Thanksgiving

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 6:13 pm

Thanksgiving.

It's not about being descended from the Mayflower fathers.

It's not about being an American.

It's not about turkey and dressing.

It's not about football or pie.

It's not about criticizing our forebears.

It's not about criticizing others' forebears.

There is a reason why we look to the past. Not that the Pilgrim Fathers were the first to celebrate a time of Thanksgiving. They weren't. But we do look to them, and remember the thanks that they gave to the Creator. We remember the coming together of nations and races at that time to give thanks for the bounty of the fruits of the earth. For life. For family. For friends. For deliverance from affliction. For deliverance in affliction.

We take note of these things, not as a commemoration of some half-remembered long-ago event, but because we too have a need to give thanks for the good things which come into our lives, despite the setbacks, despite the trials, and the losses, we wish to give thanks for the blessings.

peteinmn · Post by **peteinmn** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 6:52 pm

Walden,

Nicely written. Now, because you have obviously given this some thought, what tunes do you think are appropriate to celebrate Thankgiving?

Best

chas · Post by **chas** » Sun Nov 21, 2004 9:20 pm

For me it's all about family. I see my parents and most of my siblings (3/4) at Thanksgiving. Every day I thank my lucky stars for my parents, siblings, and wife and daughter, but at Thanksgiving it all comes together.

jkrazy52 · Post by **jkrazy52** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 12:08 am

Thanksgiving is a perfect to give thanks for family, health and everything going well in life ... and sometimes for the major flubs.

It's also a good time to say thank you, Walden - well said; and thank you to all the other great friends found here at the C & F. You have all made life a little more interesting in many ways.

~Judy

Walden · Post by **Walden** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 12:14 am

peteinmn wrote:Now, because you have obviously given this some thought, what tunes do you think are appropriate to celebrate

Turkey In the Straw.

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 8:13 am

I love Thanksgiving. It's not a religious holiday, so I can really get into it. My favorite thing is going around that table saying what we are thankful for. I am so blessed and I have so much bounty in my life. This will be a good Thanksgiving. It will be the first time I am hosting it (ever in my life to date).

Yeah, my biological family is tiny, but my married family is rather large. I can't wait.

jbarter · Post by **jbarter** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 8:22 am

I wanna Thanksgiving!

OK, what I really want is turkey.

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 8:57 am

For me it's entirely a matter of food.

Will O'B · Post by **Will O'B** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 9:06 am

jim stone wrote:For me it's entirely a matter of food.

. . . and giving thanks that my family is not starving as my ancestors did in the old country. (Sorry, Jim, but some sentiments seem to cry out to me for completion).

Happy Thanksgiving,

Will O'Ban

dubhlinn · Post by **dubhlinn** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 9:22 am

jbarter wrote: OK, what I really want is turkey.

Have no fear JB,

Soon be Christmas.

Slan,
D.

mamakash · Post by **mamakash** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 11:13 am

Remember, if you can't get together with your family on Thanksgiving, you can get together on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. I only say this because it can be impossible for everyone to get the day off. You can still give thanks when you're with the ones you love.

chattiekathy · Post by **chattiekathy** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 12:31 pm

Here's George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation

http://teachingamericanhistory.org/libr ... ocument=20

To me, Thanksgiving is about giving thanks for all of the Blessings in our lives, getting together with family and eating turkey and filling and my mom's Pumpkin Pie. Yumm!

Cheers,
Kathy

MarkB · Post by **MarkB** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 1:27 pm

Haygood Hardy's tune, The Homecoming, will always put me in the mood to go home, or be home with family and friends, especially for this time of the year.

I wish you all in the United States, a safe and joyous Thanksgiving!

MarkB

Will O'B · Post by **Will O'B** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 4:10 pm

chattiekathy wrote:Here's George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation

http://teachingamericanhistory.org/libr ... ocument=20

Cheers,
Kathy

Gee. I always thought it was Lincoln who established Thanksgiving as a national holiday. Not sure why I thought that.

Will O'Ban

fearfaoin · Post by **fearfaoin** » Mon Nov 22, 2004 4:11 pm

chattiekathy wrote:Here's George Washington's Thanksgiving Proclamation
http://teachingamericanhistory.org/libr ... ocument=20

Huh. Apparantly, until the 1940's the President had to proclaim the date of Thanksgiving every year;
it wasn't automatically the 4th Thursday of Nov, as it is now. It wasn't even really popular until the Civil War.

More thanksgiving history:

http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_147.html