surprised to see that the Brits celebrate Black Friday
in the same way as the Yanks -- shaking poor folks loose from
their cash.
We should all be very ashamed.
Fortunately at 71 I am not all that interested in throwing
hard-earned cash about. I'd rather save it for another
bottle of single-malt for ME.
Elmc
Dedicated Member
However, didn't some British subjects wanting to leave the Isles, go to the Dutch for help in skipping across the pond? It really started with you.
Apparently according to the papers ,retailers are trying to start it up over here!
I saw it on the news, its disgusting the way people were fighting over TVs! My son in law put it well when he said " We're British, we queue" It'll all be the same price in the January sales. Speaking of queues my said that in the war if there was a queue his mam would send him to join it, most people didn't know what they were queuing for but it was worth a go
cciaffone
Dedicated Member
Some more likely US Thanksgiving. NO Shopping!!!
Early- Mid-morning, wife and I started the turkey in
the oven. Fifteen pounds at somewhere around 5 hours?
Daughter, Son-in-law, and 2 grand-girls drove in about
noon-ish. We enjoyed "cocktails" in the den: cheese and
crackers, empanadas, nuts, drinks, etc.
Then off for a long walk with dogs and grand-girls and all.
Rain we had earlier had gone so we had a lovely walk in the sun.
Back from the walk, we sat and talked. The girls watched
a Doctor Who I had downloaded. Lots of family talk, and
called various relatives off in other states.
Round about 3-ish we set the table in the dining room.
Had to put in some leaves for the extra people. Made
the gravy in the turkey pan while the turkey rested.
Then I carved enough turkey for all for dinner. (Hid the
rest so the cat and dogs would not partake.)
Put the food on the table. We go easy here. Just the
turkey, the stuffing/dressing, and a huge salad with
lots of tomatoes. Wine for the adults. Juice for the
girls.
After dinner, another longish walk with the dogs.
Then back for another Doctor Who and ice cream
and pie (1 pumpkin and 1 pecan) for all.
As I remember, guests left about 7-ish to drive
home. We cleaned up and crashed with a scotch.
Evening we watched a Grantchester I believe.
Early- Mid-morning, wife and I started the turkey in
the oven. Fifteen pounds at somewhere around 5 hours?
Daughter, Son-in-law, and 2 grand-girls drove in about
noon-ish. We enjoyed "cocktails" in the den: cheese and
crackers, empanadas, nuts, drinks, etc.
Then off for a long walk with dogs and grand-girls and all.
Rain we had earlier had gone so we had a lovely walk in the sun.
Back from the walk, we sat and talked. The girls watched
a Doctor Who I had downloaded. Lots of family talk, and
called various relatives off in other states.
Round about 3-ish we set the table in the dining room.
Had to put in some leaves for the extra people. Made
the gravy in the turkey pan while the turkey rested.
Then I carved enough turkey for all for dinner. (Hid the
rest so the cat and dogs would not partake.)
Put the food on the table. We go easy here. Just the
turkey, the stuffing/dressing, and a huge salad with
lots of tomatoes. Wine for the adults. Juice for the
girls.
After dinner, another longish walk with the dogs.
Then back for another Doctor Who and ice cream
and pie (1 pumpkin and 1 pecan) for all.
As I remember, guests left about 7-ish to drive
home. We cleaned up and crashed with a scotch.
Evening we watched a Grantchester I believe.
codfanglers
Dedicated Member
Sounds ideal for as long as you replace the Dr. Who with Summer Wine (or footbal!)
codfanglers
Dedicated Member
I saw it on the news, its disgusting the way people were fighting over TVs! My son in law put it well when he said " We're British, we queue" It'll all be the same price in the January sales. Speaking of queues my said that in the war if there was a queue his mam would send him to join it, most people didn't know what they were queuing for but it was worth a go
Yes, I heard there was a lot of commotion in Manchester! I feel relieved that it is not just us Americans partaking in the foolishness.